BlueLine Advisors
Retirement Income Tax Planner
Enter your account balances and income sources below to compare three illustrative withdrawal approaches across Traditional, Roth, and taxable accounts. The tool estimates federal income tax using 2026 IRS tax brackets to help illustrate how the order of withdrawals may affect after-tax retirement income.
📅 Based on 2026 federal tax brackets
📊 Three strategies compared
🔒 No sign-up required
Strategy Comparison
Three illustrative withdrawal approaches for one year, based on 2026 federal brackets. Figures show estimated federal tax and after-tax income for the year of withdrawal only — not lifetime outcomes.
Lowest Tax
Traditional First
Conventional Approach
Estimated Federal Tax$8,400
After-tax income$81,600
From Traditional$54,000
From Roth$0
From Taxable$0
SS taxable portion$30,600
Withdraws from Traditional accounts first, then taxable, then Roth. Conventional sequence prioritizing tax deferral on Roth assets but generating higher current ordinary income.
Lowest Tax
Proportional
Balanced Approach
Estimated Federal Tax$5,800
After-tax income$84,200
From Traditional$40,000
From Roth$8,000
From Taxable$6,000
SS taxable portion$25,200
Draws from all three account types proportionally to their balances. Spreads tax characteristics each year and may preserve flexibility across account types.
Lowest Tax
Bracket-Aware
Tax-Optimized Approach
Estimated Federal Tax$4,200
After-tax income$85,800
From Traditional$30,000
From Roth$18,000
From Taxable$6,000
SS taxable portion$18,000
Fills lower tax brackets with Traditional withdrawals, then uses Roth to meet remaining need. May reduce taxable Social Security and current-year federal tax.
Based on the figures entered, the illustration suggests the bracket-aware approach may result in lower federal tax for the year shown. Differences between strategies depend on personal circumstances — a licensed advisor can help evaluate which approach may be appropriate for your situation.
Estimated Tax by Strategy
Side-by-side comparison of estimated federal tax for the year of withdrawal under each approach.
Withdrawal Composition — Bracket-Aware Approach
How estimated annual income may be sourced under the bracket-aware approach, based on the figures entered.
Important Assumptions
This illustration uses 2026 federal ordinary income tax brackets and standard deductions as published by the IRS. Tax brackets are inflation-adjusted annually and may change. Social Security taxability is calculated using current federal provisional income thresholds ($25,000 / $34,000 for single filers; $32,000 / $44,000 for joint filers), which are not inflation-adjusted by statute. The tool assumes the standard deduction with no itemization, no additional ordinary income beyond what is entered, no qualified dividends or long-term capital gains preferential treatment beyond cost-basis recovery on taxable withdrawals, no state or local income tax, no Medicare IRMAA surcharges, no Net Investment Income Tax, no Required Minimum Distributions, and no tax-loss harvesting. Withdrawals from Roth accounts are assumed to be qualified and tax-free. Actual tax outcomes depend on individual circumstances and are subject to change.
Want to understand which approach may be appropriate for your situation?
This tool provides a general illustration based on the figures you enter and is not a substitute for personalised tax or financial advice. Withdrawal sequencing interacts with Required Minimum Distributions, Roth conversion opportunities, Medicare IRMAA brackets, estate planning goals, and other factors not modeled here. A BlueLine Advisors consultation can help review your specific circumstances and discuss considerations that may be relevant to your retirement income plan.
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