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The Daily Insight Hub

Are state income taxes deductible on federal return for corporations?

Author

Matthew Harrington

Updated on January 02, 2026

A corporation can claim whatever state and local income taxes it pays as a federal tax deduction. Sole proprietors can deduct taxes imposed on gross business income; taxes on net income are deductible only if you itemize on Schedule A.

Which states can I deduct my federal taxes?

The deduction for federal income taxes paid is an unusual state personal income tax break that allows taxpayers to subtract the value of the federal income taxes they pay in a given year from their state taxable income. Only six states (Alabama, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, and Oregon) allow this deduction.

What taxes are deductible for corporations?

A corporation can deduct employee salaries, health benefits, tuition reimbursement, and bonuses. In addition, a corporation can reduce its taxable income by deducting insurance premiums, travel expenses, bad debts, interest payments, sales taxes, fuel taxes, and excise taxes.

Are there state and federal corporate taxes?

A corporate income tax (CIT) is levied by federal and state governments on business profits. Many companies are not subject to the CIT because they are taxed as pass-through businesses, with income reportable under the individual income tax.

Are property taxes deductible on federal income tax?

If you pay taxes on your personal property and owned real estate, they may be deductible from your federal income tax bill. If you pay either type of property tax, claiming the tax deduction is a simple matter of itemizing your personal deductions on Schedule A of Form 1040.

Can C corps deduct federal income tax?

A corporation can also take special deductions. For federal income tax purposes, a C corporation is recognized as a separate taxpaying entity. A corporation conducts business, realizes net income or loss, pays taxes and distributes profits to shareholders.

What can be deducted from federal income taxes?

Popular tax deductions include the student loan interest deduction, the medical expenses deduction, the IRA contributions deduction and the self-employment expenses deduction.

What is the federal corporate tax rate for 2020?

21 percent
The United States imposes a tax on the profits of US resident corporations at a rate of 21 percent (reduced from 35 percent by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act).

What is current federal corporate tax rate?

Under current law, corporations in the United States pay federal corporate income taxes levied at a 21 percent rate plus state corporate taxes that range from zero to 11.5 percent, resulting in a combined average top tax rate of 25.8 percent in 2021.

What deductions can I claim for 2019?

Here are a few of the most common tax write-offs that you can deduct from your taxable income in 2019:

  • Business car use.
  • Charitable contributions.
  • Medical and dental expenses.
  • Health Savings Account.
  • Child care.
  • Moving expenses.
  • Student loan interest.
  • Home offices expenses.

Do S corporations pay federal income tax?

S-corporations are pass-through entities. That is, the corporation itself is not subject to federal income tax. Instead, the shareholders are taxed upon their allocated share of the income. Form 1120S is the form used for an S-corp’s annual tax return.

Can you deduct sales tax from federal taxes?

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) permits you to write off either your state and local income tax or sales taxes when itemizing your deductions. People who live in a state that does not impose income taxes often benefit most from this deduction.

What companies pay no federal income tax?

FedEx and Nike are among those found to have avoided U.S. tax liability for three straight years. Just as the Biden administration is pushing to raise taxes on corporations, a new study finds that at least 55 of America’s largest paid no taxes last year on billions of dollars in profits.

Federal income taxes paid by a C corporation are not deductible to the company, but state and local income taxes are deductible when paid.

In a nutshell, tax deductions reduce your AGI. Popular tax deductions include the student loan interest deduction, the medical expenses deduction, the IRA contributions deduction and the self-employment expenses deduction.

Is property tax deductible from federal income tax?

Do corporations get tax refunds?

Generally, C-corporations are the only type of business entity eligible for a tax refund. Your business also might receive a tax refund if it overpays on payroll or sales taxes.

Can a corporation deduct state taxes on federal income?

State Income Tax. A corporation can deduct income taxes imposed by state and local governments as business expenses for federal income tax purposes. This assures that corporate income is not taxed twice with a combination of state and federal levies.

Can you deduct state and local taxes on a business tax return?

Federal or state income taxes, gift taxes, and other taxes. Some states may allow you to deduct a portion of your federal tax bill, but not all. You may deduct state and local sales taxes from on your personal tax return, but not for your business. (See this IRS article on deducting state and local taxes. Check with your state or your tax preparer.

How are state taxes deductible for federal income tax?

As an employer, the corporation deducts from its federal income tax return all payments to a state unemployment compensation fund or to a state disability benefit fund. Real estate taxes paid to any state or local government are deductible expenses for federal income tax reporting.

Where does the corporate tax go in the United States?

Corporate income tax is imposed at the federal level on all entities treated as corporations (see Entity classification below), and by 47 states and the District of Columbia. Certain localities also impose corporate income tax.