Video: How to Claim State and Local Taxes on a Federal Tax Return
There are many states that collect income tax from residents, but are state income taxes deductible on your federal return? You might be surprised to learn that the IRS may allow you to deduct state income and real estate taxes in some cases. Check out this tax tip video to learn how you can save next time you file your taxes.
The One Big Beautiful Bill that passed includes permanently extending tax cuts from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, including increasing the cap on the amount of state and local or sales tax and property tax (SALT) that you can deduct, makes cuts to energy credits passed under the Inflation Reduction Act, makes changes to taxes on tips and overtime for certain workers, reforms Medicaid, increases the Debt ceiling, and reforms Pell Grants and student loans. Updates to this article are in process. Check our One Big Beautiful Bill article for more information.
Video transcript:
Can you deduct state and local taxes on your federal return? We'll break down this type of deduction on this edition of Tax Tips by TurboTax.
If you pay income, sales, real estate or personal property tax to your state or local government, the IRS may let you deduct these taxes on your federal income tax return.
Deductions for state and local taxes are only available if you itemize deductions on Schedule A, meaning you can't also claim the standard deduction. Additionally, your 2025 deduction for state and local taxes can’t exceed $40,000, or $20,000 for married couples filing separately.
But where do you find the tax amounts you paid? If you're employed, state and local taxes are likely withheld from your paycheck and reported on your W-2 form.
Freelancers might see these taxes withheld from payments and reported on Form 1099-NEC. State and local income taxes might also
be withheld from other types of income and reported on a 1099 form.
You can use the withheld amounts or any state estimated tax payments you made during the year to calculate the deduction.
The good news?
You can also deduct state and local sales taxes instead of state and local income taxes– but you can't deduct both. Choosing to sales taxes instead of income taxes makes sense if your state doesn't have an income tax, or you pay more in sales tax during the year.
There are two ways to calculate your state sales tax deduction. You can estimate your annual payments using the IRS optional sales tax tables in the instructions to Schedule A, or you can use the actual amount of tax you paid if you kept your receipts.
But what about property taxes?
Your state or local government may assess a real estate tax that's based on the value of your home. If you pay this type of tax, your payments are generally deductible on your federal tax return— in addition to your state and local income or sales taxes.
And if your state charges a separate a tax on your personal property like your car, you can deduct these payments on your federal return as long as the tax is assessed annually.
TurboTax will help you maximize your deductions and credits to get you your biggest refund, guaranteed.
Visit TurboTax for more info to help you file your taxes with confidence.

With TurboTax Live Full Service, a local expert matched to your unique situation will do your taxes for you start to finish. Or get unlimited help and advice from tax experts while you do your taxes with TurboTax Live Assisted.
And if you want to file your own taxes, TurboTax will guide you step by step so you can feel confident they'll be done right. No matter which way you file, we guarantee 100% accuracy and your maximum refund.
Get started now by logging into TurboTax and file with confidence.






