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Tax policy in Mississippi

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Tax policy in Mississippi
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Tax rates in 2017
Personal income tax:
3% to 5%
State sales tax:
7.00%
Corporate income tax:
3.00% to 5.00%
Tax revenues in 2016
Total tax collections:
$7.66 billion
Tax collections per capita:
$2,563
Public Policy Logo-one line.png
Total state expendituresState debtMississippi state budget and finances

Mississippi generates the bulk of its tax revenue by levying apersonal income tax and asales tax.

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.[1]

HIGHLIGHTS
  • According to the United States Census Bureau, Mississippi collected $7.66 billion in tax revenue in 2016. The state's tax revenue per capita was $2,563.
  • Tax rates

    Personal income tax

    See also:Personal income tax

    Mississippi utilized apersonal income tax rate ranging from 3 percent to 5 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.[2]

    The table below summarizes personal income tax rates for Mississippi and neighboring states in 2017.[2]

    Personal income tax rates, 2017
    StateTax ratesNumber of bracketsBrackets
    LowestHighestLowestHighest
    Mississippi3%5%3$5,000$10,001
    Alabama2%5%3$500$3,001
    Arkansas0.9%6.9%6$4,299$35,100
    Louisiana2%6%3$12,500$50,001
    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.[3]

    Exemptions work by reducing the amount of an individual's taxable income. Both state and federal taxes allow exemptions. The state exemptions for Mississippi and its neighboring states as reported by the Tax Policy Center are reported in the chart below.[4]

    Personal exemptions, 2017
    StateSingleMarriedDependents
    Mississippi$6,000$12,000$1,500
    Alabama$1,500$3,000$500
    Arkansas$26$52$26
    Louisiana$4,500$9,000$1,000
    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.[5][6][7]

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

    Uppermost capital gains tax rates by state, 2015
    StateState uppermost rateCombined uppermost rate
    Mississippi5%28%
    Alabama5%27.4%
    Arkansas7%27.9%
    Louisiana6%27.9%
    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.

    Mississippi's state sales tax was 7.00% percent in 2017. The average local tax was about 0.07% percent, meaning that the average combined sales tax was about 7.07% percent. The table below displays the state tax rates, average local tax rates, and average combined tax rates for Mississippi and its neighboring states.[8]

    Combined sales tax rates, 2015
    StateState sales taxAverage local sales taxCombined
    Mississippi7.00%0.07%7.07%
    Alabama4.00%5.01%9.01%
    Arkansas6.50%2.80%9.30%
    Louisiana5.00%4.98%9.98%
    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 Mississippi 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).[9]

    Sales tax rates, 2017
    StateSales tax rateExemption status
    FoodPrescription drugsNonprescription drugs
    Mississippi7.0%TaxableExemptTaxable
    Alabama4.0%TaxableExemptTaxable
    Arkansas6.5%1.5ExemptTaxable
    Louisiana5.0%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 Mississippi and neighboring states.[10][11][12][13]

    Fuel excise tax rates, 2017 (in cents per gallon)
    StateGasolineDieselGasohol
    Excise taxOther taxesTotal taxExcise taxOther taxesTotal taxExcise taxOther taxesTotal tax
    Mississippi18¢0.4¢18.4¢18¢0.4¢18.4¢18¢0.4¢18.4¢
    Alabama18¢18¢19¢19¢18¢18¢
    Arkansas21.5¢0.3¢21.8¢22.5¢0.3¢22.8¢21.5¢0.3¢21.8¢
    Louisiana20¢0.125¢20.125¢20¢0.125¢20.125¢20¢0.125¢20.125¢
    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?
    MississippiSee footnote 1Yes$0.4Yes$0.4Yes
    AlabamaSee footnote 1Yes$1.7Yes$0.5Yes
    Arkansas$2.5Yes$0.8Yes$0.2Yes
    Louisiana$3.0Yes$0.8Yes$0.4Yes
    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
    Mississippi68¢39
    Alabama67.5¢40
    Arkansas115¢33
    Louisiana108¢34
    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

    Mississippi levies acorporate income tax rate of 3.00 to 5.00 percent. The table below compares the corporate income tax rates of some of its neighboring states.[14][15]

    Corporate income tax rates, 2016
    StateTax rateBracketsNumber of brackets
    LowestHighest
    Mississippi3.00% to 5.00%$5,000$10,0003
    Alabama6.50%Flat Rate1
    Arkansas1.00% to 6.5%$3,000$100,0006
    Louisiana4.00% to 8.00%$25,000$200,0005
    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.[16][17][18][16][17]

    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 Mississippi and neighboring states.[16]

