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Tax policy in Idaho

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Tax policy in Idaho
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Tax rates in 2017
Personal income tax:
1.6% to 7.4%
State sales tax:
6.00%
Corporate income tax:
7.40%
Tax revenues in 2016
Total tax collections:
$4.21 billion
Tax collections per capita:
$2,501
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Total state expendituresState debtIdaho state budget and finances

Idaho generates the bulk of its tax revenue by levying apersonal income tax and asales tax. The state derives its constitutional authority to tax fromArticle VII of the state constitution.[1][2]

Tax policy can vary from state to state. States levy taxes to help fund the variety of services provided by state governments. Tax collections comprise approximately 40 percent of the states' total revenues. The rest comes from non-tax sources, such as intergovernmental aid (e.g., federal funds), lottery revenues and fees. The primary types of taxes levied by state governments include personal income tax, general sales tax, excise (or special sales) taxes and corporate income tax.[3]

HIGHLIGHTS
  • According to the United States Census Bureau, Idaho collected $4.21 billion in tax revenue in 2016. The state's tax revenue per capita was $2,501.
  • Tax rates

    Personal income tax

    See also:Personal income tax

    Idaho utilized apersonal income tax rate ranging from 1.6 percent to 7.4 percent in 2017. An individual's tax liability varies according to his or her tax bracket. A tax bracket is the income range to which a tax rate applies.[4]

    The table below summarizes personal income tax rates for Idaho and neighboring states in 2017.[4]

    Personal income tax rates, 2017
    StateTax ratesNumber of bracketsBrackets
    LowestHighestLowestHighest
    Idaho1.6%7.4%7$1,454$10,905
    Montana1%6.9%7$2,900$17,600
    Oregon5%9.9%4$3,400$125,000
    WyomingNo state income tax
    Note: For complete notes and annotations, please see the source below.
    Source:Tax Policy Center, "Individual State Income Tax Rates 2000-2017," accessed October 26, 2017

    Personal exemptions

    States that collect a personal income tax allow individuals to claim personal exemptions on income taxes each year. The personal exemption indicates that only a person's income above a certain level is subject to taxation.[5]

    Exemptions work by reducing the amount of an individual's taxable income. Both state and federal taxes allow exemptions. The state exemptions for Idaho and its neighboring states as reported by the Tax Policy Center are reported in the chart below.[6]

    Personal exemptions, 2017
    StateSingleMarriedDependents
    Idaho$4,050$8,100$4,050
    Montana$2,400$4,800$2,400
    Oregon$197$394$197
    WyomingNo state income tax
    Note: For complete notes and annotations, please see the source below.
    Source:Tax Policy Center, "Individual State Income Tax Rates 2000-2017," accessed October 26, 2017

    Capital gains tax

    See also:Capital gains tax

    Acapital gains tax is a tax levied on the profit gleaned from the sale of a capital asset. Examples of capital assets include stocks, businesses, land parcels, homes, personal items and more. Capital gains are taxable at both thefederal and state levels. While the federal government taxes capital gains at a lower rate than regular personal income, states usually tax capital gains at the same rates as regular income.[7][8][9]

    The table below summarizes uppermost capital gains tax rates for Idaho and neighboring states in 2015.

    Uppermost capital gains tax rates by state, 2015
    StateState uppermost rateCombined uppermost rate
    Idaho7.4%29.4%
    Montana6.9%27.9%
    Oregon9.9%31%
    Wyoming0%25%
    Note: For complete notes and annotations, please see the source below.
    Source:Tax Foundation, "The High Burden of State and Federal Capital Gains Tax Rates," accessed October 26, 2017

    Sales tax

    See also:Sales tax

    Almost all states employ a statewide sales tax, which ranges from 2.9 percent inColorado to 7.25 percent inCalifornia. Additionally, many states allow the levying of local sales taxes, which are then added to the state's tax.

