Massachusetts State Tax

Massachusetts State Tax History

Massachusetts State tax is somewhat of a surprise, given that the state has a history of rebellion against taxes in general. You may recall a little incident called the Boston Tea Party. Thirteen years later, there was Shay's Rebellion. Still today, citizens of Massachusetts have to deal with state taxes, and, while they call for the repeal of state income tax, it doesn't appear likely that the tax will go away.

So, if you're from Massachusetts, you are probably looking for the easiest, fastest, and most accurate way to complete your Massachusetts return. Filing your state taxes online is about as easy as it can get because most online tax preparation companies can transfer the data from your Federal form directly to your state form. They can also save you both time and money by offering package rates for a combination of Federal and State tax preparation.

Massachusetts State Tax Basics

Massachusetts levees a flat-rate state tax which was reduced to 5% in 2003. This tax, therefore, is not related to your income. The state allows personal exemptions at $4,000 for a single person, $8,800 for a couple filing jointly, and $1,000 for dependents. There is no standard deduction and no Federal income tax deduction. You can, however, deduct medical expenses at the Federal rate.

Your Massachusetts return must be filed on or before April 15th. Pay close attention to your filing status on your Massachusetts return as it may differ from the one on your Federal form. When you take advantage of the opportunity to do your Massachusetts tax forms along with your Federal form, you will be able to have your refund direct deposited to your account in days rather than waiting weeks to get it in the mail.