Dear Neighbor,
It’s tax time again and most of us are keeping a close eye on the mail box for the last of those tax documents needed to file our annual tax returns.
This year, most seniors receiving Social Security retirement benefits have something to look forward to when they file their state income tax return. The tax reform bill we passed last year reduced and in many cases completely eliminated the state income tax on Minnesota seniors’ social security retirement benefits.
Nearly 284,000 Minnesota senior citizen tax returns (single and married filing jointly) will receive tax reductions; approximately 72,000 of those no longer pay any state income tax on their social security retirement benefits.
When the Legislature convened in 2017, the very first bill I authored (H.F. 9) was a complete phase-out of the state income tax on senior’s Social Security retirement benefits. The House Tax Committee heard my proposal on Jan. 18 of last year and my bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the comprehensive tax reform bill that was being assembled.
I did not get everything I asked for, since I would have preferred total elimination of the state income tax on Social Security retirement benefits. However, I am pleased to report that we in the Legislature approved and the governor signed a tax reform bill that significantly reduced (and in many cases eliminated) the state income tax on our seniors’ Social Security retirement benefits.
If you are one of those many hundreds of thousands of Minnesota seniors that are on social security, please make sure you mention to your tax preparer to factor in Minnesota’s new tax policy concerning how much, if any of your Social Security benefits are now subject Minnesota state income tax.
On a separate topic, I also want to welcome Rep. Dave Baker, an Aitkin High School graduate now representing the Willmar area, back to his old stomping grounds this Monday. We will be visiting with Riverwood Healthcare Center and Addiction Recovery Ministry personnel. Dave will be discussing legislation he is chief author of, the “Opioid Family Recovery Act (H.F. 1440).” Dave has taken a leadership role in working on the serious opioid abuse problem we have in Minnesota.
Lastly, the state continues to experience difficulty with the vehicle licensing and registration system. We have created a help web page where citizens can submit concerns and get a response back by email. Click here for that link.
Sincerely,
Dale