The Foreign Service Journal, January-February 2017

82 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL one dollar for each dollar by which Adjusted Gross Income exceeds $50,000 for single, and $75,000 for mar- ried, taxpayers. All taxpayers over 65 receive an additional personal exemption of $800. Social Security is excluded from taxable income. The estate tax was repealed for all deaths after July 1, 2007. The general sales tax rate is 5.3 percent (4.3 percent state tax and 1 percent local tax, with an extra 0.7 percent in Northern Virginia). WASH I NGTON No personal income tax. Retirement income is not taxed. State sales tax is 6.5 percent; rates are updated quarterly. Local taxes may increase the total to 9.5 percent. WEST V I RG I N I A $2,000 of any civil or state pension is exempt. Social Security income is tax- able only to the extent that the income is includable in Federal Adjusted Gross Income. Taxpayers 65 and older or surviving spouses of any age may exclude the first $8,000 (individual filers) or $16,000 (married filing jointly) of any retire- ment income. Out-of-state government pensions qualify for this exemption. State sales tax is 6 percent, with additions of between 0.5 and 1 percent in some jurisdictions. WI SCONS I N Pensions and annuities are fully taxable. Social Security is excluded from taxable income. Those age 65 or over may take two personal deductions totaling $950. Benefits received from a federal retirement system account established before Dec. 31, 1963, are not taxable. Those over 65 and with a FAGI of less than $15,000 (single filers) or $30,000 (joint filers) may exclude $5,000 of income from federal retirement systems or IRAs. Those over 65 may take an additional personal deduction of $250. State sales tax is 5 percent; most counties charge an extra 1.5 percent. WYOMI NG No personal income tax. State sales tax is 4 percent. Local taxes may add another 4 percent. n AFSA NEWS