London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Sep 19, 2026

NYC millionaires will soon pay the highest tax rate in the nation

NYC millionaires will soon pay the highest tax rate in the nation

The top sliver of wealthy New Yorkers will soon face the highest combined state and city tax rate in the country.

The top sliver of wealthy New Yorkers will soon face the highest combined state and city tax rate in the country under a new agreement between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Democratic legislative leaders.

The State Assembly and Senate struck a deal this week to hike taxes on New Yorkers worth more than $1 million, part of a broader $212 billion budget plan that will generate an additional $3.4 billion for the state.

The state will temporarily establish two new personal income tax brackets: 10.3% of income for earnings between $5 million and $25 million, and 10.9% for income over $25 million. The new rates are scheduled to expire at the end of 2027. Rates will also increase to 9.65% (from the current levy of 8.82%) for individuals earning more than $1 million.

The city's high-income earners could pay between 13.5% to 14.8% in state and city taxes, when factoring in New York City's top income tax rate of 3.88% – more than the top marginal income tax rate of 13.3% in California, which is currently the highest in the nation.

The tax will hit about 123,000 individuals statewide, and just 15,165 individuals living in New York City, according to 2019 tax return data from New York City’s Independent Budget Office. Only 529 households will pay the highest rate.

Although Cuomo has resisted such a move for years – he's repeatedly argued that high taxes will force wealthy New Yorkers to flee the state – the embattled governor has seen his influence wane in recent months amid a slew of sexual harassment allegations.

Lawmakers proposed the tax hikes even though New York will get about $23.5 billion from the coronavirus relief bill that President Biden signed into law in mid-March. The state government will get about $12.7 billion, while New York City will receive an estimated $6.1 billion. The state's counties will get about $3.9 billion, while $825 million will go to small cities, towns and villages in the state.

New York is grappling with a $14.5 billion pandemic-induced budget deficit and has been urged by a group of economists and progressive lawmakers to raise taxes on billionaires to address the looming financial crisis.

But critics have warned that raising taxes could cause high-income earners who fled New York during the coronavirus pandemic to leave permanently.

"The combined top individual income tax rate will be nearly 15% in New York City and the combined top corporate income tax rate will be over 16%," Jared Walczak, vice president of state projects with the Center for State Tax Policy at the Tax Foundation, said. "If New York cares about ensuring people and businesses return, they sure aren't showing it."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
England Tightens School Food Standards With Restrictions on Deep-Fried and High-Sugar Foods
Oxfordshire Village Votes Symbolically to Leave UK Over Proposed Asylum Centre
Michael Marra Elected Leader of Scottish Labour
BBC Cash Reserves Fall Sharply as Financial Pressures Mount
George Osborne Calls for UK to Rejoin EU Customs Union
UK Explores Joining Canada-Led Global Defence Bank
Thirlwall Inquiry Highlights Management Failures Surrounding Lucy Letby Crimes
Parliamentary Committee Calls for New UK Law to Address AI Risks to Human Rights
UK Considers Giving Regional Mayors Greater Oversight of Water Companies
UK Opposition Presses Burnham for Stronger Response to Russian Security Threats
Reform UK Faces Scrutiny Over £72 Million in Donations as Political Finance Rules Tighten
Millisecond Software Failure Behind UK Air-Traffic Outage That Cancelled More Than 2,000 Flights
Bank of England Holds Interest Rate at 3.75% as Energy Prices Complicate Inflation Outlook
Burnham Warns of Difficult Choices in October Budget as UK Inflation Rises to 3.1%
Addison Lee Founder Loses £20.5 Million Non-Domicile Tax Case
BrewDog Creditors Face Heavy Losses After Collapse
Thirteenth Metropolitan Police Officer Dismissed Over Charing Cross Conduct
Oxfordshire Village Votes Symbolically to Leave UK Over Asylum Accommodation Plan
NHS Approves Life-Extending Treatment for Women With Incurable Breast Cancer
Software Defect Blamed for Major UK Air Traffic Disruption
Twenty Women Underwent Unnecessary Mastectomies at County Durham NHS Trust
British Steel Costs Taxpayers £1.3 Million a Day as MPs Demand Long-Term Plan
UK Parliament Advances Sovereign Grant Reform Setting Royal Funding at £99.9 Million
King Charles Urges Human-Centred Approach to Artificial Intelligence at Scotland Summit
House of Lords Begins Scrutiny of Voting-Age and Political Finance Reforms
UK Labour Market Shows Growing Divide Between Younger and Older Workers
Nearly Seven in 10 UK Small Businesses Delay or Cancel Growth Plans as Costs Rise
Andy Burnham Reaffirms UK Net-Zero Target Amid North Sea Energy Debate
UK Parliament Demands Credible Financial and Decarbonisation Plan for British Steel
MPs Urge Government to Reject Thames Water Rescue Deal and Prepare Special Administration
Bank of England Holds Rate at 3.75% as Energy Shock Raises Inflation Risks
TUC Calls for Social Energy Tariff Funded by Higher Taxes on Bank Profits
UK Parliament Enters Conference Recess After Advancing Sovereign Grant Legislation
King Charles Hosts Artificial Intelligence Leaders at Dumfries House Summit
Nearly Seven in Ten UK Small Businesses Delay or Cancel Growth Plans as Costs Rise
Anthropic Details Malicious Use of Claude in Cyber, Weapons and Influence Operations
McLaren Announces £500 Million UK Investment and 1,000 New Jobs
Scotland and Wales Sign Cardiff Agreement to Deepen Cooperation on Shared Policy Priorities
UK Government Moves to Fully Fund Teacher Pay Award as Strike Threat Recedes
UK Competition Regulator Deepens Scrutiny of Microsoft’s Business Software and AI Market Position
NHS England Reforms Focus on Cutting Waiting Lists and Improving Digital Care
England Maintains Mandatory Housing Targets in Push for 1.5 Million New Homes
UK Government Plans Statutory Industrial Strategy Council to Strengthen Long-Term Economic Policy
Asthma Charity Warns of Major Gaps in Childhood Diagnostic Testing Across England
TUC Chief Paul Nowak Appointed to Bank of England Court
Bristol Opens £35 Million Deep-Tech Innovation Hub at Temple Quarter
Oxfordshire Village Votes Symbolically to Leave UK Over Asylum Housing Plan
Andy Burnham Deepens UK Defense and AI Cooperation With NATO and Canada
UK Government Announces Neonatal Safety Reforms After Thirlwall Inquiry
Bank of England Weighs Rate Decision as UK Inflation Rises to 3.1%
×