NEW MEXICO ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

Tax Policy

Personal Income Tax (PIT)

New Mexico imposes a tax on the net income of every resident and on the net income of every nonresident employed or engaged in business in, into, or from the state or deriving any income from any property or employment within this state. The New Mexico personal income tax is based on federal adjusted gross income. The maximum PIT rate is 4.9% and the minimum PIT rate is 1.7%. New Mexico State Statutes Chapter 7, Article 2 NMSA 1978.

Gross Receipts Tax (GRT)

Gross receipts are the total amount of money or value of other consideration received from:

Gross receipts means the total amount of money or other consideration received from the above activities. Although the gross receipts tax is imposed on businesses, it is common for a business to pass the gross receipts tax on to the purchaser either by separately stating it on the invoice or by combining the tax with the selling price.

The gross receipts tax rate varies throughout the state depending on the location of the business and is subject to change in January and July of each year. It varies because the total rate combines rates imposed by the state, counties, and, if applicable, municipalities where the businesses are located. The business pays the total gross receipts tax to the state, which then distributes the counties’ and municipalities’ portions to them.

The tax is on the businesses’ gross receipts. Whether the receipts (net of returns and allowances) are taxable depends on whether the business can take advantage of an exemption or deduction. The Taxation and Revenue Department provides additional information on gross receipts taxes.

New Mexico offers a number of tax incentives for businesses creating new jobs or investment.

Compensating Tax

The compensating tax is an excise tax imposed on persons using property or services in New Mexico.

The tax “compensates” for the absence of a gross receipts tax on the purchase of property for use and is intended to protect New Mexico businesses from unfair competition; hence its name. New Mexico allows a credit against the compensating tax for sales, use, or similar taxes paid to another state when the buyer acquired the property. The Gross Receipts and Compensating Tax Act is compiled as Sections 7-9-1 through 7-9-114 NMSA 1978.

Corporate Income Tax (CIT)

New Mexico imposes a corporate income tax on the net income of every domestic corporation and every foreign corporation employed or engaged in the transaction of business in, into, or from this state, or which has income from property or employment within this state.

“Corporation” means corporations, joint stock companies, real estate trusts organized and operated under the Real Estate Trust Act, financial corporations, banks, and other business associations. “Corporation” also means limited liability companies and partnerships taxed as corporations under the Internal Revenue Code. “Net income” generally is federal taxable income adjusted to exclude amounts not taxable by states.

New Mexico corporate income tax is imposed on total net income (including New Mexico and non-New Mexico income). The percentage of New Mexico income is then applied to the gross tax:

A single sales factor apportionment formula is provided for manufacturers.

Corporate Franchise Tax Fee

A uniform fee of $50 per corporation is levied annually. The franchise tax is imposed on each corporation included in the combined unitary or the consolidated tax returns if the corporation exercises its corporate franchise in New Mexico whether or not income tax is due. The requirement to file and pay the franchise tax also falls on anyone who files a federal S-corporation return. Corporate Income and Corporate Franchise Taxes: New Mexico State Statutes Chapter 7, Article 2A, NMSA 1978.

NOTE: “CRS” is New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department’s Combined Reporting System. Using the Combined Reporting System businesses can report one or more of the following taxes:

Property Tax

In New Mexico property taxes are imposed on one-third of assessed value (“net taxable value”), which is typically between 80 to 100 percent of market value, among the very lowest in the country.

Most property is appraised by county assessors in the county in which it is located. The Taxation and Revenue Department assesses certain types of non-residential property, typically industrial property that extends across county boundaries, including property associated with railroads, pipelines, communication systems, and mineral extraction. Property taxes are collected and distributed by county treasurers. Major revenue recipients include counties, municipalities, and school districts.

The Taxation and Revenue Department provides a list of county officials for local information about property tax assessment and collection.

More about property tax from the Taxation and Revenue Department.

Worker’s Compensation Tax Fee

Every employer who elects or is required to be covered by the Workers’ Compensation Act, and every employee covered by the Act is assessed a fee for funding the Worker’s Compensation Administration. The fee is different from workers’ compensation insurance coverage and every employer must obtain a workers’ compensation insurance policy. The fee for the employer is $2.30 times the number of covered employees working on the last day of the quarter. The fee for covered employees working on the last day of the quarter is $2.00.

Unemployment Insurance Contribution

Starting in 2015 new contributing employers will have a rate that is the greater of their industry average Unemployment Insurance Contribution rate of 1%. Industry classifications for contributory, experienced employers are used to determine the average industry rates of new employers. Based on the NAICS code for the establishment, this is the employer’s Assigned Industry Rate. This rate will remain in effect until the employer has acquired 2 years as an experience rate employer.

2022 New Employer Industry Rates

After becoming experienced rated, contribution rates will be set based on the employer’s benefit ratio. The benefit ratio is measured by dividing the employer’s claims experience over the previous 3 years by the employer’s taxable payroll over the same time period. The resulting benefit ratio is then multiplied by a “reserve factor,” which is set by the DWS based on the solvency of the Unemployment Trust Fund.

Additional information is available from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions.