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State and local tax advisor: May 2023

May 26, 2023 / 36 min read

Have you heard about the latest changes in state and local taxes? Check out the May 2023 roundup here.

The states covered in this issue of our monthly tax advisor include:

All states

Multiple taxes: MTC spring committee meetings held

The Multistate Tax Commission (MTC) held spring committee meetings last week in California. Among the topics discussed were:

Model receipts sourcing regulation review

The Uniformity Committee has an ongoing project reviewing the existing model receipts sourcing regulations. The goal of the project is to identify updates, corrections, or conforming changes; to consider issues that may not be sufficiently addressed by existing model regulations; and to make recommendations to the Committee for its action.

The group began their review by considering the sourcing of receipts of trucking companies/package delivery companies in the wake of the MTC adopting market sourcing. The work group considered whether to retain the existing mileage approach or to propose a methodology based on the location of pickups and deliveries. During the review, a two-factor rule was proposed and discussed. At the most recent meeting, a poll of participants indicated that the current mileage rule should be maintained.

The work group will now review the MTC special airlines rule.

State taxation of partnerships

In April of 2021, the Uniformity Committee began a project on state taxation of partnerships. The work group provided an update on the project.

The work group has developed a comprehensive issue outline and created a draft model addressing investment partnerships. That draft has been tabled, and the group is proceeding to address other issues before finalizing. Currently, the group is drafting a white paper about guaranteed payments.

Taxation of digital products

In July 2021, the Uniformity Committee approved a project to study the application of sales tax to digital products. The resulting work group provided an update. The group is currently working on definitions of the various digital products and the expected outcome is a white paper.

Multistate Tax Commission Spring Committee Meetings, April 24 through April 27, 2023.

Colorado

Corporate income tax: Rule clarifies subtraction for IRC Sec. 78 dividends

Colorado has adopted a new rule regarding the subtraction from federal taxable income for amounts treated as dividends pursuant to IRC Sec. 78. The rule:

Rule 39-22-304(3)(j), Colorado Department of Revenue, effective May 30, 2023.

Corporate income tax: Foreign-source income rule repealed and replace

Colorado has repealed and replaced a rule on the exclusion of foreign-source income for corporate income tax purposes. The rule provides guidance regarding the definition of foreign-source income, the calculation of the amount of foreign-source income considered in the apportionment and allocation of a C corporation’s net income, and the requirement to report any changes to that amount. Specifically, the rule:

Rule 39-22-303(10), Colorado Department of Revenue, effective May 30, 2023.

Corporate income tax: Rule on net operating losses for C corporations repealed and replaced

Colorado has repealed and replaced a rule that provides guidance regarding the Colorado net operating loss (NOL) deduction allowed to C corporations. The new rule:

Allocation of federal NOL to Colorado

In determining the portion of the federal NOL that’s allocated to Colorado, the following requirements apply:

Carryforward of Colorado NOLs

With respect to the carryforward of Colorado NOLs, the rule clarifies that:

Limitations on Colorado NOL deduction

The limitations applicable to the deduction of Colorado NOLs include:

Rule 39-22-504–2, Colorado Department of Revenue, effective May 30, 2023.

Corporate, personal income taxes: CARES Act guidance updated

Colorado updated its guidance on the impact of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act on Colorado income tax law. Prior guidance stated that, as a result of the adoption of Rule 39-22-103(5.3), certain retroactive provisions of the CARES Act and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, didn’t affect a taxpayer’s Colorado income tax liability. However, the Colorado Court of Appeals in Anschutz v. Department of Revenue, 2022 COA 132 (2022), subsequently determined that Rule 39-22-103(5.3) was invalid and that retroactive changes in federal law can affect a taxpayer’s Colorado taxable income. The Department of Revenue expects to repeal the rule, and taxpayers should disregard it in the meantime. Now, for any tax year, the federal taxable income reported on a taxpayer’s Colorado income tax return should match the federal taxable income reported on the taxpayer's federal return for that year, or as subsequently amended or adjusted by the IRS, if applicable.

Taxpayers may need to file amended Colorado income tax returns to correct their federal taxable income, additions, or subtractions previously reported on their Colorado returns. Provisions for which taxpayers may need to amend their returns include those relating to:

CARES Act Tax Law Changes & Colorado Impact, Colorado Department of Revenue, April 2023.

Georgia

Corporate income tax: Elective pass-through entity tax changes

Georgia has enacted legislation making changes to its elective pass-through entity tax. The legislation provides that an entity’s election to pay income tax at the entity level will have no impact on the tax or accounting treatment of the entity’s distributions. The legislation also removes a limitation on which partnerships may elect to pay income tax at the entity level.

Act 238 (H.B. 412), Laws 2023, effective for tax years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2023.

