IOWA RETIREMENT INCOME TAX · TAX YEAR 2026
Does Iowa tax Social Security and retirement income?
Iowa does not tax Social Security benefits. From age 55, Iowa excludes all pension and 401(k) and IRA income, with no dollar or income limit, and it exempts military retirement pay at any age. A single 67-year-old with $24,000 of Social Security, a $20,000 private pension and $10,000 of IRA withdrawals pays no Iowa income tax for 2026.
Your estimate
- Iowa income tax
- $0.00
- Federal income tax
- $1,810.00
- Total income tax
- $1,810.00
Subtracted from Iowa income
- Social Security
- $11,300.00
- Retirement income exclusion (55+)
- $30,000.00
Nonqualified annuities and deferred compensation, which do not qualify, are not separated out.
Iowa tax at different retirement incomes
Iowa income tax for 2026 on a single 67-year-old with $24,000 of Social Security, and on a married couple, both 67, with $20,000 each. Half the pension and IRA income is a private pension and half IRA withdrawals, all received by one spouse in the couple.
| Pension and IRA income | Single | Married |
|---|---|---|
| $20,000 | $0 | $0 |
| $40,000 | $0 | $0 |
| $60,000 | $0 | $0 |
| $100,000 | $0 | $0 |
| $150,000 | $0 | $0 |
Does Iowa tax Social Security?
No. Iowa does not tax Social Security benefits, so any amount in federal taxable income is subtracted.
Of the single 67-year-old's $24,000 in benefits, $11,300 is federally taxable and Iowa taxes none of it. Of the couple's $40,000, $28,100 is federally taxable and Iowa taxes none of it.
Does Iowa tax pensions?
No. Private and government pensions from qualified plans, including IPERS, are excluded in full for anyone 55 or older on December 31 or disabled, with no dollar or income limit. Military retirement pay is excluded at any age. Nonqualified annuities and deferred compensation do not qualify. Under 55, pensions are taxed at Iowa's flat rate.
State tax for a single 67-year-old with $24,000 of Social Security, a $20,000 pension of each type and $10,000 of IRA withdrawals. Excluded is the part of the pension Iowa exempts.
| Pension | Excluded | State tax |
|---|---|---|
| Private | $20,000 | $0 |
| Iowa government | $20,000 | $0 |
| Federal civil service | $20,000 | $0 |
| Military | $20,000 | $0 |
Does Iowa tax IRA and 401(k) withdrawals?
No. IRA, 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) withdrawals, and Roth conversion income, are excluded in full from 55 under the same rule as pensions. Before 55, they are taxed unless you are disabled.
With $24,000 of Social Security, $20,000 of IRA withdrawals and no other income, a single 67-year-old pays no Iowa income tax for 2026.
At what age do retirement tax breaks start in Iowa?
At 55, for the full retirement income exclusion. At 65, each person also gets an extra $20 personal credit.
State tax at each age where the rules change. The single filer has $24,000 of Social Security, a $20,000 private pension and $10,000 of IRA withdrawals; the couple, both that age, has $20,000 of Social Security each and a $30,000 pension and $20,000 of IRA withdrawals.
| Age | Single | Married |
|---|---|---|
| 54 | $488 | $596 |
| 55Retirement income exclusion (55+) | $0 | $0 |
| 65Age 65 personal credit | $0 | $0 |
What the calculator leaves out
Nonqualified annuities and deferred compensation, which do not qualify, are not separated out.
- Iowa starts from federal taxable income, so the federal 65+ standard deduction and the $6,000 senior deduction flow through; Iowa's conformity to the senior deduction is assumed.
The calculator uses Iowa rules from the 2025 forms and instructions, the latest published.
Federal tax uses the 2026 brackets, the standard deduction with the extra amount at 65, and the $6,000 senior deduction. Estimates assume no other deductions, credits or local taxes except as noted.