Is Social Security Taxable in Your State?
This is the single most common misunderstanding we hear at workshops. Someone reads that their state does not tax Social Security, and reasonably concludes their benefit is tax-free. Then a 1099 arrives.
There are two separate taxes, and they work independently:
State tax is set by where you live. Most states exempt Social Security entirely.
Federal tax is set by Congress and is identical in all 50 states. Up to 85% of your benefit can be pulled into your taxable income depending on your other income.
Get the free Social Security guide.
If “Is Social Security Taxable in Your State?” was useful, we’ll send you the same plain-English treatment of Social Security for free: the taxable-benefit thresholds, the survivor-benefit trap and the claiming-age math. We’ll also let you know when the next free class is. Nothing to buy.
The Retirement Literacy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 41-5062266). This is free public education. We don’t sell financial products and we don’t give individualized advice. We’ll email it to you. Unsubscribe any time.
Does your state tax Social Security in 2026?
Here is where 33 states stand, including all eight that still tax benefits. "No" means the state fully exempts Social Security benefits from state income tax, or has no income tax. Any state not in the table also does not tax benefits.
| State | Taxes Social Security? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | No | Fully exempt |
| California | No | Fully exempt, but California taxes most other retirement income |
| Colorado | Partially | Age 65 and older: subtract all federally taxed benefits. Ages 55 to 64: all of it if adjusted gross income is $75,000 or less (single) or $95,000 or less (joint) (Colorado Department of Revenue) |
| Connecticut | Partially | Fully exempt if adjusted gross income is under $75,000 (single) or $100,000 (joint), 2025 figures. Above that, no more than 25% of benefits is taxed (Connecticut Department of Revenue Services) |
| Delaware | No | Fully exempt |
| Florida | No | No state income tax at all |
| Georgia | No | Fully exempt; also a large retirement-income exclusion |
| Illinois | No | Fully exempt; also exempts most retirement income |
| Iowa | No | Fully exempt |
| Kansas | No | Exemption expanded; benefits no longer taxed |
| Maine | No | Fully exempt |
| Maryland | No | Fully exempt |
| Massachusetts | No | Fully exempt |
| Michigan | No | Fully exempt |
| Minnesota | Partially | Full subtraction if adjusted gross income is under $84,490 (single) or $108,320 (joint), 2025 figures. It phases out above that (Minnesota Department of Revenue) |
| Missouri | No | Income limit removed starting in 2024; benefits no longer taxed |
| Montana | Yes | No general exemption. The federally taxable part of your benefit is taxed by the state too (Montana Form 2 instructions, 2025) |
| Nebraska | No | Tax on benefits fully phased out |
| Nevada | No | No state income tax at all |
| New Jersey | No | Fully exempt |
| New Mexico | Partially | Fully exempt if adjusted gross income is $100,000 or less (single) or $150,000 or less (joint), 2025 figures. No exemption above that (New Mexico Taxation and Revenue) |
| North Carolina | No | Fully exempt |
| Pennsylvania | No | Fully exempt; also exempts most retirement income |
| Rhode Island | Partially | Exempt once you reach full retirement age if adjusted gross income is under $107,000 (single) or $133,750 (joint), 2025 figures (Rhode Island Division of Taxation) |
| South Carolina | No | Fully exempt |
| Tennessee | No | No state income tax at all |
| Texas | No | No state income tax at all |
| Utah | Partially | A credit offsets the state tax. It starts to phase out above $54,000 of income (single) or $90,000 (joint), 2025 figures (Utah State Tax Commission) |
| Vermont | Partially | Fully exempt up to $55,000 of adjusted gross income (single) or $70,000 (joint). No exemption at $65,000 (single) or $80,000 (joint) and above (Vermont Department of Taxes) |
| Virginia | No | Fully exempt |
| Washington | No | No state income tax at all |
| West Virginia | No | Fully exempt starting with tax year 2026. It was 65% exempt in 2025 (West Virginia Tax Division) |
| Wisconsin | No | Fully exempt |
Checked October 10, 2026 against each state's revenue department (linked in the table) and the Connecticut Office of Legislative Research report of July 30, 2026, which lists the same eight states. Most states have published only their 2025 income limits so far. Those limits usually rise a little each year, so confirm your state's 2026 figures before filing.
The federal tax nobody warns you about
Here is the part that catches people. Federal tax on Social Security is decided by a figure called provisional income: your adjusted gross income, plus any tax-exempt interest, plus half of your Social Security benefit.
| Filing status | None taxable | Up to 50% taxable | Up to 85% taxable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | Under $25,000 | $25,000 to $34,000 | Over $34,000 |
| Married filing jointly | Under $32,000 | $32,000 to $44,000 | Over $44,000 |
One detail matters more than any other: those thresholds were written in 1983 and have never been adjusted for inflation. Not once. Every other number in the tax code moves with prices, including brackets, the standard deduction and contribution limits. These do not. So each year, a little more of the retired population crosses a line that has not moved in four decades.
