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Wisconsin Watch partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims.

Yes.

The 2023-25 Wisconsin state budget would reduce income tax rates in all brackets and taxpayers with the largest incomes would get the largest share of the $3.5 billion reduction.

The budget, approved by the Legislature, is awaiting action by Gov. Tony Evers.

The largest reduction, from 7.65% to 6.5%, is for the highest-income bracket — individuals earning over $304,170 annually. 

The middle-income brackets, 5.3% and 4.65%, would both be reduced to 4.4%. 

The smallest reduction, from 3.54% to 3.5%, would go to the lowest bracket: income below $13,810.

The average savings for tax year 2023 for those earning less than $100,000 a year would be $155. Those earning $1 million or more would save an average of $30,286.

Wisconsin’s rate for the top-income bracket is nation’s 10th highest; its bottom-income bracket is the 14th highest rate, according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy.

This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

Wisconsin State Legislature General Fund Taxes Omnibus Motion

eFile Wisconsin Tax Brackets for Tax Year 2022

AP News Wisconsin Republicans pass plan to cut income taxes by 15% on average

AP News Tax cuts and University of Wisconsin funding up for state Senate vote

Wisconsin State Legislature Fiscal Estimate — 2023 Session

CROWE The Economic Impact of Lowering Income Tax Rates in Wisconsin

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Tom Kertscher joined as a Wisconsin Watch fact checker in January 2023 and contributes to our collaboration with the The Gigafact Project to fight misinformation online. Kertscher is a former longtime newspaper reporter, including at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who has worked as a self-employed journalist since 2019. His gigs include contributing writer for PolitiFact and sports freelancer for The Associated Press.