    Idaho's state sales tax was 6.00% percent in 2017. The average local tax was about 0.03% percent, meaning that the average combined sales tax was about 6.03% percent. The table below displays the state tax rates, average local tax rates, and average combined tax rates for Idaho and its neighboring states.[10]

    Combined sales tax rates, 2015
    StateState sales taxAverage local sales taxCombined
    Idaho6.00%0.03%6.03%
    Montana0.00%0.00%0.00%
    Oregon0.00%0.00%0.00%
    Wyoming4.00%1.40%5.40%
    Note: For full annotations, see the source below.
    Source:The Tax Foundation, "State and local sales tax rates, 2017," accessed October 26, 2017

    The table below summarizes sales tax rates for Idaho and neighboring states in 2017 as well as the state's policy with respect to types of items commonly exempted from sales tax (i.e., food, prescription drugs and nonprescription drugs).[11]

    Sales tax rates, 2017
    StateSales tax rateExemption status
    FoodPrescription drugsNonprescription drugs
    Idaho6.0%TaxableExemptTaxable
    Montana0.0%No state sales taxNo state sales taxNo state sales tax
    Oregon0.0%No state sales taxNo state sales taxNo state sales tax
    Wyoming4.0%ExemptExemptTaxable
    Source:Tax Policy Center, "Sales Tax Rates 2000-2017," accessed October 26, 2017

    Excise taxes

    See also:Excise taxes

    Excise taxes, also known as selective sales or differential commodity taxes, are levied for the sales of specific goods or services. Excise taxes are considered indirect taxes because they are not charged directly to individuals. In most cases, the excise tax is paid by the producer or seller of an item. The cost of the tax is then included in the sale price of the item and passed on to the consumer. The tables below provide excise tax rates for motor fuel, alcohol and cigarettes in Idaho and neighboring states.[12][13][14][15]

    Fuel excise tax rates, 2017 (in cents per gallon)
    StateGasolineDieselGasohol
    Excise taxOther taxesTotal taxExcise taxOther taxesTotal taxExcise taxOther taxesTotal tax
    Idaho32¢33¢32¢33¢32¢33¢
    Montana27¢27¢27.75¢27.75¢27¢¢27¢
    Oregon30¢30¢30¢30¢30¢30¢
    Wyoming23¢24¢23¢24¢23¢24¢
    Note: For full annotations, see the source below.
    Source:Tax Policy Center, "State Motor Fuels Tax Rates 2000-2011, 2013-2017," accessed October 26, 2017
    Alcohol excise tax rates, 2017 (in dollars per gallon)
    StateLiquorWineBeer
    Tax rateDoes general sales tax apply?Tax rateDoes general sales tax apply?Tax rateDoes general sales tax apply?
    IdahoSee footnote 1Yes$0.5Yes$0.2Yes
    MontanaSee footnote 1N/A$1.0N/A$0.1N/A
    OregonSee footnote 1N/A$0.7N/A$0.1N/A
    WyomingSee footnote 1YesSee footnote 1Yes$0.0Yes
    Note: For full annotations, see the source below.
    1"In 17 states, the government directly controls the sales of distilled spirits. Revenue in these states is generated from various taxes, fees, price mark-ups, and net liquor profits."
    2"General sales tax applies to on-premise sales only."
    Source:Tax Policy Center, "Alcohol Rates 2000-2010, 2013-2017," accessed October 26, 2017
    State cigarette taxes, 2017 (in cents per pack)
    StateTax rateNational ranking
    Idaho57¢45
    Montana170¢21
    Oregon132¢30
    Wyoming60¢43
    Note: For full annotations, see the source below.
    Source:Tax Policy Center, "State Cigarette Taxes, 2017," accessed October 26, 2017

    Corporate income tax

    See also:Corporate income tax

    Idaho levies acorporate income tax rate of 7.4 percent. The table below compares the corporate income tax rates of some of its neighboring states.[16][17]

    Corporate income tax rates, 2016
    StateTax rateBracketsNumber of brackets
    LowestHighest
    Idaho7.40%Flat Rate1
    Montana6.75%Flat Rate1
    Oregon6.60% to 7.60%$1,000,000$1,000,0002
    WyomingNo corporate income tax
    Note: For complete notes and annotations, please see the source below.
    Source:Tax Foundation, "State Corporate Income Tax Rates and Brackets for 2015," accessed October 26, 2017