To be clear about what "85% taxable" means, because it alarms people unnecessarily: it does not mean you pay 85% in tax. It means up to 85% of your benefit gets added to your taxable income, and that amount is then taxed at your ordinary rate.
Why a no-tax state can still be an expensive place to retire
A state that exempts Social Security may still tax the income that triggers your federal tax on Social Security. California is the clearest example: it does not touch your benefit, but it taxes IRA withdrawals, pension income, and capital gains as ordinary income. Those are precisely what push your provisional income over the federal line.
So the useful question is not "does my state tax Social Security." It is "what is my total income picture, and which pieces of it can I control the timing of."
What you can actually control
You cannot change the thresholds. You can change what lands in a given year:
- Withdrawal order. Which account you draw from (taxable, tax-deferred, or Roth) changes your provisional income. Roth withdrawals do not count toward it.
- Timing large events. A home sale, a big IRA withdrawal, or a Roth conversion all raise provisional income in the year they happen. Spreading them across years can keep you under a threshold.
- Qualified Charitable Distributions. If you are 70½ or older, giving directly from an IRA satisfies part of your RMD without the money passing through your AGI.
- Municipal bond interest counts. This surprises people: tax-exempt interest is explicitly added back into provisional income even though it is not federally taxable on its own.
None of this requires buying anything. It requires knowing where the lines sit before you cross one, which is easy to do in advance and impossible to undo afterward.
Check your own number
Three inputs. Your working shows right away, free. Enter your email to see the exact dollars.
| Provisional income | $0 |
| Which tier you land in | n/a |
| Share of benefit taxed | 0% |
We will email you a written copy showing how the math worked, what would change your tier, and the thresholds for next year. Free, and you can keep it or forward it to whoever does your taxes.
Educational follow-up by email. We never sell your information.
Common questions
Which states tax Social Security in 2026?
Eight states: Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah and Vermont. Most of them have income limits or deductions that exempt many retirees. West Virginia fully exempts benefits starting with tax year 2026. Every other state either fully exempts benefits or has no state income tax. State rules change often, so confirm your state's current law before filing.
Is Social Security taxable in California?
Not at the state level. California fully exempts Social Security benefits from state income tax. However, California does tax most other retirement income, including IRA withdrawals, pensions and capital gains, as ordinary income. And federal tax on your Social Security still applies regardless of where you live.
What is provisional income?
Provisional income is the figure the IRS uses to decide how much of your Social Security is taxable. It equals your adjusted gross income, plus any tax-exempt interest such as municipal bond interest, plus half of your Social Security benefit. Single filers start owing tax on benefits above $25,000 of provisional income; married couples filing jointly above $32,000.
Does 85% taxable mean I pay 85% in tax?
No. It means up to 85% of your benefit is added to your taxable income. That amount is then taxed at your ordinary income tax rate. So if you are in the 12% bracket, you pay 12% on the portion that becomes taxable, not 85%.
Why haven't the thresholds gone up with inflation?
They were set in 1983 and were never indexed to inflation. Unlike tax brackets and the standard deduction, which rise each year, these thresholds are fixed in the statute. The practical effect is that more retirees cross them every year without their real income changing.
These numbers change every year
The IRMAA brackets, the standard deduction and the senior deduction are all adjusted annually, and the 2027 figures are published late in 2026. The one exception is the Social Security taxation thresholds, which have not moved since 1983 and are not expected to.
We send one short email when the new numbers are announced. No campaign and no sequence, just one email when there is something worth knowing.
Free, from a 501(c)(3). Unsubscribe any time.
See your own number in two minutes
Free calculator. No login, nothing sold, built by a 501(c)(3).
Run the free calculatorRelated guides
Is Social Security Taxable?The three-step check using your own numbers.What Is Provisional Income?The number that decides how much gets taxed.What Tax Rate Do You Pay on Social Security?85% taxable is not an 85% tax.The Retirement Literacy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. This guide is general financial education, not individualized investment, tax, or insurance advice. Tax rules change and depend on your personal situation. Consider speaking with a licensed professional before making decisions.
Hans Goldstein, EA
Founder & Executive Director · Retirement Literacy Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit
Admitted to practice before the IRS
Want more information on this? Put your name below and I’ll send it over in plain English, at no cost. If your situation has a wrinkle, reply to the email and tell me what it is; I read them.
You’re reading: Is Social Security Taxable in Your State?
Free education. The Foundation sells nothing. By submitting you agree to receive free educational emails. We never sell or share your information and you can unsubscribe from any email.