Each year, Georgia’s Department of Community Affairs (DCA) ranks the state’s counties based on certain economic factors and divides them into tiers. Elbert County’s Tier 1 classification can provide businesses creating at least 2 net new jobs a tax credit of $3,500 per job, per year for the first five years.

The law allows for a statewide job tax credit against Georgia income taxes for any business or headquarters of any such business engaged in:

• ManufacturingServices for the Elderly or Persons with Disabilities
• Warehousing & Distribution
• Processing
• Telecommunications
• Broadcasting
• Tourism
• Research & Development industries

Elbert County exempts companies from paying local taxes on qualifying inventory. There is 100% exemption on:

• Inventory of goods in the process of being manufactured or produced including raw materials and partly finished goods.
• Inventory of finished goods manufactured or produced within Georgia held by the manufacturer or producer for a period not to exceed 12 months.
• Inventory of finished goods on January 1 that are stored in a warehouse, dock, or wharf that are destined for shipment outside Georgia for a period not to exceed 12 months.
• Stock in trade of a fulfillment center which on January 1 are stored in the fulfillment center.

Retraining tax credits can be used to offset up to 50% of a company’s Georgia corporate income tax liability. If the earned credit exceeds that limit, then the unused credit can be carried forward for up to 10 years and applied to future years’ tax liability. Eligible expenses include:

• costs of instructors and teaching materials
• employee wages during retraining
• reasonable travel expenses

Any business that files a Georgia income tax return is eligible for the retraining tax credit. To qualify, training programs must be designed to enhance quality and productivity or teach certain software technologies. To qualify for the credit, retraining expenses must be approved by the Technical College System of Georgia. Businesses can receive a tax credit of 50% of their direct training expenses, with up to $500 credit per full-time employee, per training program. The annual maximum of the credit amounts to $1,250 per employee.

Companies may receive Quality Jobs Tax Credits if they create and maintain net new jobs that pay at least 110% of the county's average wage. The QJTC credit value is determined by comparing the average for all qualifying jobs to the credit value thresholds (see chart). All eligible jobes created in a tax year earn the same QJTC value. The job creation threshold required to claim QJTC depends on the tier designation of the ocunty and whether it has the Rural County deisngation. Once a project qualifies, it opens a seven year window in which each qualifying job created can earn a QJTC each year for five years as long as the job is maintained. 

If you’re hiring individuals who have consistently faced significant barriers to employment, the work tax credit can be $1,200 to $9,600 per qualified employee, depending on the target group. The most frequently certified WOTC is $2,400 for each adult new hire.

Targeted groups include:

• Veterans
• Recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits
• Residents who live within Empowerment Zones or Rural Renewal Counties
• Recipients of vocational rehabilitation from a qualifying agency
• Ex-felons
• Recipients of Supplemental Security Income benefits
• Summer youth employees

As a designated Camera Ready community, Elbert County has professionals trained to provide one-on-one local assistance for film or television production companies. We know the perfect location for your shoot, and can provide help and insight when it comes to film permits, lodging, etc.

Through the Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act, television and film companies may receive a tax credit of up to 30% of money spent on production and post-production with a minimum in-state spend of $500,000.

Elbert County has a combined sales tax of 8%. Georgia state sales and use tax rate is 4%. Elbert County collects an additional 4%, which includes Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) for education, transportation, and other countywide improvements as approved by voters.

In Georgia, property is required to be assessed at 40% of the fair market value unless otherwise specified by law. The tax rate, or millage rate, is set annually by the Elbert County Commissioners and the Elbert County Board of Education. A tax rate of one mill represents a tax liability of one dollar per $1,000 of assessed value. The billing and collection of taxes is the responsibility of the Tax Commissioner. Incorporated areas of the county have a slightly higher millage rate than unincorporated areas; however, the cities of Elberton and Bowman do not collect property taxes.

Corporate income tax is based on the net worth of a corporation levied in exchange for the privilege of doing business or exercising a corporate franchise in Georgia.

• Corporate income tax is a non-graduated percentage based on a corporation's federal taxable net income and as modified by Georgia statutory adjustments.
• Corporations that own property, do business in Georgia, or receive income from Georgia sources are subject to corporate income tax
• The rate of taxation is 5.39% of a corporation's Georgia taxable net income.
• If S Corporation status is recognized for Georgia purposes, the shareholders of the corporation pay the tax as opposed to the corporation paying the tax.

Corporations may also have to pay a net worth tax. This tax is based on the net worth of a corporation, levied in exchange for the privilege of doing business or exercising a corporate franchise in Georgia.

Elbert County does not have a local income tax or payroll tax.

Georgia residents are subject to tax on their net income at a rate of 5.39%.  Also, Georgia standard deductions have increased to $24,000 for Married Filing Joint returns and $12,000 for Single, Head of Household, and Married Filing Separate returns. Personal exemptions have been repealed except for the $4,000 dependent exemption.