Georgia § 48-7-26 - Personal exemptions.

§ 48-7-26. Personal exemptions.

As used in this Code section, the term "dependent" shall have the same meaning as in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; provided, however, that any unborn child with a detectable human heartbeat, as such terms are defined in Code Section 1-2-1, shall qualify as a dependent minor. An exemption of $7,400.00 shall be allowed as a deduction in computing Georgia taxable income of a taxpayer and spouse, but only if a joint return is filed. If a taxpayer and spouse file separate returns, $3,700.00 shall be allowed to each person as a deduction in computing Georgia taxable income. An exemption of $2,700.00 shall be allowed as a deduction in computing Georgia taxable income for all taxpayers other than taxpayers who qualify for the exemption provided for in paragraph (1) of this subsection. Commencing with the taxable year beginning January 1, 2003, an exemption of $3,000.00 for each dependent of a taxpayer shall be allowed as a deduction in computing Georgia taxable income of the taxpayer. No exemption shall be allowed under this Code section for any dependent who has made a joint return with such dependent's spouse for the taxable year beginning in the calendar year in which the taxable year of the taxpayer begins. A deduction in lieu of a personal exemption deduction shall be allowed an estate or a trust as follows: An estate - $2,700.00; and A trust - $1,350.00. (Code 1981, § 48-7-26 , enacted by Ga. L. 1987, p. 191, § 2; Ga. L. 1994, p. 381, § 1; Ga. L. 1998, p. 1, § 1; Ga. L. 1999, p. 81, § 48; Ga. L. 2012, p. 257, § 2-1/HB 386; Ga. L. 2019, p. 711, § 12/HB 481.) The 2019 amendment, effective January 1, 2020, added the proviso at the end of subsection (a). Editor's notes. - Ga. L. 1987, p. 191, § 2, effective March 11, 1987, repealed the former Code section and enacted the current Code section covering substantially the same subject matter. The former Code section was based on Ga. L. 1931, Ex. Sess., p. 24, § 8; Code 1933, § 91A-3606; Code 1933, § 92-3106; Ga. L. 1937, p. 109, § 6; Ga. L. 1941, p. 210, § 1; Ga. L. 1943, p. 321, § 1; Ga. L. 1952, p. 273, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1952, p. 405, § 1; Ga. L. 1953, Jan.-Feb. Sess., p. 272, § 1; Ga. L. 1953, Jan.-Feb. Sess., p. 297, § 1; Ga. L. 1953, Nov.-Dec. Sess., p. 197, § 1; Ga. L. 1955, Ex. Sess., p. 27, § 3; Ga. L. 1960, p. 1005, § 2; Ga. L. 1965, p. 260, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1966, p. 239, § 1; Ga. L. 1966, p. 271, § 1; Ga. L. 1968, p. 1037, § 1; Ga. L. 1971, p. 605, § 3; Ga. L. 1976, p. 250, § 1; Ga. L. 1978, p. 1471, § 1; Ga. L. 1978, p. 309, § 2; Ga. L. 1979, p. 5, § 66; Ga. L. 1981, Ex. Sess., p. 8; and Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 48. Ga. L. 1987, p. 191, § 10, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that this Act is applicable to taxable years ending on or after March 11, 1987, and that a taxpayer with a taxable year ending on or after January 1, 1987, and before March 11, 1987, may elect to have the provisions of that Act apply. Ga. L. 1987, p. 191, § 10, not codified by the General Assembly, also provided that tax, penalty, and interest liabilities and refund eligibility for prior taxable years shall not be affected by that Act. Ga. L. 1987, p. 191, § 10, not codified by the General Assembly, also provided that provisions of the federal Tax Reform Act of 1986 and of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 which as of January 1, 1987, were not yet effective become effective for purposes of Georgia taxation on the same dates as they become effective for federal purposes. Ga. L. 1998, p. 1, § 4, not codified by the General Assembly, makes subsections (b)-(d) of this Code section applicable to all taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 1998. Ga. L. 2012, p. 257, § 7-1(e)/HB 386, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that the 2012 amendment shall be applicable to all taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2013. Ga. L. 2012, p. 257, § 7-1(h)/HB 386, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: "Tax, penalty, and interest liabilities and refund eligibility for prior taxable years shall not be affected by the passage of this Act and shall continue to be governed by the provisions of general law as it existed immediately prior to the effective date of the relevant portion of this Act." Ga. L. 2012, p. 257, § 7-1(i)/HB 386, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: "This Act shall not abate any prosecution, punishment, penalty, administrative proceedings or remedies, or civil action related to any violation of law committed prior to the effective date of the relevant portion of this Act." Ga. L. 2012, p. 257, § 7-2/HB 386, not codified by the General Assembly, provides for severability. Ga. L. 2019, p. 711, § 1/HB 481, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: "This Act shall be known and may be cited as the 'Living Infants Fairness and Equality (LIFE) Act.'" Ga. L. 2019, p. 711, § 2/HB 481, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: "The General Assembly of Georgia makes the following findings: "(1) In the founding of the United States of America, the State of Georgia and the several states affirmed that: 'We hold these Truths to be self evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness - that to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among men;' "(2) To protect the fundamental rights of all persons, and specifically to protect the fundamental rights of particular classes of persons who had not previously been recognized under law, the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, providing that, 'nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws'; "(3) Modern medical science, not available decades ago, demonstrates that unborn children are a class of living, distinct persons, and more expansive state recognition of unborn children as persons did not exist when Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992) and Roe v. Wade (1973) established abortion related precedents; "(4) The State of Georgia, applying reasoned judgment to the full body of modern medical science, recognizes the benefits of providing full legal recognition to an unborn child above the minimum requirements of federal law; "(5) Article I, Section I, Paragraphs I and II of the Constitution of the State of Georgia affirm that '[n]o person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property except by due process of law'; and that '[p]rotection to person and property is the paramount duty of government and shall be impartial and complete. No person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws'; and "(6) It shall be the policy of the State of Georgia to recognize unborn children as natural persons." Ga. L. 2019, p. 711, § 13/HB 481, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: "Any citizen of this state shall have standing and the right to intervene and defend in any action challenging the constitutionality of any portion of this Act." Ga. L. 2019, p. 711, § 14/HB 481, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: "All provisions of this Act shall be severable in accordance with Code Section 1-1-3." Law reviews. - For review of 1998 legislation relating to revenue and taxation, see 15 Georgia St. U.L. Rev. 217 (1998). For article, "Revenue and Taxation: Amend Titles 48, 2, 28, 33, 36, 46, and 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Relating Respectively to Revenue and Taxation, Agriculture, the General Assembly, Insurance, Local Government, Public Utilities, and State Government," see 28 Georgia St. U.L. Rev. 217 (2011). For article on the 2012 amendment of this Code section, see 29 Georgia St. U.L. Rev. 112 (2012). For article on the 2019 amendment of this Code section, see 36 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 155 (2019).