    Mean property taxes paid per state, 2012 and 2014
    StateMean property taxes paid (2012)Property tax as a percent of home value (2014)
    Mississippi$1,0040.65%
    Alabama$6310.40%
    Arkansas$9010.64%
    Louisiana$8230.50%
    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 Mississippi and neighboring states for fiscal year 2013.[19]

    State and local property tax collections per capita, 2013
    StateCollections per capita
    Mississippi$899
    Alabama$548
    Arkansas$659
    Louisiana$849
    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.[20][21][22]

    Mississippi does not levy an estate tax, although residents are liable for thefederal estate tax. The table below summarizes the estate tax rates for Mississippi and neighboring states in 2016.[22]

    Estate taxes, 2016
    StateExemption thresholdMinimum rateMaximum rate
    MississippiN/A
    AlabamaN/A
    ArkansasN/A
    LouisianaN/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:Mississippi 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.[23]

    State tax collections by source ($ in thousands), 2016
    StateProperty taxesSales and gross receiptsLicensesIncome taxesOther taxesTotal2016 populationPer capita collections
    Mississippi$26,725$4,777,794$553,510$2,263,164$39,198$7,660,3912,988,726$2,563
    Alabama$346,277$5,106,102$507,479$3,869,584$90,352$9,919,7944,863,300$2,040
    Arkansas$1,119,958$4,590,072$396,891$3,231,617$114,345$9,452,8832,988,248$3,163
    Louisiana$62,273$5,352,907$400,191$3,038,035$456,267$9,309,6734,681,666$1,989
    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 62.4 percent of Mississippi's total state tax collections came from sales taxes and gross receipts.[23]

    State tax collections by source (as percentages), 2016
    StateProperty taxesSales and gross receiptsLicensesIncome taxesOther taxes
    Mississippi0.3%62.4%7.2%29.5%0.5%
    Alabama3.5%51.5%5.1%39.0%0.9%
    Arkansas11.8%48.6%4.2%34.2%1.2%
    Louisiana0.7%57.5%4.3%32.6%4.9%
    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 Mississippi ballot measures

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

    1. Mississippi Cigarette Tax Amendment (2010)
    2. Mississippi Tax Assessment, Amendment 1 (1986)
    3. Mississippi Tax Assessment, Amendment 3 (1982)
    4. Mississippi Poll Tax, Amendment 3 (1975)

    Recent news

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

    See also

    External links

    Footnotes

    1. Brunori, D. (2011).State Tax Policy: A Political Perspective. Washington, D.C.: The Urban Institute Press
    2. 2.02.1Tax Policy Center, "Individual State Income Tax Rates 2000-2017," accessed October 26, 2017
    3. Tax Policy Center, "What is the personal exemption?" accessed December 14, 2015
    4. Internal Revenue Service, "3. Personal Exemptions and Dependents," accessed December 14, 2015
    5. Internal Revenue Service, "Topic 409 - Capital Gains and Losses," August 19, 2014
    6. Tax Foundation, "The High Burden of State and Federal Capital Gains Tax Rates," February 11, 2014
    7. Tax Policy Center, "Capital Gains and Dividends: How are capital gains taxed?" June 22, 2011
    8. The Tax Foundation, "State and local sales tax rates, 2017," accessed October 26, 2017
    9. Tax Policy Center, "Sales Tax Rates 2000-2017," accessed October 26, 2017
    10. Tax Policy Center, "Excise taxes," accessed October 20, 2014
    11. Investopedia, "Excise Tax," accessed October 20, 2014
    12. Tax Foundation, "Excise Taxes," accessed October 20, 2014
    13. Internal Revenue Service, "Excise Tax," accessed October 20, 2014
    14. Investopedia, "Corporate Tax," accessed September 24, 2014
    15. Tax Foundation, "State Corporate Income Tax Rates and Brackets for 2015," accessed October 7, 2015
    16. 16.016.116.2Tax Policy Center, "Residential Property Taxes in the United States," November 18, 2013
    17. 17.017.1Bankrate, "Property taxes explained," February 3, 2000
    18. Investopedia, "Property Tax," accessed September 26, 2014
    19. Tax Foundation, "Facts and Figures 2015: How Does Your State Compare?" accessed October 5, 2015
    20. About.com, "What's the Difference Between an Estate Tax and an Inheritance Tax?" accessed October 16, 2014
    21. Internal Revenue Service, "Estate Tax," updated September 29, 2014
    22. 22.022.1Tax Foundation, "Facts and Figures, 2015," accessed October 6, 2015
    23. 23.023.1U.S. Census Bureau, "2016 annual survey of state government tax collections by category," accessed June 26, 2017
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