Arizona's 2.5% Flat Income Tax
Arizona applies a flat 2.5% tax on all taxable income. Unlike progressive systems where higher income pushes you into higher brackets, every dollar in Arizona is taxed at the same rate. This simplifies calculations and means your marginal and effective state tax rates are identical (or nearly so). On $85,000, state tax is $2,125/year. On $200,000, it's $5,000/year. The proportionality is straightforward.
Maximizing Your Take-Home Pay in Arizona
The most effective lever for increasing take-home pay in Arizona is pre-tax retirement contributions. A traditional 401(k) contribution reduces your taxable income for both federal and state taxes. At $85,000 in Arizona, your combined marginal rate (federal + state) is approximately 25%. Every $100 directed to a pre-tax 401(k) saves $25 in taxes — you sacrifice $75 in take-home pay, not $100. HSA contributions (if you have a high-deductible health plan) go further — they reduce federal, state, AND FICA taxes, saving roughly 33% on every contributed dollar.