    Property tax

    See also:Property tax

    Most often,property tax applies to real estate, although some states levy property taxes on other types of personal property, such as automobiles. Generally speaking, an individual's property tax liability is determined by the tax rate and the tax base, which is "determined by both the assessed value of the property and ... the share of the assessed value that is subject to tax." To learn more about property taxes, including tabulation methods, seethis page. Property tax rates can vary substantially from locality to locality within a state.[18][19][20][18][19]

    The table below provides the mean amount of property taxes paid in 2012, as well as property tax as a mean percentage of home value for 2014, in Idaho and neighboring states.[18]

    Mean property taxes paid per state, 2012 and 2014
    StateMean property taxes paid (2012)Property tax as a percent of home value (2014)
    Idaho$1,2730.73%
    Montana$1,9320.75%
    Oregon$2,5941.01%
    Wyoming$1,1410.51%
    Source:Tax Policy Center, "Residential Property Taxes in the United States," November 18, 2013
    Source:Tax Foundation, "Facts & Figures 2016: How Does Your State Compare?", accessed October 27, 2017

    The table below lists per capita state and local property tax collections for Idaho and neighboring states for fiscal year 2013.[21]

    State and local property tax collections per capita, 2013
    StateCollections per capita
    Idaho$888
    Montana$1,407
    Oregon$1,285
    Wyoming$2,173
    Source:Tax Foundation, "Facts and Figures 2016: How Does Your State Compare?" accessed October 26, 2017

    Estate and inheritance taxes

    See also:Estate and inheritance taxes

    Estate and inheritance taxes are levied on the property of deceased individuals (decedents). Generally speaking, an estate tax is applied to the value of a decedent's property and is paid from the estate before distribution to any heirs. By contrast, an inheritance tax is paid by the heir or heirs of a decedent's assets.[22][23][24]

    Idaho does not levy an estate tax, although residents are liable for thefederal estate tax. The table below summarizes the estate tax rates for Idaho and neighboring states in 2016.[24]

    Estate taxes, 2016
    StateExemption thresholdMinimum rateMaximum rate
    IdahoN/A
    MontanaN/A
    Oregon$1,000,00010.00%16.00%
    WyomingN/A
    Note: For complete notes and annotations, please see the source below.
    Source:Tax Foundation, "Facts and Figures 2015: How Does Your State Compare?" accessed October 5, 2015

    Tax revenues

    See also:Idaho state budget and finances

    The table below breaks down state government tax collections by source in 2016 (comparable figures from surrounding states are also provided to give additional context). Figures for all columns except "2016 population" and "Per capita collections" are rendered in thousands of dollars (for example, $2,448 translates to $2,448,000). Figures in the columns labeled "2016 population" and "Per capita collections" have not been abbreviated.[25]

    State tax collections by source ($ in thousands), 2016
    StateProperty taxesSales and gross receiptsLicensesIncome taxesOther taxesTotal2016 populationPer capita collections
    IdahoN/A$2,121,094$372,883$1,710,234$5,303$4,209,5141,683,140$2,501
    Montana$278,497$562,474$319,020$1,300,011$167,941$2,627,9431,042,520$2,521
    Oregon$20,587$1,532,190$1,048,709$8,299,887$141,938$11,043,3114,093,465$2,698
    Wyoming$338,776$820,146$157,086N/A$597,599$1,913,607585,501$3,268
    United States$18,364,298$442,909,995$52,164,396$392,286,910$24,538,146$930,263,745322,762,018$2,882.20
    Source:U.S. Census Bureau, "2016 annual survey of state government tax collections by category," accessed June 26, 2017

    The table below lists 2016 tax collections by source as percentages of total collections. About 50.4 percent of Idaho's total state tax collections came from sales taxes and gross receipts.[25]

    State tax collections by source (as percentages), 2016
    StateProperty taxesSales and gross receiptsLicensesIncome taxesOther taxes
    IdahoN/A50.4%8.9%40.6%0.1%
    Montana10.6%21.4%12.1%49.5%6.4%
    Oregon0.2%13.9%9.5%75.2%1.3%
    Wyoming17.7%42.9%8.2%N/A31.2%
    Source:U.S. Census Bureau, "2016 annual survey of state government tax collections by category," accessed April 4, 2016


    Tax ballot measures

    Voting on taxes
    Taxes.jpg
    Ballot measures
    By state
    By year
    Not on ballot
    Local
    City taxes
    County taxes
    School taxes
    Property taxes
    Sales taxes
    Income taxes
    Other taxes
    See also:Taxes on the ballot andList of Idaho ballot measures

    Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measures relating to taxes in Idaho.

