Amish Pennsylvanians usually pay the same state and local taxes as anyone else, with a narrow federal break tied to Social Security and Medicare.
People love a simple line like “the Amish don’t pay taxes.” In Pennsylvania, that line falls apart once you separate income tax, payroll tax, sales tax, and property tax. Most still apply. A few federal payroll rules can differ for certain sect members, and those differences come with strict conditions.
Quick Map Of Pennsylvania Taxes Amish People May Pay
This table is the fast layout. It’s not legal advice. It’s a clean map of what usually applies, and where the well-known exception sits.
| Tax Type | Does It Apply In Pennsylvania? | What Usually Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | Yes | Same filing rules as other taxpayers; farm and small business income still counts |
| Pennsylvania personal income tax | Yes | Flat state rate on taxable income; some local taxes may add on |
| Local earned income tax | Often | Rate set by municipality/school district; can apply to wages and other earned income |
| Social Security and Medicare | Sometimes waived | Possible exemption for certain religious sect members who apply and get approved |
| Sales tax on purchases | Yes | State rate plus local add-ons in Allegheny County and Philadelphia |
| Property taxes | Yes | County/municipal/school bills; depends on assessment and local millage |
| Business taxes and licenses | Often | Depends on what the business sells, its form, and whether it hires workers |
| Excise taxes | Yes (when buying) | Fuel and other excise taxes are baked into purchase prices |
What “Per” Means When People Ask About Taxes
“Per” can mean per person, per household, or per transaction. Income tax is usually per filer. Property tax is closer to a household bill tied to a parcel. Sales tax is per purchase. If someone works a wage job, withholding shows up per paycheck.
How Much Do Amish Pay Taxes In Pennsylvania Per? In Plain Numbers
There isn’t one statewide “Amish tax.” Amish families can be farmers, carpenters, shop owners, or wage employees. Their tax bill depends on income, property, and buying habits, not on a label.
So the straight answer is a set of rules:
- Federal income tax and Pennsylvania income tax apply the same way they do for non-Amish taxpayers.
- Sales and property taxes apply the same way they do for everyone else in the same county and township.
- The best-known difference is that some Amish can qualify to stop paying Social Security and Medicare taxes, after an application and approval process.
Inside this article, when you see “how much do amish pay taxes in pennsylvania per?”, read it as: “Which taxes apply, and what changes per type of income?”
Federal Income Tax And The Social Security Medicare Exception
Federal income tax is separate from Social Security and Medicare. Amish taxpayers who earn taxable income still file federal returns under the same baseline rules that apply to other U.S. taxpayers.
When Social Security And Medicare May Not Be Owed
Some Amish and Mennonite individuals can request an exemption from Social Security and Medicare taxes by filing Form 4029. Approval isn’t automatic, and the exemption includes a waiver of benefits. That waiver point matters, since it changes what a person can claim later from those programs.
What The Exemption Does Not Change
- It does not erase federal income tax on taxable income.
- It does not change Pennsylvania state and local taxes by itself.
- It can affect Social Security and Medicare tax owed on wages or self-employment income, if approved.
If you’ve heard a friend say, “They don’t pay federal tax,” ask one follow-up question: “Do you mean income tax, or Social Security and Medicare?” That single split clears up most confusion.
Pennsylvania Income Tax And Local Earned Income Tax
Pennsylvania charges a flat personal income tax rate, and employers withhold it from compensation. A wage earner sees it taken out per paycheck, while a self-employed person tends to pay through estimated payments and year-end filing.
Many Pennsylvanians also pay local earned income tax (EIT). EIT is set locally, so rates vary by municipality and school district. If an Amish family lives in an area with EIT, it can apply to earned income in the same way it applies to neighbors living in that tax district.
Sales Tax In Pennsylvania When Amish Buy Or Sell
Pennsylvania’s statewide sales tax rate is 6%, with a 1% local add-on in Allegheny County and a 2% add-on in Philadelphia, as spelled out by the Sales, Use and Hotel Occupancy Tax page.
That matters in two everyday ways:
- When buying taxable items: Amish customers pay sales tax at the register like anyone else, unless an item-specific exemption applies.
- When running a business: If an Amish-owned business sells taxable goods or services, it may need to collect and file sales tax like any other retailer.
Use Tax Still Applies When Sales Tax Wasn’t Charged
If a taxable item is bought without Pennsylvania sales tax being charged, the buyer may still owe use tax when the item is brought into or used in Pennsylvania. This comes up with equipment, supplies, and mail-order purchases.
