Calculate AGI for a state (AGI vs Build-up)
There are generally 2 methods that states use to calculate adjusted gross income for individuals on their state income tax return.
Method 1 (AGI)
This method starts with federal adjusted gross income (AGI) or federal taxable income (TI). If the state has different tax treatments for certain items (income, deductions, etc.), adjustments are either added to or subtracted from this federal amount to arrive at AGI for state purposes. UltraTax CS provides an AGI worksheet in Forms view for states that follow this method. You can make adjustments to state amounts on this worksheet.
Method 2 (Build-up)
This method separately reports all items that make up taxable income according to how the state defines taxable income. Some states differ on what income is taxable, so state income is likely not the same as federal income. Since this method builds up certain components of income individually to arrive at AGI for state purposes, separate worksheets for each type of income are available in Forms view for states that follow this method.
The following table provides a quick reference of what method each state uses as well as what common adjustments that states may make.
State | Method 1 (AGI) | Method 2 (Build-up) | Pension subtraction | Depreciation adjustments | Social Security subtraction | Child care credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Arkansas | MAGI | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
Arizona | AGI | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
California | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
Colorado | TI | N/A | Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A |
Connecticut | AGI | N/A | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
District of Columbia | AGI | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
Delaware | AGI | N/A | Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A |
Georgia | AGI | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
Hawaii | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
Iowa | MAGI | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | MAGI = Federal AGI before federal NOL, if applicable. |
Idaho | AGI | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
Illinois | AGI | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
Indiana | AGI | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
Kansas | AGI | N/A | Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A |
Kentucky | AGI | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Kentucky is a partial build-up state. It takes federal AGI and adjusts for differences in federal and state tax law. |
Louisiana | AGI | N/A | Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A |
Massachusetts | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
Maryland | AGI | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A | Yes | N/A |
Maine | AGI | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
Michigan | AGI | N/A | Yes | N/A | Yes | N/A | N/A |
Minnesota | TI | N/A | N/A | Yes | N/A | Yes | Minnesota accepts the itemized or standard deduction taken on the federal level. |
Missouri | AGI | N/A | Yes | OLD | Yes | N/A | N/A |
Mississippi | MAGI | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Montana | AGI | N/A | Yes | N/A | N/A | Yes | N/A |
North Carolina | AGI | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
North Dakota | TI | N/A | Yes | N/A | Yes | N/A | N/A |
Nebraska | AGI | N/A | N/A | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A |
New Hampshire | INT | N/A | N/A | Yes | N/A | N/A | New Hampshire only taxes income on interest and dividends. |
New Jersey | N/A | Gross Income | Yes | Yes | N/A | X (starting in 2018) | New Jersey is a partial build-up state starting with items categorized as gross income. |
New Mexico | AGI | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
New York | MAGI | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
Ohio | AGI | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
Oklahoma | AGI | N/A | Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A |
Oregon | AGI | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
Pennsylvania | N/A | Gross income | N/A | Yes | N/A | N/A | Pennsylvania is a partial build-up state in that it is limited to 8 classes of total income. |
Rhode Island | AGI | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
South Carolina | TI | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | X; 7% of federal expenses | N/A |
Tennessee | INT | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Tennessee only taxes income on interest and dividends. |
Utah | AGI | N/A | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Virginia | AGI | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
Vermont | MAGI | N/A | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | MAGI = Federal AGI without regard to IRC § 168(k) |
Wisconsin | AGI | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | WI typically starts with the federal AGI. If there are WI law differences, the build-up method is used. |
West Virginia | AGI | N/A | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
AGI = Adjusted gross income
MAGI = Modified adjusted gross income
TI = Taxable income
INT = Interest or dividend return only