    1. Idaho Property Tax Relief, HB 1 (2006)
    2. Idaho Increase Funding for Education Initiative, Initiative 1 (2006)
    3. Idaho One Percent Property Tax Initiative, Initiative 1 (1996)
    4. Idaho State Sales Tax, Referendum 1 (1966)
    5. Idaho Adoption of Two Percent Sales Tax, Referendum 1 (1936)
    6. Idaho Property Tax Limit Initiative, Initiative 1 (1992)
    7. Idaho Food Tax Exemption Initiative, Initiative 1 (1984)
    8. Idaho Railroad Taxation Exemption, SJR 5 (1906)
    9. Idaho Limit Taxation of Property for State Purposes, SJR 6 (1906)
    10. Idaho Legislature to Designate Tax Collector, HJR 11 (1928)
    11. Idaho Tax Exemptions of State and Municipal Property, HJR 1 (1932)
    12. Idaho Imposition of Income Taxes, HJR 3 (1932)
    13. Idaho State Tax Commission, SJR 8 (1932)
    14. Idaho Revenue from Motor Vehicles, HJR 3 (1940)
    15. Idaho Exemption of Federal Government Property, SJR 4 (1944)
    16. Idaho Property Valuation Initiative, INIT 1 (1978)
    17. Idaho Residential Tax Exemption Initiative, Initiative 1 (1982)

    Recent news

    The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the termsIdaho taxes. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

    See also

    External links

    Footnotes

    1. Idaho State Legislature, "Constitution of the State of Idaho," accessed October 17, 2014
    2. Tax Policy Center, "State Tax Collection Shares by Type 2000-2013," June 20, 2014
    3. Brunori, D. (2011).State Tax Policy: A Political Perspective. Washington, D.C.: The Urban Institute Press
    4. 4.04.1Tax Policy Center, "Individual State Income Tax Rates 2000-2017," accessed October 26, 2017
    5. Tax Policy Center, "What is the personal exemption?" accessed December 14, 2015
    6. Internal Revenue Service, "3. Personal Exemptions and Dependents," accessed December 14, 2015
    7. Internal Revenue Service, "Topic 409 - Capital Gains and Losses," August 19, 2014
    8. Tax Foundation, "The High Burden of State and Federal Capital Gains Tax Rates," February 11, 2014
    9. Tax Policy Center, "Capital Gains and Dividends: How are capital gains taxed?" June 22, 2011
    10. The Tax Foundation, "State and local sales tax rates, 2017," accessed October 26, 2017
    11. Tax Policy Center, "Sales Tax Rates 2000-2017," accessed October 26, 2017
    12. Tax Policy Center, "Excise taxes," accessed October 20, 2014
    13. Investopedia, "Excise Tax," accessed October 20, 2014
    14. Tax Foundation, "Excise Taxes," accessed October 20, 2014
    15. Internal Revenue Service, "Excise Tax," accessed October 20, 2014
    16. Investopedia, "Corporate Tax," accessed September 24, 2014
    17. Tax Foundation, "State Corporate Income Tax Rates and Brackets for 2015," accessed October 7, 2015
    18. 18.018.118.2Tax Policy Center, "Residential Property Taxes in the United States," November 18, 2013
    19. 19.019.1Bankrate, "Property taxes explained," February 3, 2000
    20. Investopedia, "Property Tax," accessed September 26, 2014
    21. Tax Foundation, "Facts and Figures 2015: How Does Your State Compare?" accessed October 5, 2015
    22. About.com, "What's the Difference Between an Estate Tax and an Inheritance Tax?" accessed October 16, 2014
    23. Internal Revenue Service, "Estate Tax," updated September 29, 2014
    24. 24.024.1Tax Foundation, "Facts and Figures, 2015," accessed October 6, 2015
    25. 25.025.1U.S. Census Bureau, "2016 annual survey of state government tax collections by category," accessed June 26, 2017
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