你可能知道你在個人退休賬戶（IRA）或401（k）計劃中為退休存了多少錢，以及你是從社會保障還是養老金中得到錢。但是，你知道這些錢將如何徵稅嗎？您的申報狀況、您的退休收入來源以及您每年獲得的收入總額將決定您的退休稅。你的稅收會影響你的生活。

瞭解你的退休收入將如何納稅是很重要的。如果你還沒有退休，還在工作，瞭解這些資訊可以幫助你計算出稅後的收入。如果你的稅後收入似乎不足，你可以估計你需要存多少錢才能退休。如果你已經退休了，它會告訴你是否需要做一些額外的計劃，以避免資金耗盡。瞭解稅收如何影響你的退休收入可以幫助你考慮如何減少你的稅單和最大限度地提高你的退休收入。

關鍵要點

• 根據您的總收入和您的申報狀況，您的社會保障福利中最多有85%是應納稅的。
• 即使你在領取社保時繼續工作，如果你是僱員，你將從工資中扣除社保和醫療保險稅，如果你是自營職業者，你將不得不直接支付這些稅。
• 401（k）和傳統個人退休賬戶的分配通常是應稅的。
• Roth IRA的分配是免稅的。
• 聯邦稅法和一些州法律為退休人員和老年納稅人提供特殊福利。

退休後社保如何徵稅？

如果社會保障是你唯一的收入來源，你可能就不需要為此納稅了：你的收入太低了，不需要納稅。但是，如果您有其他收入來源，包括其他免稅利息收入，您的部分社會保障福利可能需要納稅。

超過一半的社保受益人為他們的福利繳稅。根據社保局的資料，1984年領取社保福利並須繳納所得稅的家庭比例不到10%，到2015年超過50%，在2015年至2050年間可能上升到56%。

應稅社會保障福利的金額取決於您的“綜合收入”，即（1）本年度所有社會保障福利的50%，（2）調整後的總收入（“AGI”）加上（3）免稅利息收入，如市政債券利息。

您的AGI是您的總（總）收入減去該收入的調整，如扣除和排除。總收入的共同來源包括工資、薪金、小費、利息、股息、IRA/401（k）分配、養老金和年金。

對總收入的常見調整包括健康儲蓄賬戶供款、個人退休賬戶供款扣除額、學生貸款利息扣除額和自營職業退休計劃供款。

你的“綜合收入”水平決定了你的社保福利中應稅的部分。下表顯示了您的社保福利在不同綜合收入水平下應納稅的百分比：

How Much Income Can a Retiree Receive Without Paying Taxes?

It depends on the sources and total of your income. These income sources may include retirement account distributi*** from 401(k)s and IRAs, Social Security benefits, pension payments, and annuity income. Some people may also continue to earn some income from work, as an employee or through self-employment, even though they may have retired from their regular or long-term employment.

Earned income

Workers nearing retirement often ask, “How much income can a retiree receive without paying taxes?” It depends on your income sources and total. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) differentiates between income types it classifies as earned and unearned.

Earnings from employment and self-employment are subject to Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes. Unearned income—for example, income from pensi***, IRAs, annuities and other investments—is subject to income tax under rules that vary by the income’s source.

If you are receiving Social Security benefits and continue to work and earn income, you will have to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on that earned income. However, if the total of your earned income, any unearned income and Social Security benefits is low enough, you will not owe federal income tax on it. If your AGI is equal to or less than the standard deduction for your filing status, your federal income tax liability likely is zero. (See 2020 and 2021 Standard Deducti*** for Retirees, below.)

Income from IRAs, pensi***, 401(k)s and other plans

Some types of income are “unearned,” but that doesn’t mean they aren’t subject to income tax. Income from different sources may be subject to different tax rules. Ultimately, a retiree’s tax liability depends on the tax bracket applicable to his or her total taxable income.

If you claimed tax deducti*** for your contributi*** to a traditional IRA, the distributi*** from that IRA may be taxable, depending on the total of all your income. Similarly, distributi*** from a 401(k) account or other “qualified” retirement account funded with “before tax” contributi*** are taxable. If your employer funded your pension plan, your pension income is taxable. Both your income from these retirement plans as well as your earned income are taxed as ordinary income at rates from 10% to 37%.

