Massachusetts State Income Tax - Tax Year 2012
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Contents
QuickFact: The average family pays $2,078.00 in Massachusetts income taxes. [1]
Rank: 12th out of 51
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Massachusetts Income Tax Table
| Tax Bracket (Single) [2] | Tax Bracket (Couple) [3] | Marginal Tax Rate |
| $0+ | $0+ | 5.30% |
Note: Massachusetts' income tax has a single flat tax rate for all income.
Learn how marginal tax brackets work 
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Massachusetts Income Tax Calculator
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The Massachusetts Income Tax
Massachusetts has a flat income tax rate of 5.30% of gross income, unlike the federal income tax which uses tax brackets based on marginal income. There are a total of thirty two states with higher marginal income tax rates then Massachusetts.
Massachusetts has a flat tax of 5.13% on most types of income. Seven states have a flat income tax, and of those seven Massachusetts has the highest state income tax rate. There are 300 days left until Tax Day, on April 15th 2014.
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Massachusetts Tax Deductions
Income tax deductions are expenses that can be deducted from your gross pre-tax income. Using deductions is an excellent way to reduce your Massachusetts income tax and maximize your refund, so be sure to research deductions that you mey be able to claim on your Federal and Massachusetts tax returns. For details on specific deductions available in Massachusetts, see the list of Massachusetts income tax deductions.
4.1 - Massachusetts Standard Deduction
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Unlike many other states, Massachusetts has no standard deduction. Certain itemized deductions (including property tax, qualified charitable contributions, etc) may be allowed depending on the income level and filing type of the taxpayer. Keep in mind that not all deductions allowed on your federal income tax return are necessarily going to be allowed on your Massachusetts income tax return.
4.2 - Massachusetts Personal Exemptions
- Massachusetts' personal income tax exemptions include a personal exemption of $4,400.00. You can deduct one single exemption from your gross income if you are responsible for supporting yourself financially.
4.3 - Massachusetts Dependent Deduction
- Massachusetts has a dependent exemption of $1,000.00. You may claim one dependent examption for each of the children, relatives, or others who live with and are supported by you as described § 152 of the IRC (Internal Revenue Code).
4.4 - Massachusetts Itemized Deductions
- Unlike the Federal income tax, the Massachusetts income tax does not allow itemized deductions. You may claim the Massachusetts standard deduction if applicable, and specific deductions may be available to Massachusetts taxpayers as limited deductions or tax credits.
5.
Massachusetts Income Tax Forms
Tax-Rates.org provides easy access to four of the most commonly used Massachusetts income tax forms, in downloadable PDF format. For all of the tax forms we provide, visit our Massachusetts tax forms library or the Department of Revenue 's tax forms page.
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Form 1 - Individual Income Tax ReturnForm 1 is the general individual income tax return for Massachusetts state residents. You may file by mail on paper forms or online thorugh efiling.
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Form 1 Instructions - Individual Income Tax InstructionsUse these instructions to help you fill out and file your Form 1 individual income tax return with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.
02/2013
Form 1-ES - Estimated Individual Income Tax ReturnYou must file estimated income tax if you are self employed or do not pay sufficient tax withholding. Form 1-ES needs to be filed with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue on a quarterly basis.
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Form PV - Payment VoucherIf you owe any payment to Massachusetts for income taxes, you need to file Form PV along with your tax forms and payment.
12/2012
Printable Massachusetts Tax Table & Tax Reference
Tax-Rates.org provides a printable Massachusetts datasheet including an income tax table, a list of Massachusetts tax deductions, important URLs and addresses, and more. This document is in PDF format.
If you are not a resident of Massachusetts, have a complicated tax return, or have other specialized circumstances you may need to download additional tax forms from the Department of Revenue website. You can find all of Massachusetts' 2013 income tax forms on the Department of Revenue income tax forms page 
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6.
How To File Your Massachusetts Income Tax Return
Once you've filled out your Massachusetts income tax return, you have several options for filing and paying your income tax. You can mail your return to the Department of Revenue at the correct address below, and include your payment by check or money order. You may also electronically file your Massachusetts tax return through a tax preparer or using online tax software, and pay your taxes instantly using direct debit or a credit card (an additional credit card fee may apply).
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Where To Send Your Massachusetts Tax Return
If you filled out physical tax return forms, mail your completed Massachusetts income tax return to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue no later then January 1st. Please be sure to send your completed tax forms to the correct address for your filing type.
Income Tax Return (No Payment) Massachusetts Department of Revenue PO Box 7000, Boston, MA 02204 |
Income Tax Return (Payment Enclosed) Massachusetts Department of Revenue PO Box 7003, Boston, MA 02204 |
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e-Filing: Submit Your Massachusetts Tax Return Online
You can save time and money by electronically filing your Massachusetts income tax directly with the Department of Revenue . Benefits of e-Filing your Massachusetts tax return include instant submission, error checking, and faster refund response times. Most tax preparers can electronically file your return for you, or you can do it yourself using free or paid income tax software, like the examples listed below.
To e-file your Massachusetts and Federal income tax returns, you need a piece of tax software that is certified for eFile by the IRS. While most in-depth tax software charges a fee, there are several free options available through the states, and simple versions are also offered free of charge by most tax software companies.
The two most popular tax software packages are H&R Block At Home, sold by the H&R Block tax preparation company, and TurboTax Federal & State, sold by the Intuit software company. Both companies produce multiple editions for simple to very complex tax returns, so be sure to carefully compare the features offered by each package.
9.
Getting Your Massachusetts Tax Refund
If your state tax witholdings are greater then the amount of income tax you owe the state of Massachusetts, you will receive an income tax refund check from the government to make up the difference.
It should take one to three weeks for your refund check to be processed after your income tax return is recieved. E-filing your return and filing early can help ensure your refund check gets sent as quickly as possible.
Once you've filed your tax return, all you have to do is wait for your refund to arrive. If you want to check the status of your Massachusetts tax refund, you can visit the Massachusetts Department of Revenue Income Tax Refund page.
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References
- Our state ranking and income tax figures are based on a family of four (married parents with two children) earning the national median household income of $50,000 per year. Deductions and personal exemptions are taken into account, but some state-specific deductions and tax credit programs may not be accounted for.
- Before the official 2013 Massachusetts income tax rates are released, provisional 2013 tax rates are based on Massachusetts' 2012 income tax brackets.
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The 2013 state personal income tax brackets are updated from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue and Tax Foundation data.
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Massachusetts tax forms are sourced from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue income tax forms page, and are updated on a yearly basis. Please make sure the Massachusetts forms you are using are up-to-date.
