Does Connecticut Tax Social Security?
Connecticut fully exempts Social Security for AGI at or below $75,000 (single) / $100,000 (married filing jointly); above those thresholds, at most 25% of benefits are taxable.
Connecticut is one of only 8 states that tax Social Security benefits in 2026.
State Tax Rate
2.00%–6.99%
Who's Exempt
Exempt below $75K single / $100K joint AGI
Who is exempt from Connecticut's Social Security tax?
Available Exemptions & Deductions
- Full exemption when federal AGI is below $75,000 (single / married filing separately) or $100,000 (married filing jointly / head of household).
- Above the thresholds, Connecticut caps taxable Social Security at 25% of benefits — less than the federal 85% maximum.
Key facts about Connecticut and Social Security
Connecticut income tax rates range from 2.00% to 6.99%.
Even high-income residents never pay Connecticut tax on more than 25% of their benefits.
The AGI test is a cliff, not a phase-out — one dollar over the threshold changes the treatment.
Tax-smart strategy for Connecticut residents
The AGI cliff makes Connecticut one of the states where a Roth conversion or capital-gain in the wrong year can flip your Social Security from 0% to 25% taxable. Coordinating income timing with your claiming strategy protects the exemption.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Connecticut Social Security tax
Social Security tax rules in other states, 2026
Beyond state tax: the numbers that move more
The state tax on benefits is usually a few hundred dollars a year. These decide thousands — and three of them are set in Washington, not in the statehouse.
- Optimal Social Security Strategy for Married CouplesCoordinate both records — spousal excess, survivor protection, and the claiming-age combinations that maximize the household's lifetime benefit.
- Social Security & Medicare 2027: Every Number in One PlaceCOLA, Part B, IRMAA brackets, Part D, earnings-test limits — each figure labeled official or projected, updated in place as agencies announce.
- Social Security Claiming Timing and the IRMAA LookbackOne dollar over a threshold applies the surcharge for the whole year — decided by a tax return from two years ago. How claiming feeds in.
- SECURE 2.0's Roth Catch-Up and Your Social Security TaxHow the forced-Roth catch-up rule, effective 2026, quietly changes how high earners' benefits are taxed.