Question about state tax

[Killarney]

Is the Mass. state income tax progressive or flat? I know it five and something percent but don't know if that's for everyone or what.

Do any states do progressive state income taxes?

[Bill McBlueState]

1. my understanding is it's flat

all income from wages is taxed at 5.3%

There's another rate for other types of income.

[welshTerrier2]

2. it's flat ...

some states "piggyback" on the federal ... i wish Mass. would do this ... instead of having to fill out another form, they could have you file a copy of your federal return and then take a percentage of your federal tax ... so, for example, if you paid $10,000 in federal tax, Mass. could have a very simple return that taxes, say, 10% of your federal so you would owe Mass. $1000 ...

this would make the tax more progressive and would make it much easier to file a return ... yeah, that will happen ... if they ever did this, it would be a great time to do away with the idiotic property tax system ... fold the two taxes into a single income tax and adjust the rates accordingly ...

[Beer Snob-50]

3. the problem with getting rid of the property tax

is that boston would control the funds that were controlled by the local citys and towns.

[midnight armadillo]

4. There was a ballot question for a progressive system in 94

It was slaughtered at the polls by a margin of 4 to 1. The state constitution actually bans a progressive tax so it must be changed. MOst people thought they'd be getting a tax increase, I suppose.

If you go here:
http://www.beaconhill.org/Gradtaxlang.html

you can see the text of the bill. Up to 50,000 for singles the rate would have been 5.5%, which back in 94 would have been a significant tax break for the majority of residents.