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State-by-State Income Tax Reciprocity Agreements

Reciprocity agreements mean that two states allow its residents to only pay tax on where they live—instead of where they work. For instance, this is particularly important to higher wage earners who live in Pennsylvania and work in New Jersey.

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Let’s talk reciprocals.

Reciprocity agreements mean that two states allow its residents to only pay tax on where they live—instead of where they work. For instance, this is particularly important to higher wage earners who live in Pennsylvania and work in New Jersey. Pennsylvania’s top rate is 3.07%, while New Jersey’s top rate is 8.97%.

The following states have reciprocal agreements:

State                           Reciprocity States

Arizona                       California, Indiana, Oregon and Virginia

Illinois                         Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan and Wisconsin

Indiana                        Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin

Iowa                            Illinois

Kentucky                    Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin

Maryland                    Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia

Michigan                     Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin

Minnesota                   Michigan and North Dakota

Montana                     North Dakota

New Jersey                 Pennsylvania*

North Dakota              Minnesota and Montana

Ohio                            Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia

Pennsylvania               Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia

Virginia                        Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia

Washington, D.C.       Maryland and Virginia

West Virginia              Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia

Wisconsin                   Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan

*After nearly forty years, the reciprocity agreement between New Jersey and Pennsylvania will end on December 31, 2016. On September 2, 2016, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed a deal to terminate the agreement effective January 1, 2017, in a move that some believe may generate $180 million in additional revenue for New Jersey. This means that—for the first time since 1978—wealthy taxpayers who work in New Jersey, but live in Pennsylvania, will pay substantially higher income taxes.

This topic may get revisited, but it’s a good idea to keep watching for updates.

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James Paille CPP is the Director of Operations for Thomson Reuters myPay Solutions. He has been an executive manager in the payroll service industry for more than 30 years, specializing in managing multi-location offices. Jim is President of the American Payroll Association as well as a member of the National Speakers Bureau and chair of the CPP Certification Review Panel. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY.