Georgia Tax Rates 2026
Income tax, property tax, and estimated take-home pay for Georgia residents.
Income Tax in Georgia
Georgia has a moderate state income tax rate of 5.39%, roughly in line with the national average of 4.3%.
| Tax Component | Rate / Amount | On $75K Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Income Tax | 10-37% (marginal) | $10,238 |
| Georgia State Tax | 5.39% | $4,042 |
| FICA (SS + Medicare) | 7.65% | $5,738 |
| Total Tax Burden | $20,018 | |
| Annual Take-Home | $54,982 |
Property Tax in Georgia
Georgia's effective property tax rate is 0.83%, which is below the national average of 1.07%. On the national median home value of $405,300, Georgia homeowners pay approximately $3,364 per year ($280/month) in property taxes.
Property tax is deductible on your federal return if you itemize, but the SALT deduction is capped at $10,000 total (combined state income tax + property tax). In Georgia, a $75K earner paying $7,406 in combined state/local taxes stays within the $10,000 SALT cap.
Cost of Living Considerations
Tax rates are only one piece of the puzzle. When comparing Georgia to other states, also consider housing costs, healthcare expenses, grocery prices, and transportation costs. Use our calculators below to model your specific situation.
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Sales Tax in Georgia
Georgia has a state sales tax rate of 4.0%. Local jurisdictions may add additional sales tax on top of the state rate. On a $35,000 vehicle purchase, the state sales tax alone adds $1400. Groceries, prescription medications, and certain essentials may be exempt or taxed at a reduced rate depending on Georgia law. When budgeting for large purchases, always factor in the combined state and local rate in your area.
Tax Planning Tips for Georgia Residents
Max out pre-tax contributions. Every dollar contributed to a 401(k) or traditional IRA reduces both your federal and Georgia state taxable income. A $23,500 401(k) contribution saves you $1267 in state taxes alone.
Itemize strategically. If your combined state income tax and property tax exceed $10,000, you are losing deductions to the SALT cap. Consider strategies like bunching charitable deductions or using a donor-advised fund to maximize itemized deductions in alternating years.
Consider municipal bonds. Interest from Georgia municipal bonds is typically exempt from both federal and Georgia state income tax. For investors in the 5.39% bracket, this provides a meaningful after-tax yield advantage over comparable taxable bonds.
Who Benefits from Living in Georgia?
Middle-income families in Georgia face an effective state tax rate of roughly 3.8-5.39%, which is moderate. Families should focus on maximizing deductions and credits available under Georgia law.
Remote workers should verify whether Georgia taxes income based on residence or employer location. This can significantly impact your net pay if your employer is in a different state.
Small business owners in Georgia should explore whether the state offers pass-through entity tax elections, which can help circumvent the $10,000 SALT deduction cap for federal purposes.
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Georgia Tax Reality 2026 — HB 463 Cuts the Flat Rate to 4.99%, $130K Retirement Exclusion for Couples 65+ DEEP DIVE
▾HB 463 — Georgia Just Cut the Flat Rate to 4.99% (Retroactive to January 1, 2026)
Signed by Gov. Kemp in April 2026 as the Georgia Economic Growth and Tax Relief Act of 2026, HB 463 cut Georgia's flat individual income tax rate from 5.19% → 4.99%, effective retroactively to January 1, 2026. The bill also raised the standard deduction from $24,000 to $30,000 for joint filers ($12,000 → $15,000 single) and exempts up to $1,750 in tips and $1,750 in overtime pay from state tax for 2026 through 2028.
| Tax Year | GA Flat Rate | Standard Deduction (MFJ) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5.39% | $24,000 | Pre-HB 463 |
| 2025 | 5.19% | $24,000 | Pre-HB 463 |
| 2026 | 4.99% | $30,000 | HB 463 retroactive to 1/1/2026 |
| 2027 (if trigger met) | 4.865% | $30,750 | 0.125% drop |
| 2028 (if trigger met) | 4.74% | $31,500 | 0.125% drop |
| 2034 (if all triggers met) | 3.99% | $36,000 | Floor |
HB 463 (Georgia Economic Growth and Tax Relief Act of 2026), signed April 2026; rate effective retroactively per O.C.G.A. 48-7-20. Annual rate decreases require revenue growth of at least 3%.
The Retirement Income Exclusion — $130,000 Tax-Free for Couples 65+ (And It Just Got Bigger)
Georgia's Retirement Income Exclusion is one of the South's most generous — and HB 463 just expanded it. For Georgia residents age 62-64 (or permanently disabled), the first $35,000 of retirement income per person is exempt from state tax. At age 65+, that jumps to $65,000 per person. A married couple where both spouses are 65+ shields up to $130,000 per year from Georgia state income tax — and Social Security is already fully exempt on top of that.
Qualifying retirement income is defined broadly: traditional IRA, 401(k), 403(b), 457(b) distributions, pension payments, annuity income, interest, dividends, capital gains, and rental income all count. The first $5,000 of earned income (W-2/self-employment) also counts toward the exclusion — useful for retirees who consult part-time. HB 463 raises this earned-income portion further if revenue triggers are met in subsequent years.
| Income Type | Federal Tax | GA Tax (Per Person) |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security benefits | 0–85% taxable | $0 — fully exempt |
| Pension, 401(k), 403(b), IRA (age 62-64) | Ordinary income | First $35,000 exempt |
| Pension, 401(k), 403(b), IRA (age 65+) | Ordinary income | First $65,000 exempt |
| Capital gains, dividends (age 65+) | 0/15/20% LTCG | Counts toward $65K exclusion |
| W-2 wages, self-employment (age 65+) | Ordinary income | First $5,000 counts toward exclusion |
| Roth IRA qualified distributions | $0 | $0 |
O.C.G.A. 48-7-27(a)(5); GA Form 500 Schedule 1 Retirement Income Exclusion. HB 463 increased annual exclusion adjustments tied to revenue triggers.
