Local tax guides for Greater Philadelphia
Start with the tax question you need to resolve. These guides explain where to find official instructions and what records or questions to prepare before contacting a professional.
Individual and local taxes
Philadelphia Wage Tax: residents, commuters and refund resources
Philadelphia residents and nonresident workers have different work-location rules. Check employer withholding, the applicable tax year and the City’s refund instructions before treating remote days as refundable.
Business taxes and records
Philadelphia BIRT and NPT: a starting guide for small businesses
BIRT and NPT are separate business taxes. Match the return to the business situation and tax year; older BIRT exemption guidance may no longer apply.
Philadelphia sales tax: Pennsylvania filing, clothing and seller records
Philadelphia sales and use taxes are filed and paid to Pennsylvania, not through the City’s BIRT/NPT process. Check the official combined rate and the item’s tax treatment before reconciling sales or choosing a filing route.
Property taxes and official resources
Philadelphia property tax: bills, assessments and official appeal resources
For a balance or payment, start with Revenue. For property details and assessed value, start with OPA. BRT handles assessment appeals. Relief applications have separate rules and deadlines.
Choosing business services
Small-business accounting in Philadelphia: bookkeeping, tax and payroll help
Monthly books, annual returns and payroll are separate jobs. For a Philadelphia business, include City account setup, BIRT/NPT questions and Wage Tax responsibilities in a written scope rather than assuming a federal return covers them.
Personal and estate tax records
Pennsylvania inheritance tax: forms, records and Philadelphia filing resources
Start with the deceased person’s residence and the person responsible for the return. Pennsylvania resident and nonresident inheritance forms have different filing routes; an extension to file does not extend payment.
Pennsylvania retirement income: tax reporting and records to gather
Pennsylvania treatment depends on the benefit and distribution, not simply on being retired. Check eligible-plan conditions and early-withdrawal rules separately from federal pension and Social Security reporting.
Pennsylvania capital gains tax: rates, PA Schedule D and sale records
Pennsylvania does not use the federal preference for long-term capital gains. Start with the type of sale, Pennsylvania basis and tax year, then check the state and federal reporting separately.
Vehicle purchases and registration
Pennsylvania vehicle sales tax: Philadelphia buying and registration guide
Pennsylvania’s vehicle-specific guidance gives a 6% state tax plus 2% local tax for vehicles registered in Philadelphia, for a combined 8%. A vehicle registered elsewhere needs its own jurisdiction check.
State income and filing
Pennsylvania income tax: rates and Philadelphia filing questions
Pennsylvania’s published personal income-tax rate is 3.07%. That is the state rate; Philadelphia Wage Tax, BIRT and NPT are separate programs with their own tax bases and filing rules.