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May 2025 Legislative Updates

State Income Tax Reform Update:

In March, state legislative leaders introduced a new income tax reform proposal that could significantly change South Carolina’s income tax system.Under the revised proposal these new rates would go into effect in Tax Year 2027:

  • Income from $0 to $30,000 would be taxed at a flat rate of 1.99%.

  • Income over $30,000 would be taxed at 5.39%, minus a $1,020 deduction.

 

Moving forward, if state income tax revenues grow by at least 5% in a given fiscal year, additional rate reductions may be applied. Our CEO, Josh Workman, and CSO, Matt Zackon, have been actively meeting with legislators in Columbia about this issue and will continue to advocate for investors.

The proposal was approved by the House with a vote of 64 to 47. It has now gone over to the Senate and has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee, which is expected to begin deliberations in January 2026.

We will continue to monitor the progress of this legislation and provide updates as it moves through the Senate and potentially toward implementation.

Federal Domestic Policy Update:

The U.S. House of Representatives passed their domestic policy mega bill on Thursday, May 22nd that included the extension of the 2017 tax cuts along with the following: an increase in the cap on state and local tax deductions to $40,000 per household with an income limit set at $500,000, an extension of the Opportunity Zones, keeping 1031 Exchanges as they are, along with some changes to the potential transferability of ITC federal credits starting in 2028.

The legislation now heads over to the United State Senate where senators are vowing to make significant changes to what the House has passed. We are actively monitoring this legislation and its potential implications at both a federal and state level.

Federal HTC-GO Legislation:

A new version of the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act (HTC-GO) has been reintroduced to Congress by Senators Cassidy (R-LA) and Warner (D-VA) and Representatives LaHood (R-IL) and Suozzi (D-NY). New provisions include:

  • Restores 1-year credit delivery (instead of the current 5-year schedule)
  • Lowers the rehabilitation threshold from 100% to 50% of a building’s basis
  • Eliminates basis adjustment, making the credit more valuable and easier to pair with other incentives
  • Expands nonprofit access by easing tax-exempt use rules
  • Increases the credit to 30% for small projects (under $3.75M) and rural projects (under $5M), with direct transfer options

 

The proposed changes aim to boost redevelopment of historic buildings, particularly in smaller communities and nonprofit-led initiatives.

The proposal comes as Congress prepares a large budget reconciliation package that could reshape tax policy, including the extension of provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

As a member of the Historic Tax Credit Coalition, Tax Credit Marketplace is advocating to South Carolina’s senators and representatives about the need to update and enhance the federal historic tax credit.

Stay tuned—we’ll be tracking the bill’s progress closely.