Property Tax — 0.77% Average (Below National), But Watch the 40% Assessed-Value Math
Georgia's 0.77% average effective property tax rate is below the national average of 0.92%, ranking 27th among all states. The median Georgia homeowner pays approximately $2,341 per year on a $303,300 home — about $660 less than the national median. There is no state estate tax and no inheritance tax.
The catch: Georgia uses an unusual 40% assessed-value mechanic that confuses outsiders. Your tax bill is calculated as: (Fair Market Value × 40%) − exemptions × millage rate. A $300,000 Atlanta home has a $120,000 assessed value, and the millage rate is applied to that figure. Total millage rates in metro Atlanta typically run 25–45 mills (i.e., $25–$45 per $1,000 of assessed value), with Fulton County and Atlanta Public Schools at the higher end.
| County | Effective Rate | Median Tax Bill | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fulton (Atlanta core) | 0.86% | $4,310 | Highest median bill in state |
| Forsyth (north suburbs) | ~0.88% | $3,747 | High median home values |
| Gwinnett | 0.92% | $3,381 | Above state median |
| Cobb (Marietta, Smyrna) | 0.68% | $2,040 ($300K home) | Senior school exemption — Gold Standard |
| Cherokee | 0.68% | — | Senior breaks at 67 (changed 2026) |
| DeKalb | ~0.92% | — | HOST/EHOST sales-tax-funded offset |
| Dougherty (Albany) | 1.21% | — | Highest effective rate in GA |
| Towns (north GA mountains) | 0.43% | — | Lowest in state |
Tax Foundation 2026 effective rates; SmartAsset county-level data; SB 33 (2026) homestead assessment cap. Standard $2,000 statewide homestead exemption per O.C.G.A. 48-5-44 (counties may stack additional exemptions).
The HOST/LHOST Property Tax Offset — Trade Property Tax for an Extra 1% Sales Tax
Georgia is one of the few states with a statutory mechanism letting counties trade property tax revenue for sales tax revenue. The Homestead Option Sales Tax (HOST) — and its 2026 expansion under HB 1116, the Local-Option Homestead Sales Tax (LHOST) — allows counties and some cities to offset homeowner property taxes with a new 1% local sales tax dedicated to that purpose. The math: your county collects 1% extra on retail sales, then uses the proceeds to credit your homestead property tax bill.
DeKalb County has used HOST since 1997, generating ~$120M/yr that funds property tax credits averaging $1,200–$2,400 per homestead. Atlanta News First reported in April 2026 that lawmakers approved a scaled-back property tax rewrite letting more GA counties adopt LHOST, paired with mandatory caps on assessment increases (SB 33).
- Win: Homestead owners (their property tax credit usually exceeds the extra sales tax they pay)
- Win: Retirees on fixed income (less property tax exposure as values rise)
- Lose (slightly): Renters and non-homestead investors (pay the extra 1% sales tax with no offset)
- Lose (slightly): Visitors, conferences, tourists (whose spending funds the credit)
HOST per O.C.G.A. 48-8-100; HB 1116 (2026 LHOST expansion). Active HOST counties include DeKalb (since 1997). LHOST adoption requires county referendum.
Tips, Overtime & Military Retirement — Three Niche GA-Specific Tax Breaks Most Miss
Three GA-specific exemptions hide in the fine print of HB 463 and a separate 2025 military retirement law. Together they provide meaningful relief for service workers, hourly employees, and military retirees — groups most state tax codes treat the same as everyone else.
- Tips up to $1,750/yr exempt from GA state tax (2026–2028) — HB 463 carved out up to $1,750 in tips per year from state income tax for tax years 2026, 2027, and 2028. This is a state-level decoupling from the federal OBBBA tip provision; Georgia chose to mirror but cap the federal exemption at $1,750 instead of OBBBA's full federal exclusion. A waiter or bartender earning $20K/yr in tips pays state tax on only the portion above $1,750.
- Overtime up to $1,750/yr exempt from GA state tax (2026–2028) — Same HB 463 mechanism applies to overtime compensation. A nurse pulling 200 hours of OT at $60/hr earns $12,000 in overtime; the first $1,750 escapes Georgia state tax entirely.
- Military retirement: full $65,000 exemption, no age requirement — A separate law signed by Gov. Kemp in May 2025 (effective tax year 2026) lets military retirees of any age claim the full $65,000 retirement income exclusion, instead of waiting until 65. A 45-year-old retiring after 20 years of military service can shield $65,000/yr of pension income from GA tax immediately. This puts Georgia on par with TN, FL, and NC for military-retiree friendliness — a deliberate move to compete for post-service talent at Fort Benning, Fort Stewart, Fort Gordon, and Robins AFB.
Tips/OT per HB 463 Sections 6–7 (sunsets 12/31/2028); military retirement per HB 1064 (2025), effective 1/1/2026; both administered via GA Form 500 Schedule 1.
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