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Retirement · Updated July 15, 2026

State Retirement Income Taxation in 2026: 50-State Field Guide — Where Pensions, 401(k) Distributions, and Social Security Are Taxed, Exempt, or Partially Sheltered

Federal retirement tax is one system. State retirement tax is 50 systems, each with its own definition of "retirement income," its own exemption thresholds, its own age-based tiers, its own Social Security treatment, and its own domicile mechanics. This is the 2026 field guide — the 9 no-tax states, the 5 full-exempt states (including Michigan's brand-new full exemption), the 8 states that still tax Social Security, Georgia's $65,000 age-65 exclusion, South Carolina's stacked deductions, and three worked case studies at $80K, $160K, and $340K retirement income.

Federal retirement tax is a single system: the Internal Revenue Code treats every state's residents identically. If you contributed pretax to a 401(k) in Nashville and again in New York, the federal Traditional balance is taxed exactly the same way when you withdraw it — as ordinary income under IRC §72 layered onto your marginal bracket.[1] State retirement tax is fifty separate systems. Each state defines "retirement income" differently, applies exemptions that turn on age, income, filing status, and account type, treats Social Security under its own rules, and interacts with the federal Medicare IRMAA surcharge structure in ways that can move a retiree's effective marginal rate by 10 percentage points or more.

The stakes are large. A retiree drawing $120,000 per year from a Traditional 401(k) plus $32,000 of Social Security faces roughly zero state income tax if they live in Florida, Tennessee, or Texas, roughly $6,000 in California, roughly $10,000 in Oregon, and roughly $2,900 in Minnesota under 2026 rules and thresholds.[2] Over a 25-year retirement that state-tax delta compounds into $75,000 to $250,000 of lifetime after-tax income difference — often larger than the year-to-year variation from investment returns. State retirement tax planning is one of the highest-leverage decisions a pre-retiree can make. It is also one of the most under-covered in mainstream personal finance writing, which typically stops at the "no-income-tax states" list and never explains the age-based exclusions, the Social Security thresholds, the domicile mechanics, or the interaction with the Pension Source Tax Act of 1996.

This guide is the 2026 field reference. It walks the four categories every state falls into, the specific rules for the states with the largest retiree populations, the eight-state Social Security question with its 2026 thresholds, the domicile mechanics for legitimately relocating, three worked case studies at $80K / $160K / $340K retirement income, six common mistakes, and an 8-item pre-relocation checklist. Model the projections as you read using the retirement calculator, the income tax calculator, and the 401(k) calculator, all of which handle multi-year distribution modeling with state overlay.

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1. Every state falls into one of four categories

Simplifying to four categories loses precision at the state boundary — a few states straddle two — but it captures 95 percent of the practical retirement tax picture. Every retiree's state tax posture is determined primarily by which category their state of residence sits in, and secondarily by the state's income-based exemption thresholds.

Category A: No state income tax. Nine states impose no state income tax on any type of income, so retirement income is untaxed at the state level by default. These are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.[2] New Hampshire and Washington deserve a footnote: New Hampshire historically imposed a 5 percent tax on interest and dividend income above thresholds, but that tax was fully phased out effective January 1, 2025 under a 2021 state law, so 2026 is the first calendar year where New Hampshire is a true zero-income-tax state.[3] Washington imposes a 7 percent capital gains tax on gains above roughly $270,000 per year but does not tax ordinary retirement distributions. The remaining seven states are pure — no income tax on wages, no income tax on distributions, no income tax on Social Security.

Category B: Full exemption for qualified retirement income. Five states impose income tax generally but fully exempt qualified retirement plan distributions from the state income tax base. These are Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Michigan (Michigan's full pension exemption took full effect in tax year 2026 under Public Act 4 of 2023).[4] Illinois exempts qualified plan distributions under 35 ILCS 5/203(a)(2)(F), including §401(k), §403(b), §457(b), pension income, and IRA distributions.[5] Pennsylvania exempts qualified retirement distributions under 72 P.S. §7301(d) once the participant reaches retirement age or separates from service, though contributions to §401(k) plans are made with after-tax dollars for Pennsylvania purposes.[6] Iowa fully exempts retirement income under 2022 legislation. Mississippi exempts all qualified retirement income under Miss. Code §27-7-15(4)(k). Michigan is the newest addition: the state's four-tier retirement income treatment was reformed under Public Act 4 of 2023, and the fully-phased-in treatment for 2026 exempts all retirement income for taxpayers born in 1946 or later, regardless of age.

Category C: Age-based or income-based partial exemption. A large group of states offer meaningful but conditional exemptions. Georgia's tiered exclusion is the most generous: $5,000 under age 62, $35,000 for ages 62-64, and $65,000 per person at 65 and older.[7] South Carolina offers a $10,000 retirement deduction at age 65 plus a separate $15,000 age-65 deduction against any income, reduced by the retirement deduction claimed.[8] Kentucky exempts up to $31,110 of retirement income per person regardless of age. Maryland exempts up to $39,500 of pension and retirement income at age 65+. New York exempts up to $20,000 of retirement income at age 59½+ plus a full exemption for state and local government pensions. Wisconsin exempts up to $5,000 at age 65+ if federal AGI is below $15,000 single or $30,000 MFJ. Colorado allows a subtraction of up to $24,000 for taxpayers age 65+ that covers pension income and other qualifying retirement income. Ohio provides a retirement income credit that phases down with income and caps at $200 per return.

