HB264: HB264 Income tax; fully exempt residents who have reached the age of 100

Right now, Georgia taxes the income of all state residents based on their taxable net income, with no age-based exemption from the tax itself (separate from existing retirement income exclusions). This bill would change that by rewriting part of Georgia's individual income tax law (O.C.G.A. § 48-7-20) to say that no state income tax is imposed on a resident who has reached age 100 or older before January 1 of the tax year in question. The change would apply starting with tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025. Nonresidents' tax treatment is unaffected; they would still owe Georgia tax on income earned from work, property, lottery winnings, or business conducted in the state. The bill also repeals any conflicting laws, a standard closing provision.

• Eliminates Georgia state income tax entirely for residents who turn 100 or older before January 1 of the relevant tax year.
• Applies the new exemption starting with tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025.
• Leaves the income tax rules for nonresidents and for residents under 100 unchanged.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with this new exemption.

Georgia residents who are 100 years old or older are the direct beneficiaries. The change also affects the Georgia Department of Revenue, which administers the income tax, and indirectly the state budget, since fewer taxpayers would owe income tax.

For the small number of Georgians who reach age 100, this would remove their state income tax bill entirely going forward, potentially freeing up income for living expenses or care costs. The change would also modestly reduce state income tax collections tied to that age group.

• Section 1 revises subsection (a) of O.C.G.A. § 48-7-20 to add a carve-out: no state income tax applies to a resident who reached age 100 or older before January 1 of the taxable year.
• The exemption is written to apply for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025.
• The bill leaves unchanged the existing tax on nonresidents' Georgia-source income, including income from work, property, lottery winnings, or business in the state.
• Section 2 repeals any laws or parts of laws that conflict with the new exemption.

1. 2025-02-06House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-02-05House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-04House Hopper (House)

• Jordan Ridley (R, HD-022)Primary sponsor
• Jason Ridley (R, HD-006)
• Mitchell Horner (R, HD-003)
• Alan Powell (R, HD-033)
• Steve Tarvin (R, HD-002)
• Carter Barrett (R, HD-024)

• income tax
• senior citizens
• tax exemptions
• elderly Georgians
• state revenue