Illinois

Sales and use tax: Private civil action to enforce tax ordinance properly dismissed

An Illinois circuit court properly dismissed an individual’s qui tam complaint, on behalf of the City of Chicago (city), against lease-to-own purchase agreement businesses (businesses) for alleged fraudulent failure to collect and remit lease taxes, because her claim was barred by the tax exclusion. Generally, the city bars private actions that “concerns the application, interpretation or enforcement of any tax ordinance,” which includes any chapter of the city’s Municipal Code (code), or other ordinance passed by the city council, that imposes a tax. In this matter, the individual sought penalties and interest for the businesses’ alleged violation of the city’s false claims ordinance due to their failure to collect and remit lease taxes. The city argued that the individual could not state a claim because the city’s false claims ordinance precludes private civil actions to enforce tax ordinances and, additionally, private civil actions are only authorized against city contractors. The circuit court dismissed the individual’s complaint.

Upon appeal, the individual asserted that she was attempting to collect from the businesses only penalties and interest — not the tax itself — that were fraudulently withheld from the city. The Illinois Appellate Court (court) noted that the individual’s claim for penalties and interest resulting from the businesses’ failure to collect and remit lease taxes wholly depends on proof that a lease tax applied to the businesses’ transactions and that they failed to comply with tax collection obligations under the code. Therefore, the individual couldn’t have any false claim separate and apart from the businesses’ alleged failure to collect and remit the lease tax, which required an application and interpretation of a tax chapter. As a result, the court determined that the individual’s claim against the businesses concerned the application, interpretation, or enforcement of a chapter of the code that imposes a tax on personal property lease transactions and, therefore, her claim was barred. Finally, the city correctly asserted that the individual’s complaint also failed because the businesses were not “city contractors” against whom a false claim action could be brought. Accordingly, the judgment of the circuit court was affirmed.

City of Chicago v. Prog Leasing, LLC, Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, No. 1-22-0714, March 17, 2023.

Multiple taxes: Regulations adopted on automatic assessment limitations period extensions

Illinois adopted regulations implementing law changes that extend the assessment limitations period by six months if a taxpayer files a claim less than six months before the period ends for a refund of:

The regulations also address agreements to waive the assessment limitations period for:

86 Ill. Adm. Code Secs. 100.9320, 130.1501, 140.1401, 150.1401, 440.230, 450.120, 470.140, 495.130, and 510.140, Illinois Department of Revenue, effective April 4, 2023.

Indiana

Corporate, personal income taxes: IRC conformity, income computation updates enacted

Indiana has enacted a law making personal and corporate income tax changes, including:

What is the updated IRC conformity date?

Indiana is updating its income tax IRC conformity date to Jan. 1, 2023 (previously March 31, 2021), retroactive to that date. The new conformity date includes the changes made by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022.

What changes are made to the NOL calculation?

Indiana clarifies that for tax years ending after June 30, 2021, and before Jan. 1, 2023, to determine an NOL deduction, federal taxable income means:

Retroactive to Jan. 1, 2023, the term “separately stated net operating loss” means a federal net operating loss, or a portion of a federal net operating loss, determined according to the IRC that’s:

The changes then provide for certain adjustments to the separately stated NOL that must be made to determine the Indiana NOL.

What is the broadband expansion grant subtraction?

Corporate income taxpayers can subtract amounts used to provide or expand access to broadband in Indiana of any:

The change applies to tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2021.

How is ownership determined when adding back interest from tax-exempt bonds?

Indiana clarifies when ownership occurs for purposes of the existing addback for interest received on an obligation of a state other than Indiana or political subdivision other than Indiana. If a taxpayer receives interest from a pass-through entity, a regulated investment company, a hedge fund, or similar arrangement, they are considered to have acquired the obligation on the date the entity did.

If the ownership occurs by means other than purchase, the date of obligation is the date ownership was transferred. If a portion of the obligation is acquired on multiple dates, the date of acquisition is considered separately for each portion of the obligation.

If ownership occurs because of refinancing of an obligation, the acquisition date is the date of refinancing.

The change is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2023.

How is the patent income exemption clarified?

The law clarifies the definition of a qualified taxpayer. A corporation is a qualified taxpayer if the number of employees in the corporation, including affiliates, doesn’t exceed 500 persons.

Also:

Certain S corporations may pass through the exemption to its shareholders in proportion with their ownership of the corporation.

The changes are retroactive to Jan. 1, 2023.

How are research or experimental expenditures treated?

For tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2021, taxpayers must add or subtract amounts related to specified research or experimental procedures. Specified research or experimental expenditures have the meaning defined in IRC Sec. 174(b). The term doesn’t include expenditures for which a deduction is disallowed under IRC Sec. 280C(c). Taxpayers can:

For owners of partnerships or S corporations, the amount that must be deducted may not exceed the sum of:

A deduction or part of a deduction that is disallowed must be:

What is the deduction for healthcare sharing ministry?

An individual is entitled to a deduction for the tax year equal to the amount of qualified healthcare sharing expenses paid by the individual. The deduction is effective Jan. 1, 2024.

