2026 edition · statute-cited · part of Clear Money Guide’s 51-state retirement tax series. This guide covers state taxes on retirement income and estate transfers; property and sales taxes vary by county and are outside its scope.
Updated July 24, 2026. Quick answer: Kansas fixed its most-hated retiree rule in 2024 and much of the internet hasn’t noticed: Social Security is now fully exempt at every income level (SB 1, 2024 special session), killing the old $75,000 AGI cliff that taxed 100% of benefits one dollar over the line. The rest is a sharp public/private split: KPERS, federal civil service, military and railroad pensions are fully exempt, while private pensions, 401(k)s and IRAs are fully taxable — no exclusion at all — on a two-bracket schedule of 5.2% / 5.58%. No estate or inheritance tax.
The SB 1 correction (the $75,000 cliff is dead)
Before tax year 2024, Kansas taxed every dollar of federally taxable Social Security once AGI exceeded $75,000 — the nation’s harshest cliff. SB 1 (June 2024 special session) eliminated the income test entirely: benefits are exempt for everyone, starting TY2024. Guides and calculators still applying the $75,000 test are two tax years out of date. The same law consolidated the rate structure to two brackets — 5.2% up to $23,000 single / $46,000 joint and 5.58% above (K.S.A. 79-32,110) — so the three-bracket 3.10/5.25/5.70 tables still ranking on major sites describe abolished law.
How Kansas taxes retirement income (statute-cited)
| Income tax | Two brackets: 5.2% / 5.58% (top bracket from $23,000 single / $46,000 joint) |
| Social Security | Not taxed — fully exempt all incomes since TY2024 (SB 1) |
| Public pensions | Fully exempt: KPERS, federal civil service, military, railroad retirement |
| Private pension / 401(k) / IRA | Fully taxable — no exclusion of any kind |
| Estate / inheritance tax | None |
Probate: reasonable fees and a $75,000 affidavit
Fiduciary and attorney compensation is “just and reasonable” (K.S.A. 59-1717) — no percentage schedule. Small estates: up to $75,000 of personal property passes by affidavit (K.S.A. 59-1507b, raised from $40,000 effective July 1, 2023) with no court filing required. Context: probate cost by state · small-estate limits by state.
Is Kansas a good state to retire in for taxes?
For public-sector retirees — teachers on KPERS, federal employees, veterans — Kansas is now close to tax-free: exempt pension, exempt Social Security, no death taxes. Private-sector retirees face the opposite: every 401(k)/IRA dollar taxed from the first, at rates that reach 5.58% quickly. That split — not the headline rate — is the whole Kansas decision, and it’s why identical-income neighbors can owe wildly different amounts. Compare Missouri (public pensions exempt to the SS max, capital gains now exempt) before assuming either side of the state line.
Kansas vs. common alternatives
| State | Social Security | Pension / 401(k) / IRA | Estate tax | Inheritance tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | Not taxed | Public pensions exempt; private/401(k)/IRA fully taxable | None | None |
| Missouri | Not taxed | Public pensions exempt to SS max; private capped at $6,000 (income-tested) | None | None |
| Nebraska | Not taxed | Fully taxable; top rate 4.55% (2026) | None | Yes — county tax, 1/11/15% |
| Colorado | Not taxed at 65+; 55–64 AGI-tested | $20,000 (55–64) / $24,000 (65+) subtraction caps | None | None |
Comparison rows summarize general rules; see our 51-state retirement tax table for statute-cited detail.
Considering a Roth conversion? The converted amount is taxed as ordinary income in the year you convert, and Kansas may treat it differently from the retirement income above — see how all 51 jurisdictions tax Roth conversions.
Finding a financial advisor in Kansas
Per the SEC’s July 2026 Investment Adviser roster, Kansas has 133 SEC-registered advisory firms (#26 nationally) managing $822.8 billion (#22 by AUM). Full breakdown: Kansas advisor statistics. Reviewing fee structures: fee-drag calculator.
Disclosure: the button above routes to an advertising partner and Clear Money Guide may earn a referral fee. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
Thinking about moving?
Four taxes change when you move state in retirement, not one: income tax on withdrawals, state estate tax, state inheritance tax, and what probate costs your heirs. Corridor comparisons involving Kansas:
Compare any two states with the retirement tax comparison tool, or browse all corridors at the relocation hub.
What probate costs in Kansas
Kansas sets probate compensation by a “reasonable fee” standard with no percentage schedule, so anyone quoting a firm figure is estimating. And the small-estate shortcut of $75,000 does not clear a solely owned house on its own, which is the detail most guidance omits. Full detail with the governing statute, the court filing fee and the threshold: Kansas probate cost. To price a specific estate, use the probate cost calculator.
Cite or share this guide
Suggested citation: Clear Money Guide, “Kansas Retirement Taxes (2026 edition),” statute-cited; clearmoneyguide.com/kansas-retirement-taxes/. Free to cite with attribution and a link. Data verified July 23–24, 2026 against state statutes, session laws, and revenue-department guidance.
Primary sources
- https://klrd.gov/2024/06/18/summary-of-special-session-sb-1/
- https://www.ksrevenue.gov/faqs-taxii.html
- https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/state-income-tax-rates-2026/
- https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/estate-inheritance-taxes/
- https://www.kjc.ks.gov/legal-forms/small-estates-affidavit-k-s-a-59-1507b
- https://kscourts.gov/KSCourts/media/KsCourts/eCourt/Updates/Odyssey-Probate-Filing-Fees-ODY.pdf
- https://dreilinglaw.com/kansas-small-estate-affidavit-ceiling-increased/