Bill proposes more tax relief for Louisiana seniors, veterans

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Louisiana residents who are 65 and older, and veterans with major service-related disabilities, may soon get more state income tax relief if a new bill in the Legislature passes.

House Bill 402, called the “Tax Cut For Our Seniors and Veterans Act,” was introduced by Representative Alonzo Knox (D-93). If passed, his bill would offer an extra $12,500 state income tax deduction.

This would apply to residents aged 65 and older, as well as veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 50% or more from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The bill said that in order to qualify, a taxpayer must either:

• Be 65 years or older, or
• Be a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 50% or more, as determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The bill allows the Louisiana Department of Revenue to create rules for checking eligibility. Applicants must keep documents on hand, like age or disability rating records, when they file their returns.

If approved, the new deductions would start for the 2026 tax year. The law would take effect on January 1, 2026.

“Many of these individuals are on fixed incomes, disabled, and physically unable to work,” Knox said. “They have either spent their lives working to build this state or have served our nation with honor in the military. Today, they are struggling to survive under the weight of rising food prices, rent, insurance, and a tumbling stock market, while out-of-touch leadership continues to ignore their plight.”

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