Category D: Full taxation. A residual group taxes retirement income essentially the same as wage income, with only marginal age adjustments. California is the largest state in this category — full taxation of pension income, 401(k) distributions, IRA distributions, and (with some exception for Railroad Retirement) Social Security is federal-only. California's top marginal rate is 12.3 percent (13.3 percent with the mental health services tax on income above $1 million) and applies to all retirement distributions. Other Category D states include Connecticut (with Social Security exemption up to income limits), Massachusetts (with a small age-65 exemption for governmental pensions only), Minnesota (Social Security threshold applies), Nebraska, Oregon, Rhode Island (Social Security threshold applies), Vermont (Social Security threshold applies), Virginia (age-65 subtraction up to $12,000 reduced by federal AGI over $50,000 single / $75,000 MFJ), and Utah (retirement credit with income phaseout).

The category boundary is more important than the state boundary

Category A (no tax) and Category B (full exemption) look identical to a retiree living within their borders — both produce zero state tax on qualified retirement income. But they differ dramatically for retirees who continue to earn part-time wages: Illinois taxes wages at 4.95 percent while Florida taxes wages at zero. A retiree who plans to continue consulting after retirement should prefer Category A over Category B, all else equal.

2. The nine no-income-tax states — the detail behind the headline

Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming impose no state income tax on any type of income. But zero state income tax does not always mean zero total state tax burden for a retiree. Property tax rates, sales tax rates, and state-specific surcharges vary dramatically across these nine states, and for retirees with high consumption or significant home equity, the total burden can equal or exceed a low-income-tax state's overall level.

StateIncome taxAvg property tax rateState sales taxNotes for retirees
Alaska0%1.19%0% (avg local 1.76%)Permanent Fund Dividend paid to residents. Cold climate + high cost of living for imported goods.
Florida0%0.89%6.0% (avg local 7.0%)Homestead exemption + Save Our Homes 3% assessment cap. Most retiree-friendly major state.
Nevada0%0.59%6.85% (avg local 8.24%)Low property tax. Sales tax offset partially by no grocery tax.
New Hampshire0% (I&D tax phased out 2025)2.09%0%Highest property tax rate among no-income-tax states. Compensates via no sales tax.
South Dakota0%1.24%4.2% (avg local 6.4%)Modest property tax. Estate planning trust-friendly jurisdiction.
Tennessee0% (Hall tax repealed 2021)0.71%7.0% (avg local 9.55%)Highest average combined sales tax in the U.S.
Texas0%1.68%6.25% (avg local 8.20%)High property tax. Homestead exemption + age-65 school district cap available.
Washington0% ordinary; 7% cap gains > $270K0.87%6.5% (avg local 9.38%)Capital gains tax affects large asset sales; ordinary retirement distributions untouched.
Wyoming0%0.58%4.0% (avg local 5.44%)Lowest total tax burden in the nation for most retiree profiles.

Florida remains the flagship retirement destination for good reason. In addition to the zero income tax posture, Florida offers a $50,000 homestead exemption on primary residence property tax, the Save Our Homes constitutional amendment that caps annual assessed value increases at 3 percent, and Florida-friendly estate planning statutes including no state estate tax and creditor-protected homestead. The combination of no income tax and property-tax-controlled cost of ownership makes Florida a durable retirement destination even as home prices in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties have appreciated substantially.[9]

Texas offers a countervailing profile: zero income tax but the second-highest average property tax rate in the nation. For a retiree with a $600,000 home in Austin or a $500,000 home in Dallas, the property tax alone can exceed $10,000 per year. Texas offers a homestead exemption plus a Truth in Taxation age-65 assessed value freeze at the school district level that mitigates the burden for retirees who bought their homes before appreciation, but new-to-Texas retirees who buy at current market prices face the full property-tax load.

3. The five full-exempt states — the sleeper category

Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Michigan look on the surface like they impose income tax on retirees — each has a state income tax rate schedule ranging from 3.07 percent (Pennsylvania) to 4.95 percent (Illinois) to 4.25 percent (Michigan). But qualified retirement income is fully exempt from the base of that income tax, making the effective state tax rate on retirement distributions zero.

Illinois is the textbook example. 35 ILCS 5/203(a)(2)(F) exempts distributions from qualified retirement plans as defined in IRC §401(a) plus IRAs, Roth IRAs, §403(b) annuities, and §457(b) plans.[5] A retiree drawing $150,000 per year from a Traditional 401(k) in Chicago pays zero Illinois income tax on that distribution. Wage income, part-time consulting income, and taxable investment income are still taxed at Illinois's 4.95 percent flat rate, but the retirement distribution itself is exempt. For a retiree whose income is 90-plus percent retirement distributions, Illinois is functionally a no-tax state.

