Connecticut retirement taxes in 2026: what retirees pay

Connecticut taxes income through graduated brackets, but for many retirees the real story is a set of subtractions that hinge on federal adjusted gross income. Pension, annuity and IRA income can come off the state return entirely below one income threshold. Above it, that relief shrinks in steps until it disappears. Social Security follows its own income test: below the limit it isn't taxed at all, and above it only part of your benefits is counted. So a household's total income can matter as much as where that income comes from.

Connecticut retirement taxes at a glance (2026)

Connecticut income tax rates for 2026

Single filers 1:

Married couples filing jointly 1:

How Connecticut treats retirement income

Pension, annuity and IRA income subtracted in full under federal AGI $75,000 ($100,000 joint), in steps to none at $100,000 ($150,000); Social Security subtracted in full under $75,000 ($100,000 joint, head of household), above that at most 25% of benefits taxed (CGS §12-701(a)(20)(B)). 4

What three retirees would pay in Connecticut

These are estimates from Monte Climb's planner on 2026 law, for three example households. They start, as the app does, from federal taxable income: the 2026 standard deduction plus the extra amount at 65 5, the taxable part of Social Security 6 and the senior deduction 7. Those federal deductions are already taken off, and most states allow less of their own, so Connecticut's real bill can be higher than shown.

• A single retiree, 67 with $54,000 of income would owe about $0 to Connecticut, after $41,300 of retirement income is excluded.
• A married couple, both 67 with $106,000 of income would owe about $0 to Connecticut, after $95,700 of retirement income is excluded.
• A married couple, both 62, before Social Security with $76,000 of income would owe about $0 to Connecticut, after $70,000 of retirement income is excluded.

The same couple next door

The married couple, both 67, with $106,000 of income, in Connecticut and the states around it:

Every figure here starts from federal taxable income, as above, so a state whose own deductions are smaller can tax more than shown.

What these estimates leave out

• Connecticut's own standard deduction, exemptions and credits: the estimate starts from federal taxable income instead, which takes off the larger federal deductions.
• City income taxes, and capital gains rules a state applies apart from its rate.
• Rules for military and public-employee pensions that some states treat separately.

What this means for your plan

Because Connecticut's breaks phase out as income rises, the timing of your withdrawals can change your state bill. A Roth conversion, a large IRA distribution or a pension starting in the same year could push federal AGI past a step and shrink a subtraction you would otherwise get in full. Filing status matters too, since joint filers have higher limits. Monte Climb applies these Connecticut tests to your own plan year by year, so you can see where your income sits next to each threshold and how different withdrawal orders play out.

Sources

1. Connecticut income tax for 2026 (Monte Climb's audit grades it high)
2. Connecticut: a further official source for the 2026 tables
3. Connecticut: a further official source for the 2026 tables
4. Connecticut's retirement-income rule: CGS §12-701(a)(20)(B)
5. Rev. Proc. 2025-32 §4.14(1) and §4.14(3): the 2026 standard deduction and the additional amount at 65
6. IRC §86 and IRS Publication 915: how much of Social Security is taxable (thresholds set by statute, not indexed)
7. P.L. 119-21 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act) §70103: the $6,000 deduction for each person 65 or older, 2025–2028

Figures computed by code from Monte Climb's 2026 state tables (snapshot f024e17). An illustration, not tax advice.

Frequently asked questions

Does Connecticut tax Social Security?

In 2026, Social Security is taxed only above Connecticut's income limits (an income-tested subtraction) in Connecticut.

What is Connecticut's income tax rate in 2026?

Connecticut has 7 brackets from 2% to 6.99% for 2026.

How much state tax would a retired couple pay in Connecticut?

A married couple, both 67, with $106,000 of Social Security, pension and IRA income would owe about $0 to Connecticut in 2026, by Monte Climb's estimate.