“Assuming you have income in retirement, you will be subject to at least some income taxes in your golden years.”
Once you are retired, the only tax you won’t have to pay will be—can you guess? Yes, payroll taxes. However, there are plenty of other taxes to be paid, advises Forbes in the article that answers the question “What Taxes Will I Owe In Retirement?”
People who are accustomed to having employers handle income taxes throughout their working lives are often surprised when they learn that not working does not mean you’re not paying taxes. Income is taxable, whether you are working or not. You won’t have to pay into Social Security when you retire, and Medicare becomes a premium, not a deduction from your paycheck. However, there are still taxes to be paid.
Federal income taxes range from 10 to 37 percent, depending on your income bracket and marital status. Pensions, annuities, IRA withdrawals, defined benefit plans, 457 or any other pre-tax retirement accounts will generate tax liabilities.
Is any income tax-free in retirement? Withdrawals from Roth IRAs are tax free, since you paid tax on the money before it went into these accounts. The same goes for the Roth 401(k)s.
Are there taxes on Social Security? Approximately 60% of retirees won’t owe federal income taxes on Social Security benefits. However, your Social Security benefits might be taxed, depending upon your retirement income. This tax also varies depending upon where you live. Some states tax Social Security benefits, others do not. Rental income and royalties are also counted as income.
Consumer taxes. Sales tax and property taxes will still need to be paid. For many people, property taxes are their highest tax expenses.
Is there a tax on Medicare? The Medicare Surtax, also known as the Unearned Income Medicare Contribution Surtax or NIIT, is a 3.8% Medicare tax that applies to income from investments and regular income above specific thresholds. For 2020, if you have MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) above $200,000 ($250,000 for married couples filing jointly), you will have to pay NIIT. This is one that most people don’t know about, and can add up quickly, especially if you have great market returns and realized gains.
With good planning, you may be able to replace 100% or more of your pre-retirement income. In many cases, it may mean paying about the same amount in taxes as you did while working. If you do a good job of saving and have a large income during retirement, you will most likely end up paying at least some taxes on retirement income. It’s a good problem to have, but still a problem.
All of these retirement taxes add up to quite a nice tax bite if you are not prepared for them. This is another example of how advance tax planning can make a big difference in the quality of your retirement.
Reference: Forbes (Feb. 23, 2020) “What Taxes Will I Owe In Retirement?”
