BOSTON — Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder announced that preliminary revenue collections for December totaled $4.062 billion, $285 million or 6.6 percent less than actual collections in December 2024, and $167 million or 4.0 percent below benchmark.

 

FY2026 year-to-date collections totaled approximately $19.636 billion, which is $375 million or 1.9 percent more than actual collections in the same period of FY2025, and $23 million or 0.1 percent above the year-to-date benchmark.

 

"December 2025 revenue included decreases relative to December 2024 collections in non-withholding income tax, corporate and business tax, and ‘all other tax'" said Commissioner Snyder. "These decreases were partially offset by an increase in withholding income tax and sales tax. The decrease in non-withholding income tax is driven by a decrease in estimated and return payments and an unfavorable increase in refunds. The decrease in corporate and business tax is due to a decrease in estimated and return payments as well as an unfavorable increase in refunds.  The decrease in ‘all other' tax is mostly due to a decrease in estate tax, a category that tends to fluctuate."

 

December is a significant month for revenues because many corporate and business taxpayers are required to make quarterly estimated payments. In addition, some quarterly personal income tax estimated payments due by January 15th are received in December. Historically, roughly 9.5 percent of annual revenue, on average, has been received during December.

 

Given the brief period covered in the report, December results should not be used as a predictor for the rest of the fiscal year.

 

Details:

 

Income tax collections for December totaled $2.465 billion, $27 million or 1.1 percent below benchmark, and $28 million or 1.1 percent less than December 2024.

 

Withholding tax collections for December totaled $1.818 billion, $7 million or 0.4 percent above benchmark, and $66 million or 3.8 percent more than December 2024.

 

Income tax estimated payments for December totaled $599 million, virtually equal to monthly benchmark, but $11 million or 1.8 percent less than December 2024.

 

Income tax returns and bills for December totaled $126 million, $17 million or 15.2 percent above benchmark, but $32 million or 20.0 percent less than December 2024.

 

Income tax cash refunds for December totaled $78 million in outflows, $51 million or 189.2 percent above benchmark, and $52 million or 203.7 percent more than December 2024.

 

Sales and use tax collections for December totaled $874 million, $25 million or 3.0 percent above benchmark, and $10 million or 1.2 percent more than December 2024.

 

Corporate and business tax collections for December totaled $531 million, $160 million or 23.2 percent below benchmark, and $138 million or 20.6 percent less than December 2024.

 

"All other" tax collections for December totaled $192 million, $6 million or 2.8 percent below benchmark, and $129 million or 40.2 percent less than December 2024.