South Carolina Income Tax Calculator
Calculate your 2026 South Carolina state income tax. See your bracket breakdown, effective rate, and how South Carolina compares to neighboring states.
Your Tax Inputs
Effective Rate vs Neighboring States
South Carolina Tax Brackets (2026)
Federal vs South Carolina Tax Comparison
Estimate for your income and filing status. Federal uses 2026 brackets and standard deduction.
| Item | Federal | South Carolina | Total |
|---|
About South Carolina state taxes (Tax year 2026)
South Carolina has a simplified progressive income tax with 3 effective brackets. The top rate of 6.3% applies to income over $17,330. South Carolina conforms to the federal standard deduction.
Groceries are taxed at a reduced rate of 0% (exempt). Prescription drugs are exempt. Some counties add local option taxes.
South Carolina's top rate of 6.3% is above the national average, but the generous zero bracket and conformity to federal deductions reduce the effective rate for most taxpayers.
Filing in South Carolina: returns for tax year 2026 are administered by the South Carolina Department of Revenue and are generally filed in 2027 by the federal April deadline unless South Carolina declares a state-specific extension. Tax type on this return: Progressive. Top marginal rate: 6.3%. State sales-tax rate: 6.0%. For the most current contact info, see the Federation of Tax Administrators directory.
South Carolina — What is South Carolina's income tax rate? South Carolina has a top rate of 6.3% on income over $17,330. The first $3,460 is not taxed, and income from $3,460 to $17,330 is taxed at 3%.
South Carolina — Does South Carolina tax groceries? Unprepared food is exempt from South Carolina's state sales tax. However, prepared meals are taxable.
South Carolina — How does South Carolina compare for retirees? South Carolina is very tax-friendly for retirees. Social Security is fully exempt, and there is a generous retirement income deduction of up to $10,000. Property tax benefits for seniors are also available.
How this page is reviewed
| Risk tier | High YMYL |
|---|---|
| Author | Calculover Editorial Team Tax education |
| Editorial owner | Calculover Tax & Payroll Desk State-tax methodology owner |
| Reviewer | Calculover Editorial Review Government-source and limitation review |
| Last reviewed | 2026-05-14 |
| Last verified | 2026-05-14 |
| Data effective date | 2026-01-01 |
| Jurisdiction | South Carolina |
Methodology
State-tax per-state pages apply the published 2026 bracket schedule, standard deduction, and filing-status rules for the listed jurisdiction. Federal AGI inputs are mapped to state taxable income before bracket math runs. Local taxes (NYC, Philadelphia, certain Ohio cities) are flagged but not embedded in the base estimate.
Assumptions
- The user enters federal AGI, filing status, and state-specific adjustments as provided.
- Brackets, standard deductions, and credits reflect the 2026 statutory values published by the state Department of Revenue and the Tax Foundation.
- Local income taxes and reciprocity-agreement situations are noted but not auto-applied.
Limitations
- These pages do not predict mid-year legislative changes, rate adjustments, or new local tax assessments.
- Multi-state filers, convenience-of-employer rules, and special-circumstance credits require additional tax-professional analysis.
Sources
- State Tax Rates, Federation of Tax Administrators
- State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, Tax Foundation
- State Government Resources, Internal Revenue Service
Professional guidance: This page is for state-tax education only and is not tax, legal, financial, or investment advice. State tax decisions and multi-state filing should be reviewed with a CPA or enrolled agent licensed in the relevant states.