TaxFacetTaxFacet

North Carolina Retirement Income Tax Calculator (2025)

Calculate federal and North Carolina state tax on retirement income including 401(k)/IRA distributions, pensions, and Social Security benefits.

$
$
$
$

Total Tax

$8,543

12.03%

Effective Rate

Federal Income Tax

$6,790

NC State Tax

$1,753

Taxable SS

$17,000

Quarterly Estimate

$2,136

Summary

On $71,000 of retirement income in North Carolina, your total tax is $8,543 (12.03% effective rate), including $6,790 in federal income tax, and $1,753 in North Carolina state tax. Quarterly estimate: $2,136.

85.00% of your Social Security benefits ($17,000 of $20,000) is taxable based on your combined income. The IRS uses a formula comparing your other income plus 50% of SS benefits against threshold amounts.

Your federal income tax is $6,790 on $54,900 of taxable income, for an effective rate of 9.56% of gross retirement income.

North Carolina adds $1,753 in state income tax on your retirement income, bringing your total tax to $8,543.

Your estimated quarterly payment is $2,136, due in April, June, September, and January. If you don't have taxes withheld from pensions or Social Security, quarterly payments help avoid underpayment penalties.

With 85.00% of your Social Security taxable, consider strategies to reduce combined income — such as Roth conversions in earlier years, timing retirement account withdrawals, or managing other income sources — to potentially lower the taxable portion.

Federal Tax: $6,790
NC State Tax

Retirement Tax Calculation Journey

11 rows

StepAmount
401(k)/IRA Distributions$30,000
+ Pension/Annuity Income$24,000
+ Taxable Social Security (85.00%)$17,000
+ Other Income$0
= Gross Income$71,000
− Deduction$16,100
= Taxable Income$54,900
Federal Income Tax$6,790
+ North Carolina State Tax$1,753
= Total Tax$8,543
Quarterly Estimate$2,136

Estimated federal and North Carolina retirement income tax. Does not include state-specific retirement income exclusions, tax credits, or local taxes. Social Security taxability uses the IRS provisional income formula. Not tax advice.

Related Calculators

North Carolina State Income TaxNorth Carolina PaycheckNorth Carolina Capital Gains TaxNorth Carolina Bonus TaxNorth Carolina Self-Employment TaxNorth Carolina Sales Tax