Category: State & Local Taxes
New Jersey Deductions for Higher Education Expenses and Savings
Beginning in 2022, the New Jersey College Affordability Act allows New Jersey taxpayers tax deductions for certain educational expenses. The deductions are targeted for taxpayers with gross income of $200,000 or less. Deductions are allowed for contributions to the NJBEST college savings plan, in-state higher education tuition costs and NJCLASS…
New Jersey Property Tax Assessment Appeals
Many New Jersey property owners believe their property tax assessments are uncompromising. The truth is property assessments are not. Property assessments hinge on the tax assessor’s calculation of the market value of a property, and often such calculations may not be accurate or reflective of current market value. Tax assessors…
New Jersey Revises Rules For Notary Publics
On July 22, 2021, Governor Phil Murphy signed P.L. 2021, ch. 179, A-4250 (Downey)/S-2508(Gopal) upgrading the laws concerning notaries and notarial acts. What is “notarization”? When an individual executes a legal document, a licensed notary public serves as an impartial witness to the execution of the document and to the…
New Jersey Extends Retirement Income Exclusion
The State of New Jersey, recently reduced many retirees’ income taxes by extending a limited pension and retirement income exclusion to taxpayers with gross income exceeding $100,000 but not more than $150,000. New Jersey does not tax Social Security benefits or military pensions. Since 2000, New Jersey has provided taxpayers…
New Jersey State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction Planning Opportunity
In January 2020, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation creating the Business Alternative Income Tax (BAIT). Effective for income tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2020, the legislation allows New Jersey pass-through entities (PTEs) to pay and deduct income tax at the entity level. The legislation provides…
New Jersey Budget Passage Includes Additional Income Taxes on Individuals with Taxable Income over $1 Million
On September 29, 2020, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a budget for revised fiscal year 2021. The budget includes $32.7 billion in state funds and appropriation of 13.8 billion in federal funds. The revised fiscal year begins October 1, 2020, due to the extension of fiscal year 2020 during the coronavirus…
New Jersey Supreme Court tackles issue of real estate taxation of private businesses on public properties
Gourmet Dining, LLC, is a “for-profit” business entity that had entered into a management agreement with Kean University to operate a “high-end” restaurant called “Ursino” on Kean University property. The Gourmet Dining business is on University property and, as a state school, it is operated on property owned by the…
Governor Murphy’s Revised Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Proposal Includes Tax Increases
On August 25, 2020, Governor Murphy released his revised budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY 2021). The proposal includes tax policy changes estimated to yield just over a billion dollars for the nine-month FY 2021 period, including: Imposing the millionaire’s tax on all income above $1 million; Permanently incorporating…
New Jersey Sales Tax and Surcharges for COVID-19
The New Jersey Division of Taxation issued a notice on the taxation of surcharges for COVID-19 precaution and prevention costs. Some sellers are imposing additional fees on customer invoices for COVID-19 related cost. These additional charges may be termed a COVID-19 Fee, Coronavirus Fee, PPE Fee, Sanitation Fee, Cleaning Fee…
Paying your Taxes in the Time of COVID
The IRS recently issued Fact Sheet 2020-10 to remind taxpayers that they “have a variety of options to consider when paying federal taxes.” Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the filing deadline and tax payment due date was extended from April 15, 2020, to July 15, 2020. Taxpayers filing Form 1040…