Pennsylvania's exemption operates similarly but with an important caveat: qualified retirement distributions are exempt for Pennsylvania purposes only after the participant reaches the plan's normal retirement age or separates from service.[6] Pre-retirement in-service withdrawals do not qualify. Additionally, Pennsylvania treats §401(k) elective deferrals as taxable at contribution time — meaning the state has already taxed the contribution basis, so distributions of that basis are not doubly taxed. This creates a state-specific §72(d)-analogous basis calculation that differs from the federal treatment.

Michigan's newly-effective 2026 treatment is the most significant recent change in this category. Michigan Public Act 4 of 2023 phased in a full exemption for retirement income over four tax years, and 2026 is the first year of full implementation for the broadest taxpayer tier. For taxpayers born in 1946 or later, all retirement income — including private pensions, government pensions, 401(k) and 403(b) distributions, Traditional IRA distributions, and annuity income — is exempt from Michigan's 4.25 percent state income tax. Michigan joins Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania as a full-exempt state for the majority of retirees.[4]

Full-exempt states are the sleeper choice for retirees with in-state ties

Retirees who want to stay near family in Chicago, Detroit, Des Moines, Jackson, or Philadelphia get the same state-tax outcome as a Florida or Texas relocation — zero state income tax on qualified retirement distributions — without the physical move. For a retiree with strong social ties to a Category B state, the "stay put" option is often financially indistinguishable from the "move to Florida" option once state income tax is fully exempt at both.

4. The eight states that still tax Social Security — and where the thresholds sit for 2026

Federal Social Security taxation is uniform: up to 85 percent of benefits are taxable federally depending on the retiree's provisional income (adjusted gross income plus tax-exempt interest plus 50 percent of Social Security benefits). Above $34,000 for single filers and $44,000 for MFJ, the 85 percent cap kicks in.[10] State Social Security taxation is the state's overlay on top of that federal treatment.

In 2026 only eight states still tax any portion of Social Security benefits: Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont.[11] This is a decline from 12 states as recently as 2022 — Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and West Virginia have phased out Social Security taxation over the past several years, with West Virginia's phase-out completing in 2026 (making 2026 the first year West Virginia does not tax Social Security). Each of the eight remaining taxing states applies income-based thresholds, so a substantial fraction of that state's retirees pay zero even though the state technically taxes benefits.

State2026 exemption threshold (full)Above-threshold treatmentTop marginal rate
ColoradoAge 65+ full deduction; age 55-64 with income-based cap4.4% flat rate on taxable portion4.4%
ConnecticutSingle AGI < $75,000; MFJ AGI < $100,000Max 25% of benefits taxable6.99%
MinnesotaSingle AGI < $86,410; MFJ AGI < $110,780Phase-in above threshold9.85%
MontanaFollows federal taxable-portion rulesFederal-conformity treatment5.9%
New MexicoSingle AGI < $100,000; MFJ AGI < $150,000Full deduction below threshold5.9%
Rhode IslandFull retirement age + AGI < $107,000 single / $133,750 MFJFederal taxable portion5.99%
UtahNonrefundable credit; single AGI < $75,000; MFJ < $100,000Credit phases out above threshold4.55%
VermontSingle/MFS AGI < $55,000; MFJ AGI < $70,000Partial phase-out above threshold8.75%

The practical implication of these thresholds is that a middle-income retiree in most of the eight taxing states pays zero on Social Security. A Vermont married couple with $65,000 of AGI pays zero on their Social Security benefits despite Vermont technically being a Social-Security-taxing state; a New Mexico single filer with $85,000 AGI pays zero; a Utah married couple with $95,000 AGI pays zero. High-income retirees are the ones actually taxed. This is a critical planning implication — the headline "8 states tax Social Security" overstates the real impact for the median retiree.

Minnesota's threshold at $110,780 MFJ is materially lower than New Mexico's at $150,000, but Minnesota's top marginal rate at 9.85 percent is materially higher than New Mexico's 5.9 percent. A married Minnesota couple with $130,000 of AGI pays a small amount on the taxable portion of benefits at a high marginal rate; a married New Mexico couple with $130,000 of AGI pays zero. The pairing of threshold and rate is the actual planning variable.

5. Age-based exemption states — Georgia and South Carolina in detail

Georgia offers one of the most generous age-tiered retirement income exclusions in the country. The Georgia Department of Revenue's Retirement Income Exclusion allows residents under age 62 to exclude $5,000 per person per year, residents aged 62 through 64 to exclude $35,000 per person per year, and residents aged 65 and older to exclude $65,000 per person per year.[7] A married Georgia couple both age 65+ can exclude $130,000 of retirement income annually. Qualifying income types include pensions, IRA distributions, 401(k) and 403(b) distributions, and up to $4,000 of earned income per person (part-time consulting, part-time W-2 income). Social Security is separately fully exempt under Ga. Code §48-7-27 and does not count against the exclusion caps.

