Why is the refunded portion of my 2015 taxed income now taxed again in 2016???

[spark111]

the program is telling me that the 509$ i received as a refund from the state of Wi is taxable income for 2016That is part of my taxed income of 2015, the state of WI owed that back to me. It was still included as part of my total earnings in 2015 how can it be taxed again in 2016?

[Coleen3 · Accepted solution]

If you itemize, you take as a deduction the entire amount of state tax entered on your W-2. If you got a refund from your state, you were entitled to take only the amount you actually paid. Rather than do that calculation on your 2015 taxes, the IRS has the refund amount become taxable in the following year.