Some individuals make “after-tax” contributi***, i.e., contributi*** for which they do not claim tax deducti***, to their IRAs. Occasionally, other types of retirement plans also are funded with after-tax contributi***. The distributi*** from such plans are not taxed to the extent that the distributi*** represent the return of previously taxed contributi***. The information return, Form 1099-R, sent to a taxpayer who made after-tax contributi*** to plans will report both the gross amount distributed as well as the taxable amount.

IRAs, 401(k)s, and similar plans are required to make annual “required minimum distributi***” or RMDs to beneficiaries, beginning in the year they turn 72 years of age. The RMD requirement was suspended for the 2020 tax year in legislation enacted in resp***e to the pandemic but will apply in 2021. 

Roth IRA and Roth 401(k) distributi*** are not taxable. Roth plans, which are funded with after-tax dollars, do not have an RMD requirement.

Income such as dividends, rents, and taxable interest from investments held outside IRAs, 401(k)s and similar plans is subject to tax at ordinary income rates ranging up to 37%. Capital gains rates apply to gains realized on the sale of investments. Long-term capital gains are taxed at low rates, ranging from a zero rate bracket to a rate of 20% for taxpayers with very high taxable incomes.  

Because older people often have several types of taxable income, both earned and unearned, their tax rate and liability depends on the tax bracket that corresponds to their total taxable income. You determine your tax bracket in retirement the same way you did while you were working. Add up your sources of taxable income, subtract your standard or itemized deducti***, apply any tax credits you’re eligible for, and check the tax tables in the instructi*** to Form 1040 and 1040 SR—or, more likely, put all this information into a tax software program or give it to your accountant.

Standard Deducti*** for Retirees

For 2020, the standard deduction amounts are $12,400 for single and separate returns of married pers***, $24,800 for joint returns, and $18,650 for head-of-household returns. The standard deducti*** for 2020 are used on tax returns filed in 2021 for the prior tax year. The standard deduction for 2021 is $12,550 for single taxpayers and married taxpayers filing separately, $25,100 for married taxpayers filing jointly, and $18,800 for heads of household. The standard deducti*** for 2021 are used on tax returns filed in 2022.

In addition, taxpayers who are 65 years of age or older—whether or not they are retired—are eligible for an extra standard deduction of $1,650 for 2020 and $1,700 for 2021, if they are single or heads of household (and not married or a surviving spouse) and an extra $1,300 for 2020 and $1,350 for 2021, per senior spouse if they are married filing jointly, married filing separately, or a qualified widow(er). For details, see the charts below.

• If unmarried and not a surviving spouse, otherwise $1,300 in 2020 and $1,350 in 2021. 

If your taxable total income is less than these amounts, you won’t owe any taxes. You usually won’t even have to file a tax return (unless you are married filing separately),though you may want to anyway. Filing a return allows you to claim any credits for which you might be eligible, such as the tax credit for the elderly and disabled or the earned income credit. Filing a return also ensures that you receive any refund you may be owed.

Taxpayers who itemize deducti*** may not claim the standard deduction and bonus amounts. It should be noted that recent increases in the standard deduction amounts mean that the threshold where older taxpayers benefit more from itemizing than taking the standard deduction is higher. These higher standard deduction levels might affect your decisi*** about when to make charitable donati*** or pay other deductible expenses. You may be able to benefit from itemizing in some years if you can lump large itemizable expenses together so that they fall within a single tax year.

For 2020, a special benefit for certain charitable contributi*** is available to non-itemizers. Taxpayers who claim the standard deduction on their tax returns can deduct up to $300 of charitable contributi*** made in cash "above-the line," that is, in calculating their adjusted gross income (AGI). Certain types of contributi*** are not eligible for the $300 deduction, including (1) gifts of noncash property, such as gifts of securities; (2) contributi*** to private non-operating foundati***; (3) donati*** to supporting organizati*** and new or existing donor-advised funds; (4) contributi*** to veterans’ organizati***, fraternal societies and certain cemetery and burial companies; and (5) contribution carryforwards from earlier years.

