What South Carolina state per-capita income figure did the Department publish in May 2020 for tax-incentive tests?

Plain-English summary

South Carolina's most recently available state per-capita personal income figure in this May 19, 2020 letter was $45,314.

The Department published the figure because several income, sales-and-use, and property-tax incentives tied qualification or benefit amounts to state or county per-capita income. The letter gave three examples:

• the job tax credit under § 12-6-3360;
• the computer-equipment sales-and-use-tax exemption for technology-intensive facilities under § 12-36-2120(65); and
• the corporate-headquarters credit under § 12-6-3410.

The figures came from the South Carolina Board of Economic Advisors. State figures were generally published in March and September, while county figures were generally published in November.

The letter superseded all earlier documents and oral directives that conflicted with it.

What this means for you

Businesses testing a 2020 incentive

Use the figure that applied to the specific incentive and relevant period. Some programs used the statewide number while others used county data.

Current incentive calculations

Do not use $45,314 today. Later Information Letters replaced this historical figure.

Common questions

Q: What state per-capita income figure did the letter publish?
A: $45,314.

Q: Why did the number matter?
A: It was used in wage or qualification tests for certain South Carolina tax incentives.

Q: Did the letter include county figures?
A: No. It explained that county figures were published separately, generally in November.

Citations and references

• S.C. Code Ann. §§ 12-6-3360, 12-6-3410, and 12-36-2120(65)
• S.C. Code Ann. §§ 12-4-320 and 1-23-10(4)
• SC Revenue Procedure #09-3

Source

• Landing page: https://dor.sc.gov/advisory-opinion-search
• Original PDF: https://dor.sc.gov/sites/dor/files/policies/IL20-10.pdf

Original ruling text

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA

DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
300A Outlet Pointe Blvd., Columbia, South Carolina 29210
P.O. Box 125, Columbia, South Carolina 29214-0575

SC INFORMATION LETTER #20-10

SUBJECT:

Per Capita Income Figures for State of South Carolina

DATE:

May 19, 2020

SUPERSEDES:

All previous documents and any oral directives in conflict herewith.

AUTHORITY:

S.C. Code Ann. Section 12-4-320 (2014)
S.C. Code Ann. Section 1-23-10(4) (2005)
SC Revenue Procedure #09-3

SCOPE:

An Information Letter is a written statement issued to the public to
announce general information useful in complying with the laws
administered by the Department. An Information Letter has no
precedential value.

A number of South Carolina income, sales and use, and property tax incentives require jobs
associated with the incentive to meet certain state or county per capita personal income
requirements to determine qualification for, or the amount of, the particular incentive (e.g., the
job tax credit under Code Section 12-6-3360, the sales and use tax exemption for computer
equipment for technology intensive facilities under Code Section 12-36-2120(65), and the
personal property corporate headquarters credit under Code Section 12-6-3410).
Generally, the state figures are published in March and September. The county per capita
income figures are generally published in November. In order to aid taxpayers in determining
whether the per capita income requirements of an incentive have been met, the Department
publishes both the State and county per capita income amounts each year when it receives the
figures from the South Carolina Board of Economic Advisors. The most recently available
State per capita income figure is:
State of South Carolina

1

$45,314