Tax Year 2019 South Carolina Income Tax Brackets TY 2019 - 2020

South Carolina's income tax brackets were last changed two years ago for tax year 2018, and the tax rates were previously changed in 2007. South Carolina's tax brackets are indexed for inflation, and are updated yearly to reflect changes in cost of living.

South Carolina has six marginal tax brackets, ranging from 0% (the lowest South Carolina tax bracket) to 7% (the highest South Carolina tax bracket). Each marginal rate only applies to earnings within the applicable marginal tax bracket , which are the same in South Carolina for single filers and couples filing jointly.

The Federal Income Tax, by contrast, has different tax brackets for Single, Married Filing Jointly, and Head of Household taxpayers.

How do South Carolina tax brackets work?

Technically, you don't have just one "tax bracket" - you pay all of the South Carolina marginal tax rates from the lowest tax bracket to the tax bracket in which you earned your last dollar. For comparison purposes, however, your South Carolina tax bracket is the tax bracket in which your last earned dollar in any given tax period falls.

You can think of the bracketed income tax as a flat amount for all of the money you earned up to your highest tax bracket, plus a marginal percentage of any amount you earned over that. The chart below breaks down the South Carolina tax brackets using this model:

For earnings between $0.00 and $3,070.00, you'll pay 0% For earnings between $3,070.00 and $6,150.00, you'll pay 3% plus $0.00 For earnings between $6,150.00 and $9,230.00, you'll pay 4% plus $92.40 For earnings between $9,230.00 and $12,310.00, you'll pay 5% plus $215.60 For earnings between $12,310.00 and $15,400.00, you'll pay 6% plus $369.60 For earnings over $15,400.00, you'll pay 7% plus $555.00 For earnings between $0.00 and $3,070.00, you'll pay 0% For earnings between $3,070.00 and $6,150.00, you'll pay 3% plus $0.00 For earnings between $6,150.00 and $9,230.00, you'll pay 4% plus $92.40 For earnings between $9,230.00 and $12,310.00, you'll pay 5% plus $215.60 For earnings between $12,310.00 and $15,400.00, you'll pay 6% plus $369.60 For earnings over $15,400.00, you'll pay 7% plus $555.00

South Carolina Income Tax Calculator

iFrame not loaded! South Carolina Income Tax Estimator You can use the income tax estimator to the left to calculate your approximate South Carolina and Federal income tax based on the most recent tax brackets. Keep in mind that this estimator assumes all income is from wages, assumes the standard deduction, and does not account for tax credits. For a more detailed estimate that takes these factors into account, click "View Detailed Estimate" (this will will redirect to an external website). South Carolina Tax Deductions When calculating your South Carolina income tax, keep in mind that the South Carolina state income tax brackets are only applied to your adjusted gross income (AGI) after you have made any qualifying deductions. Qualifying deductions might include an itemized deduction, the South Carolina standard deduction, exemptions for dependants, business expenses, etc. Remember that South Carolina may have very different deduction laws from the Federal Income Tax, so you may have to write a whole new list of deductions for your South Carolina income tax return.

South Carolina Standard Deductions & Personal Exemption Amounts

In addition to marginal tax brackets, one of the major features of the South Carolina income tax is deductions. The three most common deductions encountered by taxpayers are the South Carolina Standard Deduction, the South Carolina Personal Exemption, and the South Carolina Dependent Deduction. The current values of these deductions for tax year 2020 are as follows:

Standard Deduction (Single) Standard Deduction (MFJ) Personal Exemption Dependant Exemption $12,000.00 $24,000.00 $0.00 $0.00

The standard deduction, which South Carolina has, is a deduction that is available by default to all taxpayers who do not instead choose to file an itemized deduction. Essentially, it translates to $12,000.00 per year of tax-free income for single South Carolina taxpayers, and $24,000.00 for those filing jointly.

The Personal Exemption, which is not supported by the South Carolina income tax, is an additional deduction you can take if you (and not someone else) are primarily responsible for your own living expenses. Likewise, you can take an additional dependent exemption for each qualifying dependent (like a child or family member), who you financially support.

The Federal income tax also has a standard deduction, personal exemptions, and dependant deductions, though they are different amounts than South Carolina's and may have different rules.

Head over to the Federal income tax brackets page to learn about the Federal Income Tax, which applies in all states nationwide.

Sources & Citations

Disclaimer: While we do our best to keep this list of South Carolina income tax rates up to date and complete, we cannot be held liable for errors or omissions. Is info on this page missing or out-of-date? Please let us know so we can fix it!

The South Carolina tax brackets on this page have been updated for tax year 2020, and are the latest brackets available. States often adjust their tax brackets on a yearly basis, so make sure to check back later for South Carolina's updated tax year 2021 tax brackets!

Tax Data Sources: