Retirement Tax-Bracket Planner
Example: Annual Social Security benefit: 24000 $ · Annual pension income: 0 $ · Annual traditional IRA/401(k) withdrawal: 36000 $ · Annual Roth withdrawal (tax-free): 10000 $ · Annual long-term capital gains/dividends: 5000 $ · Filing status (0=single, 1=married): 0
| After-tax annual income | $70,322 |
| Estimated federal income tax | $4,678 |
| Effective federal tax rate | 6.20% |
| Taxable portion of Social Security | $16,150 |
Worked example
A single retiree with $24,000 SS, $36,000 traditional IRA draw, $10,000 Roth, and $5,000 capital gains: combined income is $53,000 (half the SS plus everything except the Roth), exceeding the $34,000 upper SS threshold. That makes $16,150 of the Social Security taxable. Gross taxable income is $57,150, or $41,050 after the 2026 standard deduction of $16,100. Federal tax is approximately $4,678 — a 6.2% effective rate on $75,000 of total income, leaving $70,322 after tax. Notice what the Roth is doing: $10,000 of spending money that is neither taxed nor counted toward the Social Security threshold.
Frequently asked questions
How much of my Social Security is taxable?
Up to 85% of SS benefits are taxable if your combined income (AGI + nontaxable interest + half of SS) exceeds $34,000 for singles or $44,000 for married couples filing jointly. Below those thresholds, 0–50% is taxable. This tool applies the 85% threshold rule for combined income above the upper limit.
Does Roth income count toward SS taxability?
Roth qualified distributions are not included in your AGI and do not count as combined income for SS taxability purposes. This makes Roth withdrawals uniquely tax-efficient in retirement — they are tax-free AND do not trigger additional SS taxation.
What is a Qualified Charitable Distribution and how does it reduce tax?
A QCD allows IRA owners age 70½+ to transfer up to $111,000/year (2026; the limit is indexed annually) directly to a qualified charity. It satisfies RMD requirements but is excluded from AGI — directly reducing your combined income and potentially dropping you below the SS taxability thresholds.
Should I do Roth conversions before RMDs kick in?
Many financial planners recommend Roth conversions in the years between retirement and RMD start age (73) when income is lower. Converting enough to fill the 12% or 22% bracket each year reduces future RMD-driven income, lowers SS taxability, and builds a tax-free inheritance for heirs.