Georgia's 2026 flat income tax rate is 5.19 percent (down from 5.39 percent in 2025 under scheduled reductions). A married Georgia couple age 65+ with $180,000 of retirement income excludes $130,000 and pays 5.19 percent on the remaining $50,000, for a state tax bill of $2,595. The same couple in California — with no age-based exemption for retirement income — would pay approximately $12,000 to $14,000 on the same distribution profile. Georgia's exemption is the largest single lever for high-balance retirees looking at Southeastern states without moving to a full no-tax jurisdiction.

South Carolina fully exempts Social Security at all ages under S.C. Code §12-6-1120. On non-Social Security retirement income, residents under 65 may deduct up to $3,000 per person; residents 65 and older may deduct up to $10,000 per person.[8] A separate age-65 deduction under §12-6-1170(A) allows senior residents to deduct an additional $15,000 (single) or $30,000 (married both 65+) against any income, reduced dollar-for-dollar by the retirement income deduction claimed. South Carolina's 2026 top marginal rate is 6.2 percent for taxable income above $46,410 (single or MFJ; South Carolina has non-separate brackets). Combined, a married South Carolina couple both age 65+ can shelter approximately $50,000 of retirement and other income before hitting the 6.2 percent bracket.

Georgia's exclusion is per person — married couples double it

The $65,000 age-65 exclusion is a per-person threshold, not a per-return threshold. A married Georgia couple in which both spouses are 65+ excludes $130,000, not $65,000. This is a common mistake in planning calculators — treating the exclusion as a household-level cap understates Georgia's attractiveness for married couples by a factor of two. Confirm the per-spouse ages when running projections.

6. Domicile mechanics — how to establish legal residence in a new state

State residence for income tax purposes is determined by two independent tests: domicile and statutory residence. Domicile is your permanent home — the place you intend to return to whenever absent. You have exactly one domicile at a time, and moving requires abandoning the old domicile with intent plus physical presence in the new state combined with concrete actions that demonstrate permanence. Statutory residence is a mechanical test applied by most high-tax states: physical presence in the state for more than 183 days during the tax year combined with maintaining a permanent place of abode makes you a statutory resident regardless of your intent about domicile.[12]

The high-tax states most aggressive about pursuing former residents are California, New York, New Jersey, Minnesota, and Illinois. New York's Department of Taxation and Finance is particularly aggressive with taxpayers who claim to have moved to Florida but continue to maintain a New York apartment and spend substantial time in the state. The New York statutory residence test operates independently of domicile — a former New York domiciliary who moves to Florida but keeps a New York City co-op and spends 190 days there in a tax year is a New York resident for that year regardless of the Florida move.[13] California operates a similar 183-day statutory residence test through the Franchise Tax Board and audits taxpayers who claim to have relocated but continue to maintain California ties (family, professional licenses, real property, business interests).

The standard evidence set for establishing new-state domicile — assembled contemporaneously with the move, not reconstructed years later — includes: change driver's license and vehicle registration to the new state within 30 days of move; register to vote in the new state and cancel voter registration in the old state; file a declaration of domicile if the new state offers one (Florida under Fla. Stat. §222.17, Nevada under NRS §41.191); file a homestead exemption on new-state real property; update mailing address on all financial accounts, brokerage accounts, credit cards, and insurance policies; execute a new will and health-care directives referencing the new state; move safe deposit boxes and personal property to the new state; establish new-state banking relationships and close primary old-state accounts; retain new-state professional advisors (CPA, attorney, physician); spend the majority of the tax year physically present in the new state; document days present in each state contemporaneously using a domicile diary or tracking application.

The Pension Source Tax Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-95, codified at 4 U.S.C. §114) is the federal law that makes high-tax-to-no-tax retirement relocation legitimate. The Act prohibits states from imposing income tax on the retirement income of non-residents — specifically defining retirement income to include distributions from §401(a) qualified plans, §403(a) annuities, §403(b) annuities, §408 IRAs, §408A Roth IRAs, §457(b) plans, and eligible §414(d) government plans.[14] A retiree who deferred $1.5 million pretax while working in California and later establishes Florida domicile pays California zero on the Traditional 401(k) distributions regardless of the fact that California would have taxed the wages that funded the deferrals. This is a federally protected right, not a planning workaround.

7. Three worked case studies

Case 1: Margaret and Frank, both age 66, retired teachers, $80,000 combined retirement income, considering staying in Wisconsin vs moving to Florida

Margaret receives a $32,000 Wisconsin Retirement System pension. Frank draws $28,000 from a Traditional 403(b). Combined Social Security is $36,000. Total gross income: $96,000. Federal AGI after Social Security taxation adjustments: approximately $84,000. Their two-bedroom Milwaukee condo is paid off; property tax runs $4,800/year.

Wisconsin: The state fully exempts Wisconsin Retirement System pensions for state and local government retirees under Wis. Stat. §71.05(1)(a). Margaret's WRS pension is fully exempt from Wisconsin income tax. Frank's 403(b) distribution is taxed at Wisconsin's 5.3 percent marginal rate applied to non-Social-Security income; approximately $22,000 of it falls into the 4.4 percent and 5.3 percent brackets after Wisconsin's standard deduction and personal exemption. State tax liability: approximately $1,050. Social Security is fully exempt at the Wisconsin state level regardless of income.

