Where you choose to spend your golden years can influence how far your nest egg will go.
Retirement income isn't taxed in 13 states — meaning you can avoid paying Uncle Sam on distributions from your 401(k), IRA and pension payouts. In even more states, your Social Security payments are tax-exempt.
Below, CNBC Select outlines which states let retirees off the hook, as well as the best companies to open a retirement account with.
Compare offers to find the best savings account
States that don't tax retirement income
Because retirement income comes from different sources, there's not a single approach that all 50 states take when it comes to taxing it.
Some states don't have income tax, while others make exemptions for retirement income. Most states don't tax Social Security benefits, and there are a few states that tax 401(k) plans and IRA distributions but not pensions.
Of course, there are a lot of nuances surrounding the taxation of retirement income. Even if they tax distributions, almost all states offer some form of tax relief for retirees, whether it's a tax cap, an income limit on exemptions or other breaks.
And, as state tax laws are always changing, it's important to stay up-to-date with your state tax commission.
No income tax
Nine states don't tax any income, whether it's a paycheck or income from your 401(k), IRA, pension payments or Social Security check.
- Alaska
- Florida
- Nevada
- New Hampshire (does tax interest and dividends)
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Washington
- Wyoming
No income tax on retirement income
In addition, four states with income tax make an exception for retirement income like 401(k)s, IRAs and pension distributions, as well as Social Security benefits.
- Illinois
- Iowa (must be 55 or older)
- Mississippi (must meet retirement plan requirements)
- Pennsylvania (must meet retirement plan requirements)
No tax on Social Security
Currently, only 11 states tax Social Security benefits and several of them are in the process of phasing it out.
These 39 states and the District of Columbia do not tax Social Security benefits.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
No tax on pensions
These 15 states don't tax pension income. (Note: Other states may provide a credit or exemption for a portion of pension income.)
- Alabama (does tax 401(k) and IRA distributions)
- Alaska
- Florida
- Hawaii (does tax 401(k) and IRA distributions)
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Mississippi
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- Pennsylvania
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Washington
- Wyoming
Don't wait to set up a retirement account
The lowest-hanging fruit when it comes to retirement accounts is signing up for your employer's 401(k) — especially if they offer to match your contributions. The money that employees themselves contribute is taken from pre-taxed income, which lowers your taxable income for the year.
If your employer doesn't offer a 401(k) — or if you want to supplement it — a Roth IRA is a great way to maximize your retirement savings. You contribute after-tax dollars, so your withdrawals later in life are tax-free. Having both a 401(k) and a Roth IRA allows you to diversify your portfolio and take advantage of different tax benefits and withdrawal options.
You'll find the best Roth IRAs at big-name brokerages like Charles Schwab and Fidelity, while robo-advisors like Wealthfront also offer Roth IRAs as part of their automated investing options.
Charles Schwab
Minimum deposit and balance
Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. No account minimum for active investing through Schwab One® Brokerage Account. Automated investing through Schwab Intelligent Portfolios® requires a $5,000 minimum deposit
Fees
Fees may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. Schwab One® Brokerage Account has no account fees, $0 commission fees for stock and ETF trades, $0 transaction fees for over 4,000 mutual funds and a $0.65 fee per options contract
Bonus
None
Investment vehicles
Robo-advisor: Schwab Intelligent Portfolios® and Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium™ IRA: Charles Schwab Traditional, Roth, Rollover, Inherited and Custodial IRAs; plus, a Personal Choice Retirement Account® (PCRA) Brokerage and trading: Schwab One® Brokerage Account, Brokerage Account + Specialized Platforms and Support for Trading, Schwab Global Account™ and Schwab Organization Account
Investment options
Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, CDs and ETFs
Educational resources
Extensive retirement planning tools
Terms apply.
Fidelity Investments
Minimum deposit and balance
Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. No minimum to open a Fidelity Go® account, but minimum $10 balance according to the investment strategy chosen
Fees
Fees may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. Zero commission fees for stock, ETF, options trades and some mutual funds; zero transaction fees for over 3,400 mutual funds; $0.65 per options contract. Fidelity Go® has no advisory fees for balances under $25,000 (0.35% per year for balances of $25,000 and over and this includes access to unlimited 1-on-1 coaching calls from a Fidelity advisor)
Bonus
Find special offers here
Investment vehicles
Robo-advisor: Fidelity Go® IRA: Traditional, Roth and Rollover IRAs Brokerage and trading: Fidelity Investments Trading Other: Fidelity Investments 529 College Savings; Fidelity HSA®
Investment options
Stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, CDs, options and fractional shares
Educational resources
Extensive tools and industry-leading, in-depth research from 20-plus independent providers
Terms apply.
Wealthfront
Minimum deposit and balance
Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. $500 minimum deposit for investment accounts
Fees
Fees may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. Zero account, transfer, trading or commission fees (fund ratios may apply). Wealthfront annual management advisory fee is 0.25% of your account balance
Bonus
None
Investment vehicles
Investment options
Stocks, bonds, ETFs and cash. Additional asset classes to your portfolio include real estate, natural resources and dividend stocks
Educational resources
Offers free financial planning for college planning, retirement and homebuying
Terms apply.
Bottom line
Tax laws shouldn't be the sole factor in determining where you spend your retirement, but they're certainly something to consider. Not all states treat retirement income the same, whether it's a 401(k), IRA or Social Security.
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At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every retirement article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of investing products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
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