Red States, Blue States: Lessons from the State Death Tax Credit and the “SALT” Deduction

Since 1861, every version of the federal income tax has included a deduction for state and local taxes (often referred to, using a popular tax acronym, as the “SALT deduction”). Since the SALT deduction minimizes the effect of state and local taxes on taxpayers, it offers greater benefits to those living in states that impose the highest tax burden: the high-tax “blue” states. ...

Jeffrey A. Cooper