New York Estate Planning & Elder Law Blog
Do you have enough money to retire? It is a questions that tens of thousands of New Yorkers ask themselves every day. When talking with attorneys and financial advisers, many factors are weighed to determine whether enough resources are available for one to have the type and length of retirement that they want and need.
One of those factors, as always, is taxes. Retirement income is frequently taxed, with a portion of money going to state and local government. These are not necessarily trivial amounts, as the exact size of the tax burden may affect whether or not the nest egg is large enough to cash in one’s chips and begin the next phase of life.
Federal taxes will obviously be the same everywhere, but the rules about retirement taxes vary considerably from state to state. When making long-term plans regarding finances, it is critical to understand how state tax rules will affect your retirement
New York Retirement & Taxes — High Burden
One recent report from Kiplinger includes a helpful map that compares relative state retirement tax burdens nationwide. New York is rated as one of the “worst” for retirement purposes, because of its relative lack of senior-related retirement tax benefits. As you can see in this full map, New York is one of ten group into the “least tax friendly.”
The designation was based on analysis of various factors, including: state sales tax, social security tax, income tax, estate/inheritance taxes, and other special treatment of income used for retirement.
For example, New York has a 4% sales tax, an income tax ranging from 4-8.82%, and a relatively aggressive state inheritance tax. Compare that to a relatively senior “tax friendly” state like Florida, which has a 6% sales tax but with no state income tax and no state inheritance tax.
None of this is to say it is all bad news for local retirees. New York does not tax Social Security benefits or public pensions, and provides some tax exemptions for private and out-of-state pensions. However, our state does have some of the highest property tax rates in the country, which can hit seniors hard.
More and more seniors are at least taking a look at this data when making future plans, including any thoughts about relocating. Even if the tax issue does not ultimately affect your retirement decision, it is still important to appreciate the differences if you are moving out of New York or into it. Those families entering the state should account for the effect that our relatively high rates may have. While those moving elsewhere should be sure to check on their eligibility for different senior-based retirement tax breaks.