Does Iowa tax Social Security?
Does not tax Social Security
No. Iowa does not tax Social Security. Some benefits still count when Iowa decides whether you have enough income to have to file.
What the Iowa Department of Revenue says
We do not paraphrase the rule from memory. This is the state's own wording, copied from the page linked below it:
“Iowa does not tax Social Security benefits. While Social Security benefits are excluded from income when computing tax, some Social Security benefits are included as income in determining whether a taxpayer has sufficient income to file an Iowa return”
Federal tax is a separate question
Even though Iowa does not tax it, the IRS can still tax part of your Social Security on your federal return. Whether it does depends on your other income. Our taxable Social Security calculator follows the IRS worksheet line by line, and this guide explains the rule.
You can ask Social Security to withhold federal tax from each payment. Withholding for Iowa state tax, if you need it, is arranged with the state, not with Social Security. State rules change with new laws, so check with the Iowa Department of Revenue before you file.
Other states where the answer is “does not tax Social Security”
Check our work
The answer above comes from this page. Follow the link and compare.
- IA 1040 Expanded Instructions (document dated February 20, 2023)Iowa Department of Revenue. Read on November 12, 2026.