The Survivor’s Tax Trap — Retirement Toolkit

Your numbers

Annual income (non-Social Security)

Traditional IRA / 401(k) balance

Household Social Security benefit (annual)

Estimated widow’s penalty

$—

estimated additional annual tax after losing your spouse

Married tax / yr

—

Survivor tax / yr

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Assumptions: Computes tax at the RMD stage (starting age 73). RMD estimated using age-75 divisor (24.6). After the first death, ordinary income falls to 75%, Social Security falls to 67%, filing switches to single. Uses 2026 federal tax brackets; excludes IRMAA, state taxes, and conversion strategy. For a full analysis with IRMAA and conversion planning, see the Roth Conversion Explorer.

Educational purposes only. This calculator illustrates mathematical concepts related to long-term investing and is not financial advice. Past market returns do not guarantee future results. Portfolios can lose value. The formulas assume constant returns and do not account for taxes, fees, inflation, or sequence-of-returns risk. Consult a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions.