Live in Mississippi, work in Alabama
Without wage reciprocity, the work state may tax wages earned there. Your home state generally offers a limited credit for eligible tax paid on the same income. Filing requirements, credit limits and local taxes need a separate check.
Official tax guidance for both states
Check withholding, filing requirements and current forms with each state's tax agency.
- Mississippi: Department of Revenue (opens in new tab)
- Alabama: Alabama Department of Revenue - Businesses (opens in new tab)
Agency directory checked 2026-10-01 against the IRS state-government directory. This verifies the agency links, not an individual tax result. Use forms for the year you are filing.
Before you use this estimate
This model assumes a full-year resident of Mississippi, ordinary employee wages and all workdays physically in Alabama. Check exemption eligibility before treating a work-state amount of $0 as your own result. Withholding is a prepayment, not final tax liability. Other income, a move during the year, remote work and separate local taxes or credits can change the result.
State income tax: $4,102 a year
Modeled annual state income tax for living in Mississippi and working in Alabama: about $4,102 on $100,000 of wages, $834 more than if you worked in Mississippi.
Without wage reciprocity, the work state may tax wages earned there. Your home state generally offers a limited credit for eligible tax paid on the same income. Filing requirements, credit limits and local taxes need a separate check.
Tax guide and official sources: live in Mississippi, work in Alabama
Official agency starting points: Mississippi tax agency (opens in new tab) · Alabama tax agency (opens in new tab). These directory links identify the selected states' agencies, not your filing obligations. Check their individual-tax guidance and forms for the year you are filing.
This is the usual filing pattern, not a determination that you must file. Filing thresholds, age or dependent status, other income and withholding refunds can change which returns you need.
How this $100,000 estimate adds up
These steps follow the selected home, work state, salary and filing status. They reconcile the model's annual liability, not the amounts withheld from your paycheck.
| Step | Alabama work state | Mississippi home state |
|---|---|---|
| Tax before the modeled other-state credit | $4,102 | $3,268 |
| Modeled other-state credit subtracted | $0 | $3,268 |
| Tax after that credit | $4,102 | $0 |
Total: $4,102 + $0 = $4,102 a year. Amounts are rounded for display. Work-state wage exemptions, when applicable, are already reflected in the first row; they are not an other-state credit.
The modeled credit is applied in Mississippi, the home state. Actual eligibility and credit limits require the state instructions. Included county components stay in these amounts; excluded local taxes and credits stay excluded. Federal income tax, payroll programs and refund eligibility are outside this reconciliation.
State tax at different salaries
| Wages | To AL | To MS | Modeled total | If you worked in MS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $2,069 | $0 | $2,069 | $1,268 |
| $75,000 | $3,127 | $0 | $3,127 | $2,268 |
| $100,000 | $4,102 | $0 | $4,102 | $3,268 |
| $150,000 | $6,023 | $0 | $6,023 | $5,268 |
| $250,000 | $9,695 | $0 | $9,695 | $9,268 |
Single filer, all wages earned in Alabama, 2026 state tax rules, standard deductions. Local income taxes not included.
What to do
- Ask your employer to withhold Alabama tax. If Mississippi's tax is higher, withhold the difference for Mississippi too (or make estimated payments) to avoid an underpayment penalty.
- File the Alabama nonresident return first, then claim the credit for taxes paid to another state on your Mississippi resident return.
- Keep a record of the days you work in each state, especially if you sometimes work from home.
Local income taxes
- Alabama: Several cities levy occupational taxes on wages earned in the city (e.g., Birmingham 1%, Bessemer, Gadsden, Opelika), applying to nonresident commuters (e.g., from GA/TN/MS).
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay Alabama income tax if I live in Mississippi?
Yes. Alabama taxes wages earned there by nonresidents. On $100,000 that's about $4,102.
Do I have to file taxes in both Mississippi and Alabama?
Usually yes: a nonresident return in Alabama and a resident return in Mississippi, where you claim a credit for the tax paid to Alabama. File the Alabama return first.
Will I be taxed twice?
The modeled state credit reduces overlap on eligible wages; separate local taxes or sourcing differences can still leave additional tax. Mississippi credits the tax you pay Alabama, so your total is about $4,102 on $100,000, compared with $3,268 if you also worked in Mississippi. Local city or county taxes may still apply.
Related
- Live in Alabama, work in Mississippi
- Moving from Mississippi to Alabama
- Moving from Alabama to Mississippi
- Live in Mississippi, work in Arkansas
- Live in Mississippi, work in Louisiana
- Live in Mississippi, work in Tennessee
Rules reviewed 2026-09-24 from state revenue departments and the Tax Foundation. Estimates only; confirm with each state's revenue department.