Political Contribution Credit
Oregon law allows a tax credit for political contributions. To claim this credit, your federal adjusted gross income must not exceed $150,000 on a jointly filed return, or $75,000 on all other returns.
To qualify for the Political Contribution Credit, you must have made the contribution during the tax year for which you are claiming the credit. You have to reduce the amount of your contribution by the fair market value (FMV) of any items or services you receive in exchange for your contribution. Contributions of goods or services do not qualify. Keep receipts from the candidate or organization with your tax records. You can use copies of cancelled checks as your receipt.
Your credit is equal to your contribution, but is limited to $100 on a joint return or $50 on a all other returns. The $3 check-off on the Oregon tax return does not qualify for this credit.
What are the Standard, Nonrefundable Credits?
Credit for Taxes Paid to Another State - If you were a full-year Oregon resident: You may claim the credit on your Oregon return only if you pay tax on the same income to both Oregon and a state other than Arizona, California, Indiana, or Virginia.
For more information on this credit, please see our KB article.
Mutually Taxed Gain on Sale of Residential Property - If you sell your home and pay tax to Oregon, your taxable gain will be the same as your federal taxable gain. Generally, any gain will also be excluded on your Oregon return.
Exception: If you were renting out a house and then converted it to your personal residence, the Oregon basis may be different from the federal basis due to depreciation differences.
You may qualify for this credit only if the gain on the sale of your residential property is taxed by both Oregon and another state or country. You may claim either this credit or the credit for income taxes paid to another state, but not both. You aren’t eligible to claim this credit if you qualify for a credit for taxes paid to another state on the other state’s tax return.
Oregon Cultural Trust Contributions - If you make a donation to an Oregon nonprofit cultural organization during the tax year, you can make a matching donation to the Trust for Cultural Development Account and get an Oregon tax credit. The maximum credit allowed for Oregon Cultural Trust contributions is $500 per taxpayer ($1,000 on jointly filed returns).
Oregon Veterans' Home Physicians - This credit is available to physicians who provide medical care to residents of an Oregon Veterans’ Home (OVH) for up to $5,000 per year.
Reservation Enterprise Zone -Businesses in an Oregon reservation enterprise zone that pay tax to tribal governments, may be able to claim a credit against their Oregon income tax.
Retirement Income Credit
If you were age 62 or older on December 31, 2017, and receiving taxable retirement income, you may qualify for this credit. Retirement income includes payments in Oregon taxable income from:
- State or local government public pensions.
- Employee pensions.
- Individual retirement plans.
- Employee annuity plans.
- Deferred compensation plans including defined benefits, profit sharing, and 401(k)s.
- Federal pensions (includes military) not subtracted from Oregon taxable income.
How do you qualify for this credit?
- Your household income is less than $22,500 ($45,000 if married filing jointly), and
- Your Social Security benefits and/or Tier 1 Railroad Retirement Board benefits are less than $7,500 ($15,000 if married filing jointly), and
- Your household income plus your Social Security and/or Tier 1 Railroad Retirement Board benefits is less than $22,500 ($45,000 if married filing jointly).
You can claim this credit or the credit for the elderly or the disabled, but not both.
Rural Emergency Medical Technicians (code 812)- Emergency medical service providers who provide volunteer services in a qualifying rural area, may be eligible to claim this tax credit.
Rural Medical Practitioners (code 813) - A tax credit is available for health practitioners in certain rural areas of Oregon. The credit is based on eligibility requirements determined by the Office of Rural Health.
What are the Oregon Carryforward Credits?
- Agriculture Workforce Housing (code 835)
- Agriculture Workforce Housing Loans (S corporation) (list on Oregon K-1)
- Alternative Qualified Research Activities (code 837)
- Business Energy Carryforward (code 839)
- Bovine Manure Production/Collection (869)
- Child Care Fund Contributions (code 841)
- College Opportunity Grant Contributions (code 871)
- Crop Donation (code 843)
- Electronic Commerce Zone Investment (code 845)
- Employer Scholarship (code 847)
- Lender' Credit: Energy Conservation Carryforward (S Corp) (code 848)
- Energy Conservation Projects (code 849)
- Fish Screening Devices (850)
- Oregon IDA Initiative Fund donation (852)
- Long Term Enterprise Zone Facilities (S corporation) (code 853)
- Lender's Credit: Affordable Housing (S corporation) (code 854)
- Oregon Low Income Community Jobs Initiative (code 855)
- Oregon Production Investment Fund (code 856)
- Qualified Research Activities (S corporation) (code 858)
- Renewable Energy Resource Equipment Manufacturing Facility (code 860)
- Residential Energy (code 861)
- Transportation Projects (code 863)
- Rural Technology Workforce Development (868)
- University Venture Development Fund Contributions (code 864)
- Short line railroad rehabilitation (code 872)
These credits are not refundable. They can't exceed your tax liability for the current tax year, but you may carry forward the unused amount to a later tax year.
What are the Refundable Credits?
529/ABLE account contributions- A tax credit of up to $150 ($300 if married filing jointly) is available for taxpayers who make contributions to an Oregon Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) or Oregon 529 College Savings account. To qualify for the credit, you must make contributions during tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2020. Contributions may be made up until the date the return is filed or the due date (not including extensions), whichever is earlier.
Oregon Working Family Household and Dependent Care Credit (code 895)- If you paid for dependent care during the year for one or more qualifying individuals and meet the income limitations, you may be eligible for this credit.
Manufactured Dwelling Park Closure Credit (code 891)- You may qualify for this credit if you moved out of a mobile home park during the tax year, due to the park closing.
Claim of Right Income Repayment (code 890)- If you repaid more than $3,000 of income taxed by Oregon in a prior year and claimed a federal claim of right income repayment deduction or credit under IRC Section 1341(a), you may be eligible for this credit.
Oregon Earned Income Credit- If you qualify for the federal Earned Income Credit (EIC), you may also be eligible for Oregon's Earned Income Credit. The Oregon EIC is equal to 12% of your federal EIC if you have a qualifying dependent who was younger than three years old at the end of the tax year. If your dependent was older than 3 at the end of the tax year, your Oregon EIC is equal to 9% of your federal EIC.
Oregon surplus credit (kicker)- This credit is only available on the 2021 tax return.
Where do I enter the credit?
To claim an Oregon tax credit, go to:
- State Section
- Edit (3 dots)
- Credits
For additional information or specific instructions on the above credits, please refer to the Oregon state instructions, here.