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Indiana small businesses could save millions under bill approved by Senate committee

Indiana legislation would all small businesses to fully deduct their state taxes from their federal taxes.
Indiana legislation would all small businesses to fully deduct their state taxes from their federal taxes.

Indiana small businesses could save millions under legislation unanimously approved by a Senate committee Tuesday.

Businesses can deduct the state taxes they pay from their federal taxes each year. But about half a million businesses in Indiana pay the state’s individual income tax, rather than the corporate income tax.

And that means instead of getting to deduct all their state taxes from their federal taxes, they only get to deduct up to $10,000.

Sen. Scott Baldwin’s (R-Noblesville) bill,  SB 2, would remove that cap.

“Resulting in over $50 million annually, as estimated, in federal tax savings for the owners of these small businesses,” Baldwin said.

READ MORE: How do I follow Indiana’s legislative session? Here’s your guide to demystify the process

Donna Niesen, representing the Indiana CPA Society, said it’s an issue of fairness.

“This bill levels the playing field for businesses and taxpayers in Indiana,” Niesen said.

The measure is not expected to affect Indiana’s tax revenues. It now heads to the full Senate.

Brandon J. Smith has previously worked as a reporter and anchor for KBIA Radio in Columbia, MO. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, IL as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.