Noted statesman and philosopher Benjamin Franklin once famously said, “In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.”

If you are ready to retire or have just settled into retirement, you may be wondering how much of a tax burden you can expect to face. (The short answer, unsurprisingly, is it depends.) Here are three steps you can take to make your tax-filing process easier during your golden years.

Know your situation

Every retiree should take a close look at their financial game plan for their postwork life. Primarily, you’ll want to assess your expected sources of income, which can affect your tax implications. For instance, if you’re relying solely on Social Security benefits, you most likely won’t have to pay federal taxes on them; however, if you have other sources of income, up to 85 percent of your Social Security may be taxed depending on how much your earnings come to. (More on that later.) This is particularly important to keep in mind if you’re interested in continuing to work after retiring, either for fulfillment or to supplement your nest egg, since how many hours you take on, and thus how much you bring in, may impact which Social Security tax bracket you fall under.

Here are a few other considerations to mull over. First, be aware of your state’s tax status, especially if you’re retiring to a new locale; several states, such as Florida and Wyoming, don’t collect income tax at all. Also, be sure to look into tax opportunities specific to people sixty-five or older, including a larger overall standard deduction and deductions for certain Medicare premiums.

Understand what is and isn’t taxed

Having filed federal taxes for decades, you likely know at least some of the basics, including what’s typically considered taxable and nontaxable income. The same mostly holds true in retirement but with a few notable additions and exceptions. Generally speaking, taxable retirement income includes pensions and retirement investments (outside of Roth 401(k)s and IRAs), annuity earnings, pensions, some Social Security benefits, both qualified and nonqualified dividends, stock sales, and long-term capital gains distributions and dividends. Among the items not taxed are long-term care benefits, disability benefits, and life insurance payments you receive as a beneficiary.

As mentioned earlier, the IRS accounts for total income when calculating taxes on Social Security, for which it has three tax brackets: 0 percent (for someone taking in $25,000 or less individually or $32,000 jointly), 50 percent (up to $34K/$44K), and 85 percent for anything higher. Also, be cognizant of the required minimal distributions (RMDs) for your retirement plans. In most cases, the federal government mandates that you make minimal withdrawals from your non-Roth investments starting in the year you turn seventy-three—otherwise, you’re subject to a whopping 50 percent penalty on the funds you didn’t take out.

Additionally, if you’re considering putting some of your retirement funds to good use, there are a few tax-wise options available. For instance, if you purchase US savings bonds or municipal bonds, you’ll generally pay fewer taxes than with other savings options. And once you’re 70½, you can transfer up to $100,000 from your traditional IRA to charity as a tax-free donation.

Be informed and open to help

Tax codes and laws change all the time (perhaps even after this article was written), so make sure to access the IRS’s latest Tax Guide for Seniors before filing each year. For the greatest accuracy and peace of mind, contact a tax professional to do the heavy lifting—you can even get free help from the IRS or the AARP Foundation. Every step you take to understand taxes in retirement and file yours correctly will help ensure that you better enjoy your welldeserved golden years.