Senate Bill 2836

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 27-7-18, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT A PORTION OF THE FEDERAL SELF-EMPLOYMENT TAXES ASSESSED AGAINST SELF-EMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS SHALL BE ALLOWED AS AN ADJUSTMENT TO GROSS INCOME UNDER THE STATE INCOME TAX LAW; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 27-7-18, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-7-18. (1) Alimony payments. In the case of a person described in Section 27-7-15(2)(e), there shall be allowed as a deduction from gross income amounts paid as periodic payments to the extent of such amounts as are includible in the gross income of the spouse as provided in Section 27-7-15(2)(e), payment of which is made within the person's taxable year.

(2) Unreimbursed moving expenses incurred after December 31, 1994, are deductible as an adjustment to gross income in accordance with provisions of the United States Internal Revenue Code, and rules, regulations and revenue procedures thereunder relating to moving expenses, not in direct conflict with the provisions of the Mississippi Income Tax Law.

(3) Amounts paid after December 31, 1998, by a self-employed individual for insurance which constitute medical care for the taxpayer, his spouse and dependents, are deductible as an adjustment to gross income in accordance with provisions of the United States Internal Revenue Code, and rules, regulations and revenue procedures thereunder relating to such payments, not in direct conflict with the provisions of the Mississippi Income Tax Law.

(4) Contributions or payments to a Mississippi Affordable College Savings (MACS) Program account are deductible from gross income as provided in Section 37-155-113. Payments made under a prepaid tuition contract entered into under the Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition Program are deductible as provided in Section 37-155-17.

(5) (a) Unreimbursed travel expenses, lodging expenses and lost wages an individual incurred as a result of, and related to, the donation, while living, of one or more of his or her organs for human organ transplantation, are deductible from gross income. The deduction from gross income authorized by this subsection may be claimed for only once and may not exceed Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00).

(b) As used in this subsection, "organ" means all or part of a liver, pancreas, kidney, intestine, lung or bone marrow.

(6) In the case of a self-employed individual, there shall be allowed as a deduction from gross income an amount equal to one-half (1/2) of the federal self-employment taxes imposed on such individual for the taxable year.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after January 1, 2016.