Is military retirement pay taxed in Colorado?
By a Navy veteran. Updated October 2026.
Partly
Colorado: Exclusion of $15,000 under age 55, $20,000 at 55 to 64, and $24,000 at 65 and over. Federal income tax still applies to retired pay in every state.
What this means for your plan
Colorado taxes part of military retired pay. The exclusion can depend on your age, your income or the year you served, and only the amount above the exclusion is taxed. Runway uses about 4.4% as a planning rate for the part that is taxed, and you can change it. Run your own numbers instead of assuming the full amount is taxed or exempt.
VA disability pay is not taxed by the federal government, and most states follow that treatment.
Local taxes in Colorado
Some cities charge a small occupational privilege tax on wages.
Questions
Does Colorado tax military retirement pay?
Partly. Exclusion of $15,000 under age 55, $20,000 at 55 to 64, and $24,000 at 65 and over.
Is VA disability pay taxed in Colorado?
VA disability compensation is not taxed by the federal government, and most states follow that treatment. Confirm with the Colorado Department of Revenue.
Where do I confirm the rules for Colorado?
Use the Colorado Department of Revenue and the DFAS retired pay tax page. Rules change, so check the current year before you decide where to live.
See it for your family
The free planner puts your retired pay, VA pay and Colorado tax on one 24-month timeline, so you can see the month money gets tight. The States tab in the full version compares all 50 states and DC side by side.
Open the plannerSource and method
This summary comes from the state treatment data in the Runway planner, compiled from published state guides. It is not an official ruling. For the official rule, see the Colorado Department of Revenue and the DFAS retired pay tax page.