Florida: Zero state income tax on all income including Frank's 403(b). Property tax on an equivalent $400,000 condo in Palm Beach County: approximately $6,200/year (before homestead exemption); with homestead, approximately $4,200. Net property tax roughly comparable to Milwaukee.

Net verdict for Margaret and Frank: The Florida move saves approximately $1,050 per year in state income tax while adding relocation costs, distance from grandchildren, and adjustment to a different climate. Over 20 years of retirement the state-tax savings compound to approximately $27,000 in nominal terms, or roughly $18,000 in present value at 4 percent discount. That is not enough to justify the move on tax grounds alone. Margaret and Frank should stay in Wisconsin unless non-tax factors (family, weather, cost of housing appreciation) point toward Florida. The tax argument is real but small at their income level.

Case 2: David and Rachel, both age 62, semi-retired, $160,000 retirement income, currently New Jersey, considering Pennsylvania vs Georgia vs South Carolina

David draws $85,000 from a Traditional 401(k) plus $25,000 in consulting income. Rachel receives a $50,000 defined benefit pension. Total gross income: $160,000. Combined age status: 62 each (below 65 for age-based exemptions).

New Jersey (current): New Jersey imposes income tax on pension and 401(k) distributions with a partial retirement income exclusion up to $100,000 for MFJ with total income below $150,000; David and Rachel are just above the phase-in ceiling, so the exclusion is partially phased out. Estimated state tax liability at 2026 rates: approximately $6,800. Property tax on their $650,000 Bergen County home: approximately $17,500/year — among the highest in the nation.

Pennsylvania (option 1): Full exemption for the $85,000 Traditional 401(k) distribution because David has separated from service; the pension is also exempt. Consulting income of $25,000 is subject to the 3.07 percent flat tax. Estimated state tax liability: approximately $770. Property tax on an equivalent $500,000 home in Chester County: approximately $5,400/year. Total state + local reduction vs New Jersey: approximately $18,100/year.

Georgia (option 2): David and Rachel are 62 and each qualify for the $35,000 age-62-to-64 exclusion — $70,000 combined excluded. Remaining taxable retirement income: $90,000. Consulting income $25,000. Total taxable: approximately $115,000 before Georgia's standard deduction. State tax at 5.19 percent flat rate: approximately $5,700. Property tax on an equivalent $400,000 home in Fulton County: approximately $4,400/year. Not dramatically better than Pennsylvania.

South Carolina (option 3): South Carolina's under-65 deduction is only $3,000 per person, so David and Rachel deduct $6,000 combined; the remaining $154,000 is taxed at 6.2 percent marginal rate. Estimated state tax: approximately $8,500. Property tax on an equivalent $450,000 home in Greenville County: approximately $2,900/year. Better on property tax than Georgia but worse on income tax.

Net verdict for David and Rachel: Pennsylvania wins clearly at their current age. The full retirement income exemption plus dramatically lower property tax delivers approximately $18,000/year in savings vs staying in New Jersey. Georgia becomes materially more attractive at age 65 when their per-person exclusion jumps to $65,000 each — combined $130,000, which would exempt essentially all their retirement distributions. If they stay under 65 for three more years and then move a second time, they lose the initial move's efficiency; if they move to Pennsylvania now and stay, they capture the full-exempt benefit immediately. Pennsylvania is the sensible pick.

Case 3: Marcus and Diana, both age 68, high-net-worth, $340,000 retirement income, currently California, considering Florida vs Nevada

Marcus draws $180,000 from a Traditional 401(k). Diana draws $80,000 from an inherited IRA (subject to the 10-year distribution rule). Combined Social Security $80,000. Their portfolio generates $60,000 of qualified dividends and $40,000 of long-term capital gains annually. Gross income: approximately $440,000.

California (current): California taxes 401(k) and IRA distributions, dividends, and long-term capital gains at the state's marginal rates. On their income level they hit the 9.3 percent bracket on much of the income and the 10.3 percent bracket on the top slice. Social Security is federal-only, so no California state tax on that. Estimated California state tax liability: approximately $30,500/year. Combined with 3.8 percent NIIT federal on investment income and the 12.3 percent California top marginal on the highest slice, marginal after-federal-tax California cost on the last dollar of Traditional distribution is approximately 22 percent.

Florida: Zero state income tax on any of the $340,000 retirement income. Property tax on their $2.4M Miami-Dade waterfront home: approximately $28,000 (with homestead + Save Our Homes cap for long-term owners; higher without). California property tax on their equivalent $2.4M Palo Alto home under Proposition 13 basis (bought 2008 at $1.4M): approximately $18,500/year. Property tax is worse in Florida because Marcus and Diana lose California's Prop 13 basis lock.

Nevada: Zero state income tax. Property tax on an equivalent $2.4M Lake Tahoe residence: approximately $14,500. Total state + local tax roughly $16,000/year better than Florida for this couple.

