Taylor Swift to Face $136K Yearly Luxury Tax Under Rhode Island’s Empty Mansion Proposal

Taylor Swift’s real estate portfolio reads like a map of her rise, each property a time capsule of a different era. In 2013, she bought her now-iconic Rhode Island mansion, a $17 million seaside estate that became the backdrop for her legendary Fourth of July parties. With over $150 million invested in homes coast to coast, her real estate game is as sharp as her songwriting. But now, that same Watch Hill mansion is drawing fresh attention—and the kind even Swift cannot shake off.

Here is why Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island mansion could face a luxury tax—thanks to something she is not doing with it.

Taylor Swift’s coastal castle may be facing a new kind of storm

Rhode Island is considering a bold new proposal that could land pop icon Taylor Swift and her millionaire neighbors, with staggering tax bills. Dubbed the “Taylor Swift Tax,” the plan targets luxury homes worth over $1 million that are left mostly empty. Swift’s $17 million Watch Hill estate, rarely occupied, could rack up an extra $136,000 in annual taxes if the measure passes, as reported by Realtor. The ‘Blank Space’ singer might soon be paying dearly for the literal blank space of her mansion.

The legislation does not mention Swift directly, yet her glamorous Rhode Island estate has placed her at the center of a growing storm along New England’s elite shoreline. Officially titled the “non-owner-occupied property tax,” the proposal seeks to address housing affordability by targeting seasonal homeowners. Properties valued above $1 million would be taxed at $2.50 for every $500 exceeding that threshold—a seemingly simple formula stirring complex reactions. Even as she spends little time there, Swift recently invested in renovating the estate.

Once a cherished getaway for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, the Rhode Island estate was set for a million-dollar transformation—here is a glimpse into her lavish renovation plans.

Inside the luxe glow-up of Taylor Swift’s beloved beach mansion

Earlier this year, Taylor Swift made headlines in Watch Hill—not for her music, but for a $1.7 million renovation of her Rhode Island mansion, as revealed by a building and zoning permit obtained by Us Weekly. The seaside estate, where she has often spent holidays with Travis Kelce, is getting a lavish update. One of its sprawling 11,000-square-foot bedrooms was being transformed into an expanded suite and lounge, blending coastal charm with Swift’s signature touch of luxury.

Taylor Swift did not stop at a simple refresh—plans included a kitchen overhaul and the addition of yet another bedroom to her already sprawling estate. The permits, quietly filed in late November and early December 2024, gave her until December 2025 to complete the transformation, with local builder David W. Shafovaloff at the helm. While fans buzzed over wild theories about Swift secretly owning the island, it was not land ownership that raised eyebrows—it was the looming luxury tax that could truly shake things up.

What do you think about the potential tax Taylor Swift might have to pay? Let us know in the comments below.