Taxes State Taxes New York State Income Tax and Other Taxes The state has some of the highest tax rates in the nation By Tonya Moreno, CPA Updated on May 31, 2022 Reviewed by Lea D. Uradu Fact checked by Ariana Chávez In This Article View All In This Article New York State Income Tax The Standard Deductions Itemized Deductions and Tax Credits New York Property Taxes Property Tax Exemptions New York Estate Tax Sales and Other Taxes Photo: Ryan McVay / Getty Images The state of New York imposes all three major taxes: income tax, sales tax, and property taxes. The state's tax rates consistently rank among the nation's highest. The state also imposes an estate tax. New York State Income Tax New York State income tax rates range from 4% to 10.90%% for the 2022 tax year, depending on a taxpayer's income. These rates are the result of legislation passed and sent to the governor in April 2021. The 10.90% rate is an increase from 8.82%. These rates became effective in 2021. They'll remain in place through tax year 2027. The lowest rate of 4% applies to the first $8,500 of taxable income for single filers and the first $17,150 for taxpayers who are married filing jointly. The tax rate then increases incrementally based on income. The highest rate of 10.90% is applicable to incomes exceeding $25 million for taxpayers who file as single, head of household, or married filing jointly. Note Government pensions and pensions from certain government authorities, including Social Security, are exempt from income tax in New York. The Standard Deductions New York's standard deductions also depend on filing status. As of the 2021 tax year (the return you'll file in 2022) they were: Single and you're someone else's dependent on a federal return: $3,100Single and you're not someone else's dependent on a federal return: $8,000Head of household: $11,200Married filing jointly: $16,050Married filing separately: $8,000Qualifying widow(er): $16,050 Itemized Deductions and Tax Credits Most federal itemized deductions are allowed on New York returns. Deductions are available for college tuition and for contributions to the New York State 529 plan. Several tax credits are available for expenses such as child and dependent care costs. The state has its own version of the earned income credit. New York Property Taxes New York has no tax on personal property, such as vehicles and jewelry, but there are property taxes on real estate. These taxes are paid to local governments such as counties, cities, and school districts. The state does not take a cut of these revenues. All property tax revenues go directly to the localities for their schools, police and fire departments, road maintenance, and other local services. Most counties and municipalities must assess property taxes at a uniform percentage of value according to state law. Properties of equal value in the same community should pay the same amount in property taxes without accounting for exemptions. The owners of more valuable properties will pay more in taxes than the owner of less valuable properties. Property Tax Exemptions State law allows localities to grant property tax exemptions to senior citizens, veterans, or people with documented disabilities. The School Tax Relief (STAR) exemption applies to owners of residential property who use their properties as their primary residences. STAR offers an exemption for a portion of a home’s value from school taxes. Seniors age 65 and older can qualify for an Enhanced STAR exemption if their incomes do not exceed the state standard, which can change annually. The income limit was $90,550 for tax year 2021. It increases to $92,000 for 2022. Note The Enhanced STAR program was updated in 2019 to require that all recipients enroll in the Income Verification Program. First-time recipients and new homeowners must apply for the STAR Credit with the New York Tax Department. New York Estate Tax New York's estate tax is based on the overall value of a decedent’s estate, provided that the decedent was a New York resident or owned real or tangible personal property within the state. Estates valued at $5,930,000 or less are exempt from the estate tax for deaths that occur on or after January 1, 2021, through January 1, 2022. This exclusion is indexed for inflation. It increases to $6,110,000 for deaths that occur in 2022. The top tax rate for 2021 was 16% on estates with values of more than $10.1 million. Smaller estates pay rates ranging from 3.06% to 15.2%. Note You must include the value of certain gifts made during your lifetime in the value of your estate, but there are exceptions for gifts made prior to April 1, 2014, or between January 1 and January 15, 2019, or when the giver was a nonresident. This tax provision was renewed in 2019. It continues through at least January 1, 2026. Sales and Other Taxes The state's sales tax has been set at 4% since June 1, 2005, but local municipalities can add up to 8.88%. Food, prescription drugs, and non-prescription drugs are exempt, as are clothing and footwear costing less than $110 per item. The state imposes motor fuel taxes including: Motor fuel excise taxPetroleum business taxPetroleum testing fee The state gasoline tax was 32.98 cents per gallon as of February 2021. State and federal taxes together are 51.38 cents per gallon. The cigarette tax is $4.35 per pack of 20. Key Takeaways New York continues to have some of the highest tax rates in the country.The state's standard deductions are less than those at the federal level.Income tax rates range from 4% to 10.90% as of 2022, increasing with the more you earn.Standard deductions range from $3,100 to $16,050 in 2021, the tax year for which you'll file in 2022.New York's sales tax is 4%, plus up to 8.8% that can be added by municipalities Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. JD Supra. "Taxes Are Going Up: Highlights From the NYS 2021-2022 Budget." New York State Assembly. "A03009 Summary: Bill No A03009C - Part A." New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. "Information for Retired Persons." New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. "2021 Standard Deductions." New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. "Itemized Deductions." New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. "College Tuition Credit or Itemized Deduction." New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. "Earned Income Credit (New York State)." New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. "Property Taxes." New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. "Property Tax Exemptions." New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. "STAR Assessor Guide." New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. "STAR Eligibility." New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. "STAR Resource Center." New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. "Estate Tax." New York Department of Taxation and Finance. "New York State Tax Estate Return ET-706," Page 6. New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. "Instructions for Form ET-706 New York State Estate Tax Return." Page 1. New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. "Publication 718." New York Department of Taxation and Finance. "Quick Reference Guide for Taxable and Exempt Property and Services." U.S. Energy Information Administration. "Frequently Asked Questions," Download "State-by-State Fuel Taxes." New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. "Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax."