Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a list of retirement system benefits that may be excluded from Louisiana income tax?
- Annual Retirement Income Exclusion (R.S. 47:44.1(A))—Persons 65 years or older may exclude up to $6,000 of annual retirement income from their taxable income. Taxpayers that are married filing jointly and are both age 65 or older can each exclude up to $6,000 of annual retirement income. If only one spouse has retirement income, the exclusion is limited to $6,000.
- Federal Retirement Benefits Exclusion (R.S. 47:44.2)—Federal retirement benefits received by federal retirees, both military and nonmilitary, may be excluded from Louisiana taxable income. Federal benefits received from a military survivor benefit plan may also be excluded. Railroad Retirement System Benefits received by federal retirees may be excluded from Louisiana taxable income.
- Social Security Benefits Exclusion (R.S. 47:44.2)—Social Security benefits that are taxed on your federal return may be excluded from Louisiana taxable income.
- State Employees, Teachers, and Other Retirement Benefits Exclusion —Individuals receiving benefits from certain retirement systems listed below are allowed to exclude
those benefits from their Louisiana tax-table income. In addition, for Louisiana individual income tax purposes, retirement benefits paid under the provisions of Chapter 1 Title 11 of the
Louisiana Revised Statutes, including disbursements of money from DROP accounts, are exempt from state taxation.
Legal Citations:
R.S. 11:405 Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System (LASERS)
R.S. 11:570 Funded Judicial Retirement Plan
R.S. 11:704 Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL)
R.S. 11:704 Orleans Parish School Employees Retirement System
R.S. 11:952.3 Louisiana State University Retirement System (merged with LASERS and TRSL)
R.S. 11:1003 Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS)
R.S. 11:1331 Louisiana State Police Retirement System (LSPRS)
R.S. 11:1378 Non-contributory Judicial Retirement Plan beginning after December 30, 1980
R.S. 11:1403 Assessors’ Retirement Fund
R.S. 11:1526 Clerks’ of Court Retirement and Relief Fund
R.S. 11:1583 District Attorneys’ Retirement System
R.S. 11:1735 Municipal Employees’ Retirement System of Louisiana
R.S. 11:1735 Employees’ Retirement System of City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge
R.S. 11:1735 Employees’ Retirement System of City of Shreveport
R.S. 11:1905 Parochial Employees’ Retirement System of Louisiana
R.S. 11:2033 Registrars of Voters Employees’ Retirement System
R.S. 11:2182 Sheriffs’ Pension and Relief Fund
R.S. 11:2228 Municipal Police Employees’ Retirement System
R.S. 11:2228 Policemen’s Pension and Relief Fund of the City of Shreveport
R.S. 11:2263 Firefighters’ Retirement System
R.S. 11:3014 City of Alexandria Employees’ Retirement System
R.S. 11:3205 Firemen’s Pension and Relief Fund for the City of Bossier City
R.S. 11:3292.1 Firemen’s Pension and Relief Fund for the City of Lafayette
R.S. 11:3389 Firefighters’ Pension and Relief Fund in the City of New Orleans
R.S. 11:3513 City of Monroe Police Pension and Relief Fund
R.S. 11:3566 Policemen’s Pension and Relief Fund for the City of Alexandria
R.S. 11:3568 Policemen’s Pension and Relief Fund for the City of Bossier City
R.S. 11:3608 Policemen’s Pension and Relief Fund for the City of Lafayette
R.S. 11:3658 Police Pension Fund for the Police Department of the City of New Orleans
R.S. 11:3823 Employees’ Retirement System of the Sewerage and Water Board of the City of New Orleans
R.S. 11:3823 Employees’ Retirement System of the City of New Orleans