WorldTax Compareโ† All Comparisons

Panama vs United States
Tax Rate Comparison

Enter your income below for a personal tax estimate, then scroll down for full rate breakdowns.

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฆ Panama
vs
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United States
Tax Year:

๐Ÿ’ฐ Personal Income Tax Calculator

Enter your income to see your estimated annual tax liability in each country โ€” side by side.

Enter your annual income above to see your personal tax comparison โ†’
Individual Income Tax (Top Marginal Rate)
Top Income Tax Rate
0โ€“25%
Territorial system; no plans to change
No change
10โ€“37%
TCJA provisions extended; no sunset
No change
VAT / GST / Sales Tax
VAT / GST / Sales Tax
7%
7% maintained
No change
0โ€“11%
No federal sales tax; state avg ~6โ€“9%
No change
Corporate Tax Rate
Corporate Tax Rate
25%
25% standard; Panama removed from grey lists
No change
21%
Federal flat; proposals to raise to 28% stalled
No change
Capital Gains Tax
Capital Gains Tax
10%
10% CGT maintained
No change
0โ€“20%
+ 3.8% NIIT; thresholds inflation-adjusted
No change
Social Security & Payroll
Social Security / Payroll
~22.1%
CSS pension reform implementation
No change
~15.3%
SS wage base ~$180,000 est. 2026
No change
State, Regional & Local Taxes

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฆ Panama โ€” Municipal & Corregimiento Taxes

Panama's 10 provinces and 81 districts have municipalities that levy commercial licence fees (Tasa Unica), property tax (impuesto de inmuebles at 0%โ€“2.1%), and service fees. Panama City has the highest commercial licence fees. Panama uses a territorial tax system โ€” income earned outside Panama is not taxed. This has made Panama a significant financial and trading hub. The Colรณn Free Zone is the world's second largest free trade zone. Panama is working to exit FATF grey lists and improve tax transparency.

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United States โ€” State & Local Taxes

The U.S. has 50 states each setting their own income tax (0%โ€“13.3%). California tops at 13.3%, while Texas, Florida, and Nevada levy no state income tax. NYC adds its own income tax (up to 3.876%). Sales taxes vary from 0% (Oregon) to over 11% combined. Property taxes are primarily local. Some states like Washington have introduced capital gains levies.

โš ๏ธ Disclaimer: Rates shown are standard top/headline rates for informational purposes. Actual tax liability depends on income level, residency, deductions, and tax treaties. 2025โ€“2026 data reflects announced or enacted rates and may be subject to change. Not financial or legal advice.

Panama vs United States: Key Tax Differences (2026)

๐Ÿ’ฐ Income Tax: ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United States has a higher top income tax rate (0โ€“25% vs 10โ€“37%). ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฆ Panama is more favourable for high earners.

๐Ÿ›’ VAT/Sales Tax: United States has a higher consumption tax (7% vs 0โ€“11%).

๐Ÿข Corporate Tax: ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United States offers a lower corporate rate (21% vs 25%), which can influence business location decisions.

๐Ÿ“ˆ Capital Gains: ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฆ Panama taxes investment gains at a lower rate (10% vs 20%), benefiting investors.

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