Tax Brackets for 2020

For the 2020 tax year, the top rate is 37% for individual single taxpayers with incomes greater than $518,400 ($622,050 for married couples filing jointly). The other rates and brackets are as follows:

Tax Brackets for 2021

For the 2021 tax year, the top tax rate remains 37% for individual single taxpayers with incomes greater than $523,600 ($628,300 for married couples filing jointly). The other rates and brackets are as follows:

The Bottom Line

Will you pay taxes in retirement? Unless your taxable income falls at or below the standard deduction level every year, you probably will. How much you’ll pay is another story. There are many ways to help retirees minimize their tax burden. Strategies include timing distributi***, bunching income, bunching deducti*** that can be itemized, and doing retirement account conversi***.

Article Sources

Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy.

1. Internal Revenue Service. “Don’t forget, Social Security benefits may be taxable.” Accessed March 13, 2021.

2. Social Security Administration. “Income Taxes on Social Security Benefits,” Accessed March 13, 2021. 

3. SSA. “Retirement Benefits, 2021.” Pages 12-13. Accessed Jan. 11, 2021.

4. IRS. Pub. 554, Tax Guide for Seniors. Pages 4, 12, 19. Accessed Jan 3, 2021.

5. IRS. "2020 Schedule 1, Additional Income and Adjustments to Income."  Accessed Jan. 3, 2021.

6. IRS. "What Is Earned Income?" Accessed Jan. 3, 2021.

7. IRS. "Publication 554: Tax Guide for Seniors," Page 12. Accessed Jan. 3, 2021.

8. IRS. “IR-2019-280,” Nov. 6, 2019.Accessed Jan. 3. 2021.  

9. IRS. “IR-2020-245,” Oct. 26, 2020. Accessed Jan. 3, 2021.

10. Internal Revenue Service. "IRS Rev. Proc. 2019-44." Accessed March 13, 2021.

11. Internal Revenue Service. "Rev. Proc. 2020-45." Accessed March 13, 2021.

12. IRS. "Draft Form 1040 Tax Year 2020." Dec. 15, 2020, Page 9. Accessed Jan. 3, 2021.

13. IRS. "Publication 554: Tax Guide for Seniors," Pages 26-31. Accessed Jan. 3, 2021. 

14. IRS. “Year-end reminder: Expanded tax benefits help individuals and businesses give to charity during 2020.” IR-2020-278, Dec.18, 2020. Accessed Jan. 3, 2021.

15. Internal Revenue Service. “IRS provides tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2020,” Accessed Jan. 3. 2021. 

Compare Accounts

Advertiser Disclosure

×

The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Investopedia receives compensation.

Provider

Name

Description

Related Articles

401K

Can Your 401(k) Impact Your Social Security Benefits?

Income Tax

Do Tax Brackets Include Social Security?

Social Security

How to Avoid Paying Taxes on Social Security Income

401K

10 Ways to Reduce Your 401(k) Taxes

Taxes

What You Need to Know About Your 2020 Taxes

401K

How Is Your 401(k) Taxed When You Retire?

Earned Income

Earned income includes wages, salaries, bonuses, commissi***, tips, and net earnings from self-employment.

Tax Brackets: Determine How Much You Owe

A tax bracket is the rate at which an individual is taxed. Tax brackets are set based on income levels.

Taxable Income

Taxable income is the portion of an individual's or company's income used to calculate how much tax they owe the government in a given tax year.

What's an Individual Retirement Account (IRA)?

An individual retirement account (IRA) is a tax-advantaged account that individuals use to save and invest for retirement.

Exempt Income

Exempt income refers to earnings that are protected from federal income tax under certain circumstances.

Marriage Penalty

The marriage penalty refers to the increased tax burden for married couples compared to filing separate tax returns as singles.

• About Us
• Terms of Use
• Dictionary
• Editorial Policy
• Advertise
• News
• Privacy Policy
• Contact Us
• Careers
• California Privacy Notice

• #
• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X
• Y
• Z

Investopedia is part of the Dotdash publishing family.