Property Taxes And Other Local Bills
Property tax is local. In Amish-populated counties, you’ll see the same layers as elsewhere: county, township/borough, and school district. A farmhouse, workshop, or rental property is taxed based on local assessment and local millage rates, not on the owner’s religion.
“Per” here often means per parcel. Two neighbors can have different bills if one has more acreage, more buildings, or a different assessment.
Amish Taxes In Pennsylvania Per Person And Per Business
This is where the question often lands: what changes if you’re an individual earner versus a business owner who hires people?
If You’re Self-Employed
Self-employment can trigger two buckets: income taxes based on net earnings after allowed expenses, plus Social Security and Medicare taxes on self-employment income unless an approved exemption applies.
That’s why two households with the same gross income can end up with different totals. One may have higher deductible expenses. One may have more taxable profit. One may have an approved exemption. The “per year” number moves with those details.
If You Hire Employees
An employer still has tax duties, including withholding Pennsylvania income tax from compensation. Local withholding may apply too, depending on where the worker lives and works.
For Social Security and Medicare, the details can hinge on whether the worker is a member of a recognized sect and whether exemption conditions are met. When payroll gets complicated, the safest move is to keep records plain and complete, then file on time.
Myths That Skew The Numbers
Myth: Amish Don’t Pay Any Taxes
In Pennsylvania, sales tax, property tax, and state income tax can still apply. The carve-out people cite is usually about Social Security and Medicare, and it’s tied to a documented process and a benefits waiver.
Myth: Sales Tax Doesn’t Apply To Amish Stores
Sales tax is based on what’s being sold and where, not who owns the shop. If a product or service is taxable under Pennsylvania rules, it doesn’t become non-taxable because the cashier wears suspenders.
How To Estimate Your Total Without Guesswork
You can get a clean estimate with four buckets. This works for Amish and non-Amish households alike.
Bucket 1: Income Taxes
Add federal income tax and Pennsylvania income tax based on your taxable income. If you’re self-employed, base the math on net profit after allowed expenses.
Bucket 2: Social Security And Medicare
Mark whether Social Security and Medicare taxes apply to your wages or self-employment income. If Form 4029 is approved, keep the approval record with your files so the “per year” math stays clean.
Bucket 3: Local Taxes
Add local earned income tax if your municipality or school district charges it. That local rate is one reason two families with the same income can end up with different totals.
Bucket 4: Household Taxes
Add property tax bills and a rough picture of sales tax paid across the year on taxable purchases. If you buy equipment from out of state without Pennsylvania sales tax, include use tax exposure too.
Worked Examples For “Per” Using Common Scenarios
These examples show which taxes tend to show up in day-to-day life. Use them as a pattern matcher for your own case.
| Scenario | Taxes That Usually Show Up | What Moves The Total |
|---|---|---|
| Wage job, rents a home | Federal income tax, PA income tax, local EIT, sales tax | Withholding per check and local rate |
| Small farm, owns land | Federal income tax, PA income tax, property tax, sales tax | Net farm profit and property assessment |
| Self-employed builder | Federal income tax, PA income tax, local EIT, sales tax | Expenses, vehicle costs, local EIT rate |
| Self-employed with 4029 approval | Federal income tax, PA income tax, local EIT, sales tax | No Social Security/Medicare taxes; benefits waived |
| Retail shop collecting sales tax | All above plus sales tax filing duties | What’s taxable and filing schedule |
| Business with employees | Employer withholding duties and payroll reporting | Employee residence and exemption status |
| Owns multiple parcels | Property tax across parcels plus income and sales taxes | Assessment per parcel and local millage |
If you’re sorting taxes for a new business, keep every notice you get in one folder and log dates you mailed or submitted forms. Missed deadlines are where small problems turn into fees.
If you pay in cash a lot, write down sales and expenses the same day so totals match deposits and invoices.
A Filing Checklist For A Clean Year
- List every income stream and who earned it.
- Mark wage income versus self-employment income.
- Verify whether a Social Security and Medicare exemption is approved and on file.
- Pull property tax bills for each parcel you own.
- Scan large purchases for sales tax charged; flag items that may trigger use tax.
- If you run a shop, confirm sales tax licensing and filing dates.
- Write down your municipality and school district so you can check local earned income tax rates.
If you came here asking “how much do amish pay taxes in pennsylvania per?”, the clean takeaway is that most Pennsylvania taxes still apply, and the narrow federal payroll exception is documented, optional, and tied to a benefits waiver.