Virginia retirement taxes at a glance
| Income | Taxed? | How |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security | No | Taxable Social Security and Tier 1 railroad retirement are subtracted. |
| IRA withdrawals | Yes | Taxable; the only age relief is the age deduction. |
| 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) | Yes | Taxable, like an IRA. |
| Private pensions | Yes | Taxable. |
| Government pensions | Yes | Virginia Retirement System, CSRS, FERS and TSP payouts are taxable, with no separate exemption. |
| Military retirement pay | Partly | Up to $40,000 a year of military retirement pay subtracted for 2025 and later, at any age, per recipient. Survivor Benefit Plan payments to a surviving spouse qualify. |
| Roth conversions and Roth withdrawals | Partly | Conversions are taxable; qualified Roth withdrawals are not. |
What retirees pay in Virginia
Five households, priced on the same 2026 tax engine Killion’s planner uses: Social Security plus withdrawals from a traditional IRA, the standard deduction, and every age break the state and federal returns give. Estimates for planning, not tax advice.
| Household | Social Security | IRA withdrawals | Virginia tax | Federal tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single, 67 | $24,000 | $20,000 | $0 (0.0%) | $0 |
| Single, 67 | $30,000 | $50,000 | $1,325 (1.7%) | $6,016 |
| Married, both 67 | $42,000 | $40,000 | $0 (0.0%) | $1,295 |
| Married, both 67 | $50,000 | $100,000 | $4,287 (2.9%) | $10,904 |
| Single, 62, before Social Security | $0 | $60,000 | $2,636 (4.4%) | $5,020 |
Virginia compared with other states
The same two households in each state we cover. In the nine states with no income tax (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming) both pay $0 of state tax.
| State | Married, 67: $42,000 Social Security, $40,000 IRA | Single, 67: $30,000 Social Security, $50,000 IRA |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $0 | $646 |
| California | $0 | $815 |
| Colorado | $0 | $1,139 |
| Maryland | $0 | $964 |
| Massachusetts | $1,490 | $2,245 |
| Michigan | $0 | $0 |
| North Carolina | $579 | $1,486 |
| Ohio | $347 | $682 |
| Pennsylvania | $0 | $0 |
| Virginia | $0 | $1,325 |
2026 rates and senior breaks
Virginia’s rate: 2% to 5.75%; the 5.75% rate starts at $17,000 of taxable income.
| Rate | Single, over | Married filing jointly, over |
|---|---|---|
| 2% | $0 | $0 |
| 3% | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| 5% | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| 5.75% | $17,000 | $17,000 |
- Age deduction: $12,000 per person 65 or older, less $1 for every $1 of adjusted federal AGI (federal AGI minus taxable Social Security) over $50,000 single or $75,000 married. A married couple works it out on joint income, so it is gone at $99,000 if both are 65 or older.
- Anyone born on or before January 1, 1939 gets the full $12,000 regardless of income.
- $800 more personal exemption for each person 65 or older, on top of $930 each.
- Standard deduction $8,750 single, $17,500 joint for 2026.
Local taxes: No local income tax.
What people get wrong about Virginia
- The age deduction’s income test leaves Social Security out, so a large benefit does not shrink it; IRA withdrawals and pensions do.
- A Roth conversion counts in adjusted federal AGI and can wipe out the age deduction for that year.
Tax on a 401(k) withdrawal in Virginia
A single filer aged 60 with no other income, taking one withdrawal in 2026:
| Withdrawal | Federal | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Tax on a $25,000 401(k) withdrawal | $890 | $636 |
| Tax on a $50,000 401(k) withdrawal | $3,820 | $2,061 |
| Tax on a $100,000 401(k) withdrawal | $13,170 | $4,936 |
| Tax on a $200,000 401(k) withdrawal | $36,734 | $10,686 |
Social Security across all fifty states, including the eight that can tax it, is on which states tax Social Security. Required minimum distributions add to this income from 73: see the RMD on $1 million.
The retirement tax calculator, set to Virginia
Set to a married couple, both 67, with $42,000 of Social Security and $40,000 of IRA withdrawals. Change any input, including the state.
On $82,000 of income, the 2026 tax is about $1,295: $1,295 federal and $0 Virginia. $20,450 of your Social Security is taxable. The next $1,000 you withdraw from an IRA would cost $185 in tax.
This year’s income sets your Medicare premiums for 2028. See your IRMAA tier.
Figures checked on against Virginia Tax, subtractions from income, Va. Code 58.1-322.03, deductions and the age deduction, Virginia Tax, military benefits FAQ and Virginia Form 760 instructions (2025) (PDF).