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Minnesota Taxes and Tax Plans

taxes

State tax policy that prioritizes everyday Minnesotans can expand economic opportunity, build thriving communities, and strengthen our economic future. However, tax policy can also widen income, wealth, and racial inequality if it primarily benefits those who are already doing well in today's economy.

We analyze individual tax proposals and full tax plans from the governor and legislative bodies, as well as the tax system overall, emphasizing the impact on everyday Minnesotans, tax fairness, and the ability of the tax system to raise the revenues needed to sustainably fund public investments that keep us moving forward as a state.

Research

March 2021

Who receives the Renters' Credit? (TY 2018)

By providing property tax refunds to qualifying households, Minnesota helps bring down one of the costs of housing and creates a more equitable tax system. This issue brief provides data on the impact of the Renters’ Credit in each Minnesota county and for the state as a whole.

April 2019

Prioritize Minnesota workers and their families by expanding the Working Family Credit

Everyday, many hard-working families across Minnesota struggle to make ends meet. We also know that the state's future economic success depends on more Minnesotans participating in the workforce. A stronger Working Family Credit would support the work efforts of hundreds of thousands of working Minnesotans, get Minnesota children off to a stronger start, and make Minnesota taxes more equitable.

January 2017

Prioritize working families by strengthening the Working Family Credit

Despite an overall economic recovery, many hard-working families across Minnesota still struggle to make ends meet. We also know that the state's future economic success depends on more Minnesotans participating in the workforce. A stronger Working Family Credit would support the work efforts of hundreds of thousands of working Minnesotans, get Minnesota children off to a stronger start, and make Minnesota taxes fairer.

November 2016

Final FY 2016-17 supplemental budget makes modest changes to expand opportunity, promote equity

The final budget decisions made in the 2016 Legislative Session combine small but positive steps toward broadly shared prosperity with some missed opportunities. This brief digs into the details on what was and was not included in education, health and human services, and addressing racial disparities. It also examines the 2016 tax bill, which included several important steps to support working families, but which failed to become law due to a drafting error.

Taxes and Tax Plans Blog Posts

May 28, 2024

2024 Legislature passes improvements in Child Tax Credit, tax-filing process

The Minnesota Legislature passed some investments in Minnesota families’ economic well-being and improving their tax-filing experience in this year’s final tax legislation, including essential provisions for successful implementation of advance payments of the Child Tax Credit. Here’s a look at how our priorities for the tax bill fared this session.

May 13, 2024

Child Tax Credit and tax-filing improvements in play in final 2024 tax negotiations

Minnesota policymakers could be less than two weeks away from enacting into law innovations and improvements in the Child Tax Credit and Minnesotans’ tax-filing experience. Here's a closer look at the issues we are watching and how they are treated in Walz’s tax plan, the House tax bill, and Senate tax bill. Tax negotiators will need to reach agreement and pass final tax legislation before the legislative session ends on May 20.

May 03, 2024

Direct File could save Minnesotans time and money when filing income taxes

Paying taxes is how we come together to fund public services that Minnesotans value and count on, but with our current system, the majority of folks pay to meet their tax-filing responsibilities. Direct File is a free online tool to file and prepare income taxes, and Minnesota can build on positive federal progress on making this option available. Read our blog to learn about how a Direct File system would benefit Minnesotans by saving time, money, and improving access to tax credits.

April 03, 2024

Joint state budget targets set for 2024 Legislative Session

Governor Tim Walz reached an agreement with House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy on budget targets on March 22. The agreement outlines targets of $478 million in net general budget changes, including increased spending or reduced revenues, for FY 2024-25 and $63 million for FY 2026-27. The joint budget targets also set the parameters for final budget negotiations between the House, Senate, and the governor.