What is a state tax return calculator?

A state tax return calculator is a tool that uses income, marital status, withholdings and the name of the state to estimate the total state tax return for a family or individual, according to eFile. State tax calculators can be used to anticipate tax liabilities.

Tax calculators cannot give an absolute picture of tax liabilities; however, they can provide accurate predictions, as eFile explains. One core use of a tax calculator is to determine whether a taxpayer owes additional taxes at the end of the tax year or can plan on receiving a return from the government for overpaid taxes.