Net verdict for Marcus and Diana: California costs approximately $30,500/year in state income tax that Nevada or Florida would eliminate. Nevada wins on the combined income + property tax comparison because Nevada's property tax rate is lower and Lake Tahoe housing at their price point is available. Over 20 years of retirement the total state-tax savings of a California-to-Nevada move approximates $610,000 in nominal terms, or approximately $400,000 present value at 4 percent discount. Domicile mechanics are critical — California will audit and dispute residency for high-income former residents. Marcus and Diana should engage California tax counsel to execute the move cleanly, including selling the California home rather than retaining it, changing all professional licenses, and documenting days-in-Nevada contemporaneously. Under clean mechanics the move is unambiguously the correct choice.

8. Six state-tax-planning mistakes to avoid

Mistake 1: Confusing income tax with total tax burden. Tennessee has zero state income tax but the highest average combined sales tax in the country at 9.55 percent. Texas has zero state income tax but the second-highest property tax rate. A retiree who runs the numbers on income tax alone and moves to Texas for the zero income tax may find themselves paying more in property tax on a $500,000 home than they would have saved on income tax at a middle-income retirement distribution level. Run the total burden, not just income tax.

Mistake 2: Failing to abandon prior-state domicile cleanly. A retiree who "moves to Florida" but keeps the primary residence in New Jersey, spends 5 months per year in New Jersey visiting family, and continues to see the same New Jersey doctor may fail both the domicile test and the statutory residence test. The old state will assess tax on the entire year's income. Domicile is not a preference — it is a legal status established by intent and evidence.

Mistake 3: Underestimating the Pension Source Tax Act's protection. Some retirees over-fear California's ability to reach retirement distributions after a move. The Pension Source Tax Act of 1996 is federal law: California may not tax the retirement income of a non-resident, regardless of where the deferrals were originally earned.[14] The move is federally protected. What California can (and does) do is challenge whether the move happened — that is a domicile question, not a source-of-income question. Get domicile right and the Pension Source Tax Act does the rest.

Mistake 4: Missing the age-based exclusion cliff. Georgia's exclusion jumps from $35,000 per person at 62-64 to $65,000 per person at 65 and older. A married Georgia couple in which one spouse is 64 and the other is 66 has different exclusion capacities per spouse — $35,000 for the younger spouse and $65,000 for the older. Planning distribution timing around the 65 birthday cliff can shift $30,000 of exclusion capacity by delaying a large distribution just a few months.

Mistake 5: Ignoring Roth's state-level uniformity. Qualified Roth 401(k) and Roth IRA distributions are federally tax-free after age 59½ plus 5-year rule. Every state that conforms to the federal IRC definition of qualified distributions also treats Roth qualified distributions as state tax-free. This is uniform across all 50 states — meaning Roth is the one retirement vehicle where state residence choice does not affect the tax outcome. A California retiree drawing $80,000/year from Roth balances pays California zero on those distributions, exactly the same as if they were in Florida. Roth balances therefore reduce the state-planning stakes considerably; retirees with 40+ percent of retirement savings in Roth have less to gain from a high-tax-to-no-tax move than retirees who are 100 percent Traditional.

Mistake 6: Overlooking military and government pension exemptions. Under the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Davis v. Michigan Department of Treasury (1989), states may not tax federal government pensions more heavily than state government pensions. Many states have responded by fully exempting all government pensions — federal, state, military — while continuing to tax private pension income. A federal retiree with a $60,000 Civil Service Retirement System annuity in New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, or roughly 20 other states pays zero state tax on that pension even without any age-based exemption. Similarly, 20+ states fully exempt military retirement pay. Confirm the specific-source exemption for each pension type before running general-rate calculations.

9. Your 8-item pre-retirement state tax checklist

Before executing a retirement state relocation, verify:

  1. Identify your state's category. Category A (no income tax), Category B (full retirement exemption), Category C (age-based or income-based partial exemption), or Category D (full taxation). This determines the baseline.
  2. Compute total state + local tax burden at your projected retirement income level. Include income tax, property tax on your projected home, sales tax on your projected consumption, and any state-specific surcharges. Don't stop at income tax.
  3. Confirm exemption thresholds against your projected AGI. Social Security exemption in Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont turns on AGI thresholds that vary by state. Confirm you're below the full-exemption threshold before assuming zero on Social Security.
  4. Verify your specific pension type's exemption. Government pensions (federal, state, military) receive full or near-full exemptions in many states even where private pensions are taxed. Confirm the source-specific rule for your pension.
  5. Plan the domicile change contemporaneously with the move, not after. Change driver's license, vehicle registration, voter registration, homestead exemption, mailing addresses, will/directives, safe deposit box, and CPA/attorney relationships within 30 days of the physical move.
  6. Document days-in-state contemporaneously. A domicile diary or tracking application preserves evidence for potential audit by the former state. High-tax states can audit 3-4 years after the tax year in question, so contemporaneous records matter.
  7. Cite the Pension Source Tax Act of 1996 in correspondence with former state. If the former state challenges your out-of-state distributions, the federal statute (4 U.S.C. §114) is your primary shield. The Act protects distributions from qualified plans, IRAs, Roth IRAs, and 457(b) plans from taxation by any state other than the retiree's current residence.
  8. Time large distributions after domicile is established. A Roth conversion of $200,000 or a lump-sum Traditional distribution should occur after the move has been fully executed and the domicile change is documented. Executing the distribution in a mixed-residence year invites disputes about which state's tax applies.

