Answer page
By The Retirement Atlas · Last verified June 1, 2026

States that tax IRA withdrawals in 2026

An IRA withdrawal is not the same in every state, and Roth IRA treatment is not the same as pre-tax traditional IRA treatment.

Short answer

Traditional IRA withdrawals and Roth withdrawals start from different tax rules.

IRS Publication 590-B explains IRA distributions, including traditional and Roth treatment. State tax treatment depends on the state. No-income-tax states remove the broad state income-tax layer, while other states may tax, exempt, or partially exempt retirement income.

Start here

What you actually came to find out

Plain answers first. Sources stay below for checking details.

What is it?

A state-tax question for IRA money leaving the account.

What does it mean for my money?

Traditional IRA and Roth IRA withdrawals can produce different spendable amounts.

What changes over time?

It matters each year withdrawals occur, especially once RMDs begin.

What belongs in the plan?

Account type, withdrawal amount, residency, exemptions, and state cost level.

State layer

Varies

AARP tracks state retirement-income treatment.

Source trail: AARP

No income tax

9 states

Tax Foundation identifies nine states without broad individual income tax in 2026.

Source trail: Tax Foundation

The plan needs account type first, then federal tax, then state residency, then the spending need that caused the withdrawal.

Neutral landscape

The shape of the question

IRS Publication 590-B carries the IRA distribution mechanics.

Source trail: IRS: Publication 590-B: Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements, IRS: Roth IRAs

State sources carry the tax treatment after residency is known.

Source trail: IRS: Required Minimum Distributions FAQs, Tax Foundation

The retirement-plan layer turns the rule into cash flow: what comes in, what goes out, what is taxable, and what can change later.

Source trail: IRS: Publication 590-B: Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements, IRS: Roth IRAs, IRS: Required Minimum Distributions FAQs, Tax Foundation

The family layer matters because the same rule can feel different when it affects a spouse, adult child, home, health care, or dream budget.

Source trail: AARP, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

Curator core

What the authorities say

These sources are here for the reader who wants to check the work. The plain-English answer stays above them.

Source 01

IRS

Publication 590-B: Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements

Publication 590-B is the IRS source for IRA distributions, Roth ordering rules, and required minimum distributions.

Source framing

IRS Publication 590-B explains distribution rules that matter after money leaves an IRA.

Strongest for: RMDs, Roth distribution rules, and IRA withdrawals

Read at IRS

Source 02

IRS

Roth IRAs

The IRS Roth IRA page explains contribution eligibility, qualified distributions, and the Roth tax structure.

Source framing

IRS frames Roth IRAs around after-tax contributions and qualified tax-free distributions.

Strongest for: official Roth IRA rules

Read at IRS

Source 03

IRS

Required Minimum Distributions FAQs

The IRS RMD FAQ explains which accounts have required withdrawals and when the first withdrawal generally begins.

Source framing

IRS says required minimum distributions apply to many retirement accounts, with Roth IRAs treated differently during the original owner lifetime.

Strongest for: official RMD age and account rules

Read at IRS

Source 04

Tax Foundation

State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026

Tax Foundation publishes state income-tax rate and bracket summaries, including states with no broad individual income tax.

Source framing

Tax Foundation identifies the states without broad individual income taxes and the states with rate structures.

Strongest for: state income-tax structure context

Read at Tax Foundation

Source 05

AARP

States That Do Not Tax Pension Payouts

AARP tracks state pension-tax treatment and explains why retirement income tax rules differ by state and income type.

Source framing

AARP separates states with no broad income tax from states that exempt some or all pension income.

Strongest for: consumer-facing state pension tax comparison

Read at AARP

Source 06

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

Regional Price Parities by State and Metro Area

BEA regional price parities compare price levels across states and metro areas against the national average.

Source framing

BEA gives the public cost-level framework used for the quick move math on these pages.

Strongest for: state and metro cost-level comparison

Read at U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

Plain-English forks

The forks people face

Most retirement questions hide a few smaller decisions. These are the practical pieces that change the plan.

Fork 01

Is the withdrawal from traditional or Roth money?

Why it matters: This fork changes the dollar amount that has to be tested.

In real life: The plan needs the number, not just the label.

What to look at: What to look at: the plan input and the source rule.

Fork 02

Is the withdrawal voluntary or an RMD?

Why it matters: This fork changes timing, and timing changes the retirement road.

In real life: A rule can matter in one year and fade in another.

What to look at: What to look at: start date, stop date, and age rules.

Fork 03

Which state is home for tax purposes?

Why it matters: This fork changes taxes, access, or household flexibility.

In real life: The same headline can produce different cash-flow results.

What to look at: What to look at: account type, home status, or state rule.

Fork 04

Does the move change enough other costs to matter?

Why it matters: This fork turns the topic from a fact into a real household choice.

In real life: This is where the retirement map has to stay readable.

What to look at: What to look at: monthly spending, family expectations, and the backup plan.

Common questions

Quick answers

Short, plain answers for the questions people usually have next. The source trail stays available below.

What is the simple answer on state tax on IRA withdrawals?+

IRS Publication 590-B explains IRA distributions. State treatment depends on state income-tax rules, exemptions, and whether the money is traditional or Roth.

Why does state tax on IRA withdrawals matter in retirement?+

It can change spendable income, taxes, savings durability, family choices, or the timing of a retirement dream.

Is state tax on IRA withdrawals the same for every household?+

No. The rule or cost has to be read next to income, spending, age, state, health, account type, and family facts.

Where does state tax on IRA withdrawals go in the plan?+

It belongs where the cash flow changes: income, spending, taxes, home, health care, dreams, or legacy.

Can this page decide the action for me?+

No. It explains the source rule and shows where the number belongs in the retirement map.

What is the next useful check?+

Put the number into the full retirement journey so the plan can redraw with the rest of the household facts.

How this page is curated

This page uses IRS IRA distribution, Roth, and RMD sources, Tax Foundation state-tax data, AARP retirement-tax summaries, and BEA cost-level context.

Read the planner methodology

Trust anchor

Sources used on this page

Every source named above is listed here in one place.

  1. AARP. States That Do Not Tax Pension Payouts

    https://www.aarp.org/money/retirement/states-that-dont-tax-pension-payouts/
  2. IRS. Publication 590-B: Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements

    https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590b
  3. IRS. Roth IRAs

    https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/roth-iras
  4. IRS. Required Minimum Distributions FAQs

    https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plan-and-ira-required-minimum-distributions-faqs
  5. Tax Foundation. State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026

    https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/state-income-tax-rates-2026/
  6. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Regional Price Parities by State and Metro Area

    https://www.bea.gov/data/prices-inflation/regional-price-parities-state-and-metro-area

Before you act on this

This plan is educational. It is not personalized financial, tax, or insurance advice. Projections illustrate the math, they do not predict the future. Talk to your own licensed financial professional before acting on any of it.