Taxes in Kahului
Kahului's real, current 2026 tax picture is genuinely mixed: Hawaii's statewide income tax runs genuinely high (topping out at 11%), Maui County's own General Excise Tax surcharge started on a genuinely later date than Oahu's, and property tax runs genuinely low -- this record discloses all three directly rather than leading with only the flattering figures.
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Learn moreHawaii's Genuinely High, 12-Bracket Income Tax
Hawaii applies a real, current 12-bracket graduated individual income tax for 2026, running from 1.4% up to a top marginal rate of 11% (applying above $200,000 single-filer / $400,000 joint taxable income) -- among the highest top marginal rates in the country, applying statewide including Maui County. The 2026 standard deduction is $4,400 single / $8,800 joint, with further scheduled increases through 2031 under Act 46 (2024), and a real, disclosed additional 13% top bracket arrives in tax year 2027 under Act 24 (2023) -- not yet in effect for 2026.
Social Security and Employer Pensions Are Fully Exempt -- With a Real, Precise Limitation
Hawaii does not tax Social Security income at all, and fully exempts employer-funded pension income (federal, state, local government, military, or private employer) from state income tax. This record discloses a real, precise limitation directly: the employee-contributed portion of any retirement plan, along with traditional 401(k) and traditional IRA distributions, remains fully taxable at Hawaii's regular rates.
Maui County's GET Surcharge Started Later Than Oahu's -- A Real, Disclosed Timing Distinction
Maui County's real, current 0.5% General Excise Tax county surcharge took effect January 1, 2024 -- genuinely 17 years later than the City and County of Honolulu's own 0.5% surcharge, which began January 1, 2007. Both currently run through December 31, 2030 and combine with the 4.0% statewide base rate to produce the same 4.5% combined rate and approximately 4.712% maximum pass-on rate, but movers should not assume Oahu's GET history applies uniformly statewide.
GET Is Legally Not a Sales Tax
Hawaii's General Excise Tax (GET) taxes business GROSS RECEIPTS rather than consumer purchases, and businesses are legally permitted (not required) to pass it through to customers. Because GET taxes the seller's gross receipts including any tax passed on, a business passing the full tax through to a Maui County customer may charge up to approximately 4.712% to fully recover it -- a real, genuine mechanical distinction from a conventional sales tax.
Property Tax Runs Genuinely Low -- See the Dedicated Property-Taxes Page
As detailed on the property-taxes topic page, Maui County's cited effective property tax rate (0.16%-0.20%) runs genuinely among the nation's lowest, though the real dollar bill (a cited median of ~$2,040/year) is a real cost this record discloses alongside the rate.
Key takeaways
- Hawaii's real, current 2026 top income tax rate is 11% (12-bracket structure), among the highest in the nation, applying statewide.
- Social Security and employer pensions are fully state-tax-exempt, though employee-contributed retirement-plan and traditional 401(k)/IRA distributions remain taxable.
- Maui County's GET surcharge (0.5%, combined 4.5% rate) began January 1, 2024 -- 17 years later than Oahu's own 2007 start date, a real, disclosed county-specific distinction.
- GET is legally a tax on business gross receipts, not a conventional sales tax -- the maximum pass-on rate businesses may charge is approximately 4.712%.
- Maui County's property tax rate runs genuinely low (0.16%-0.20% effective) -- see the property-taxes topic page for the full, disclosed picture including the real dollar bill.
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