10. Frequently asked questions

Which states have no income tax on retirement income in 2026?

Nine states impose no state income tax at all: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Five additional states impose income tax generally but fully exempt qualified retirement plan distributions: Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Michigan (Michigan's full pension exemption took effect in tax year 2026 under Public Act 4 of 2023). That makes 14 states where retirement plan distributions face zero state income tax.

Which states still tax Social Security benefits in 2026?

Eight states tax at least some portion of Social Security benefits in 2026: Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont. West Virginia finished phasing out its Social Security tax so 2026 is the first year West Virginia benefits are fully exempt. Every one of the eight taxing states applies income-based thresholds — Minnesota exempts full benefits for single filers with AGI under $86,410 and joint filers under $110,780, and the other seven have similar patterns.

How does Georgia's age-based retirement income exclusion work?

Georgia offers one of the largest age-tiered retirement exclusions in the country. Residents under age 62 exclude $5,000 per person per year. Residents aged 62 through 64 exclude $35,000 per person per year. Residents aged 65 and older exclude $65,000 per person per year. A married couple both age 65 or older excludes $130,000 of retirement income annually. Social Security is fully exempt at all ages under a separate rule.

How does South Carolina's retirement income deduction work?

South Carolina fully exempts Social Security. On other retirement income, residents under 65 deduct up to $3,000; residents 65 and older deduct up to $10,000. A separate age-65 deduction allows an additional $15,000 (single) or $30,000 (married both 65+) against any income, reduced by the retirement deduction claimed. South Carolina's top marginal rate is 6.2 percent for 2026.

How do I establish domicile in a new state for tax purposes?

Establishing new domicile requires abandoning the old state's domicile with intent plus physical presence in the new state combined with actions that demonstrate permanence. Standard evidence includes changing driver's license and vehicle registration, registering to vote, filing a declaration of domicile if the new state offers one (Florida, Nevada), filing a homestead exemption, updating mailing address on all financial accounts, executing a new will, moving personal property, and spending more than half the year in the new state. Many high-tax states operate a 183-day statutory residence test in parallel.

Does a state's income tax on 401(k) distributions apply to the state where I earned the money or the state where I live at withdrawal?

State income tax on retirement distributions is imposed by the state of legal residence at time of distribution, not the state where the underlying deferrals were earned. This is settled federal law under the Pension Source Tax Act of 1996 (4 U.S.C. §114), which prohibits states from taxing former residents' retirement income once they have moved. A participant who deferred pretax in California and later retires to Florida owes California zero after establishing Florida domicile.

What is Medicare IRMAA and how does state residence interact with it?

IRMAA is a federal Medicare Part B and Part D surcharge on beneficiaries whose MAGI exceeds thresholds on a two-year lookback. For 2026 IRMAA adds up to $443.90/month on Part B plus up to $85.80/month on Part D — combined $5,326.80 per person per year at the top bracket. IRMAA is federal — not affected by state residence. But state residence indirectly affects MAGI through Traditional distribution timing patterns, so high-state-tax retirees who accelerate distributions may cross IRMAA cliffs that no-state-tax retirees avoid.

How do Roth 401(k) and Roth IRA distributions differ from Traditional at the state level?

Roth qualified distributions are federally tax-free after age 59½ + 5-year rule. Every state that conforms to the federal IRC definition of qualified distributions also treats qualified Roth distributions as state tax-free — uniform across all 50 states. Roth is therefore the one retirement vehicle where state residence does not affect the tax outcome, making Roth-heavy retirees less sensitive to state relocation decisions.

Do states tax military and government pensions differently than private pensions?

Yes. Since Davis v. Michigan Department of Treasury (1989), states may not tax federal government pensions more heavily than state government pensions. Many states fully exempt government pensions (federal, state, military) while taxing private pensions. States that fully exempt military retirement pay include Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

What is the single biggest mistake retirees make in state tax planning?

Failing to establish clear domicile in the new state before triggering large distributions. A retiree who sells the California house in March but continues to spend six months per year in California may fail the 183-day statutory residence test or fail to properly abandon California domicile. Establish domicile before the tax year in which the largest distributions occur — this is worth tens of thousands in potential disputed liability.

Methodology & sources

Every dollar figure, statutory citation, and mechanical rule in this article is sourced to state departments of revenue, the Internal Revenue Code as amended through the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022, the Pension Source Tax Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-95, codified at 4 U.S.C. §114), Michigan Public Act 4 of 2023, Illinois Compiled Statutes 35 ILCS 5/203, Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes 72 P.S. §7301, Georgia Code §48-7-27, South Carolina Code §12-6-1120 and §12-6-1170, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 2026 Medicare Part B and Part D IRMAA surcharge tables, the Tax Foundation's 2026 State Business Tax Climate Index and state-by-state marginal-rate tables, and Kiplinger's 2026 State Retirement Tax Guide compiled from each state's DOR primary sources. The 2026 dollar amounts referenced (Social Security thresholds by state, Georgia and South Carolina exclusion amounts, property tax averages, sales tax averages) are drawn from state DOR publications, Tax Foundation compilations, and Kiplinger's 2026 retirement tax guide. Case-study projections assume a 4-percent real investment return and use 2026-forward state marginal rates as published by each state's DOR. All statutory citations verified as of July 15, 2026.

