IRS Sales Tax Deduction Calculator, State & Local (Schedule A)

By the MoneyCalcsHub editorial teamLast updated: November 4, 2026

Estimate your state and local sales tax deduction (Schedule A) from spending and rates, and compare it with the $10,000 SALT cap.

Taxable spending per year ($)

State sales tax rate (%)

Local sales tax rate (%)

Sales tax paid on big-ticket items (car, boat, materials) ($)

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Formula

Deduction ≈ annual taxable spending × (state + local rate) + sales tax on big-ticket items (car, boat, home-building materials). This mirrors the IRS 'actual expenses' method; the SALT cap limits the total state-and-local deduction to $10,000 per return.

Examples

Input	Result
$25k spending, 6% state + 2% local	≈ $2,000 deduction
$30k spending, 7.25% combined, $1,800 car tax	≈ $3,975 deduction
$40k spending, 9.5% combined	≈ $3,800 deduction

Frequently Asked Questions

Sales tax or state income tax, which do I deduct?

You choose one on Schedule A, not both. The sales tax deduction usually wins in the nine states with no income tax (TX, FL, WA, TN, NV, WY, SD, AK, NH) or in years with a big taxable purchase.

Do I need receipts?

For the actual-expenses method shown here, yes, keep receipts. The IRS also offers optional sales tax tables based on income and family size if you did not save them; big-ticket tax can be added on top of the table amount.

What is the SALT cap?

The total deduction for state and local taxes (income or sales tax, plus property tax) is capped at $10,000 per return ($5,000 if married filing separately).

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Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, tax or legal advice. Results are estimates, actual returns, rates and terms vary. Consult a qualified financial professional before making financial decisions.

How this page is built and kept current. Written and fact-checked by the MoneyCalcsHub editorial team. We do not sell financial products and we accept no payment to change a result, the arithmetic on this page runs in your own browser from the numbers you type.

Official sources used on this page:

IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 / IR-2025-103, 2026 tax inflation adjustments

Source-dependent figures are reviewed when the cited issuer publishes an update. Worked examples show the formula applied to the listed inputs; interactive results are calculated in your browser.

Spotted an error? Write to [email protected], corrections are published on the page and the last-updated date changes with them. Full process: editorial policy.