Sources cited:

  1. Internal Revenue Code §72 governing taxation of qualified pension, annuity, and retirement plan distributions. law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/72
  2. Kiplinger, "Retirement Taxes: How All 50 States Tax Retirees" — 2026 state-by-state retirement tax treatment compiled from each state's DOR primary sources. kiplinger.com/retirement/602202
  3. New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated §77:1-a, phase-out of the New Hampshire Interest and Dividends Tax completed effective January 1, 2025 under HB 2 (2021). revenue.nh.gov/faq/interest-dividend
  4. Michigan Public Act 4 of 2023 (H.B. 4001), Lowering MI Costs Plan, four-year phase-in of full retirement income tax exemption, fully effective tax year 2026 for taxpayers born in 1946 or later. michigan.gov/taxes/iit/retirement-and-pension-benefits
  5. Illinois Compiled Statutes 35 ILCS 5/203(a)(2)(F), state exemption for qualified plan distributions including §401(a), §403(b), §457(b), and IRAs. ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs
  6. Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes 72 P.S. §7301(d), state exemption for qualified retirement distributions upon reaching normal retirement age or separation from service. revenue.pa.gov/PATaxTalk/Retirement-Income
  7. Georgia Department of Revenue, "Retirement Income Exclusion" — age-tiered exclusion of $5,000 (under 62), $35,000 (62-64), and $65,000 (65+) per person per year plus $4,000 earned income exclusion. dor.georgia.gov/retirement-income-exclusion
  8. South Carolina Code §12-6-1120 (Social Security full exemption) and §12-6-1170 (age-65 retirement income deduction). dor.sc.gov/tax-index/income/faq/retirement
  9. Florida Statutes §196.031 (homestead exemption up to $50,000) and Fla. Const. Art. VII §4(d) (Save Our Homes 3% assessment cap). floridarevenue.com/property/Taxpayers
  10. Internal Revenue Service, Publication 915, "Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits" (2025 edition), federal provisional income thresholds ($25,000/$34,000 single; $32,000/$44,000 MFJ). irs.gov/publications/p915
  11. Kiplinger, "The 8 States That Tax Social Security Retirement Income in 2026" — state-by-state Social Security taxation thresholds for Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont. kiplinger.com/taxes/states-that-tax-social-security-benefits
  12. Tax Foundation, "State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026" — statutory residence and 183-day-rule survey across the states, plus 2026 marginal rate schedules. taxfoundation.org/state-income-tax-rates-2026
  13. New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Tax Bulletin TB-IT-690, "Permanent Place of Abode" — statutory residence guidance including the 183-day rule and PPA definition. tax.ny.gov/pit/file/pit_definitions
  14. Pension Source Tax Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104-95, codified at 4 U.S.C. §114, prohibiting state taxation of non-resident retirement income including distributions from §401(a) qualified plans, §403(a) annuities, §403(b) annuities, §408 IRAs, §408A Roth IRAs, §457(b) plans, and eligible §414(d) government plans. law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/4/114
  15. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, "2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles" — Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) surcharge bracket thresholds and dollar amounts for Medicare Part B and Part D. cms.gov/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums
  16. Davis v. Michigan Department of Treasury, 489 U.S. 803 (1989), holding that states may not tax federal government pensions more heavily than state government pensions under the doctrine of intergovernmental tax immunity. supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/489/803
  17. Federal Reserve Board 2024 Survey of Consumer Finances (Wave 4) — data on retirement account balances and distribution patterns by age cohort and state of residence. federalreserve.gov/econres/scfindex
  18. U.S. Census Bureau, "State-to-State Migration Flows" (2024 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates) — data on retiree relocation patterns including net inflows to Florida, Texas, Arizona, and the Carolinas. census.gov/state-to-state-migration

This article is educational. It is not personalized tax, retirement, or relocation advice. State tax rules change frequently through legislation and administrative rulings; verify current guidance directly with each state's department of revenue before executing a relocation. Consult a qualified CPA or tax attorney familiar with both the departing state and the destination state before triggering large retirement distributions or executing a domicile change. Read our editorial process →

⚠️ Disclaimer: Calculations, thresholds, exclusions, and formulas shown are estimates for educational and informational purposes only. Results may not reflect your actual state tax outcome. State tax rules, exemption thresholds, marginal rates, and residency mechanics change annually and vary by taxpayer situation. Always verify current guidance from each state's department of revenue and consult a qualified CPA or tax attorney before making a retirement relocation decision. CalcLeap is not a CPA, tax attorney, or state revenue department and does not provide personalized tax, relocation, or retirement advice.