What tax do organizations offering nonprofit agricultural insurance pay?

Clarifies that organizations offering nonprofit agricultural organization insurance coverage pay the nonprofit agricultural organization health coverage tax unless they file a notice with Indiana. In the notice, the organization must state that it elects to be subject to the tax gross income tax. The change is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2023.

How is the income tax exemption for nonresidents changed?

The law provides that compensation is exempt from income tax if received by an individual who:

Reporting, withholding and recordkeeping requirements are also provided for. The change is effective Jan. 1, 2024.

P.L. 194, (S.B. 419), Laws 2023, effective as noted above.

Unclaimed property: Unclaimed property provisions amended

Indiana unclaimed property provisions are amended.

A “gift card” is defined as stored care value:

The term includes a prepaid commercial mobile radio service.

The time frame of property being presumed abandoned is extended from one year to three years for property held by a court, including property received as proceeds from a class action.

A holder of property presumed abandoned and subject to the custody of the attorney general must report in an electronic record to the attorney general concerning the property.

Any reported abandoned property in the form of virtual currency must be liquidated by the holder at any time within 30 days before filing the report. In addition, the owner of the virtual currency will have no recourse against either the holder or the Attorney General for any change in value after the liquidation of the currency.

P.L. 101, (S.B. 183), Laws 2023, effective July 1, 2023.

Corporate income tax: Taxpayer’s affiliate properly excluded from consolidated tax returns

A communication services provider (taxpayer) was not entitled to a refund of Indiana corporate income tax because the Department of Revenue (department) properly determined that one of the taxpayer’s affiliates should not have been included in its amended consolidated tax returns. Generally, to be included in a consolidated return, the law requires that the entity must have adjusted gross income (AGI) derived from activities within the state. In order for an affiliate to have AGI from “sources within Indiana,” it must have taxable income that includes either Indiana apportionment factors resulting in deemed Indiana business income (or losses) or nonbusiness income (or losses) that’s allocated to Indiana and which is attributable to doing business within the state. Here, the department was unable to discern the activities undertaken by the affiliate that would substantiate a taxable nexus with the state. Accordingly, the taxpayer’s protest was denied.

Final Order Denying Refund No. 02-20221088, Indiana Department of Revenue, Feb. 7, 2023, released April 19, 2023.

Iowa

Corporate, personal income taxes: Elective PTE tax enacted

Iowa has enacted an elective pass-through entity (PTE) income tax that can be paid by partnerships and S corporations. However, publicly traded partnerships are not eligible.

When is the PTE tax election available?

The PTE tax applies retroactively to Jan. 1, 2022, for tax years beginning on or after that date. The election is only available in tax years when the limitation on individual deductions under IRC Sec. 164(b)(6) is applicable.

How does the PTE elect?

A taxpayer will need to make an election each tax year. The election is irrevocable once made and is binding on the taxpayer and all partners or shareholders. Electing taxpayers don’t have to file a composite return in the same tax year.

What is the PTE tax rate?

The PTE tax rate is paid at the maximum personal income tax rate.

Can partners or shareholders claim a credit?

The partners or shareholders of the PTE can claim a credit in the tax year when the election is made. The credit is equal to the product of:

If the taxpayer is a partner or shareholder of another taxpayer making an election, the credit is allowed. Any credit in excess of the tax liability is refundable. The partner or shareholder can elect to have the overpayment shown on the partner’s or shareholder’s final completed return credited to the tax liability for the following tax year.

If the electing taxpayer is also a financial institution that pays the franchise tax, that tax will be reduced by a franchise tax credit equal to the amount of the franchise tax paid by the taxpayer for the same year.

How are nonresident partners treated?

A nonresident individual who is a partner or shareholder of an electing PTE is not required to file an individual income tax return for the tax year if:

Are estimated payments required?

An electing taxpayer must make estimated payments of tax if the amount of tax, less credits, can reasonably be expected to be more than $1,000. An electing PTE is not required to make estimated tax payments for a tax year beginning prior to May 11, 2023.

H.F. 352, Laws 2023, effective May 11, 2023.

Michigan

Sales and use tax: Industrial processing exemption expanded to include property used to manufacture or recycle certain aggregate materials

Michigan has expanded its industrial processing sales and use tax exemption to include property that performs an industrial processing activity on an aggregate product that will be used as an ingredient or component for the construction, repair, or maintenance of real property in Michigan, as long as the aggregate product is subject to the use tax. “Industrial processing” includes the production, manufacturing, or recycling of aggregate to be used in the construction, repair, or maintenance of real property in Michigan, as long as the aggregate is subject to the use tax. “Aggregate” means common variety building materials such as sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, recycled asphalt, recycled concrete, and geosynthetic aggregate.

The Department of Treasury must cancel outstanding balances on notices of intent to assess or final assessments related to these industrial processing activities that were issued prior to the amendment’s effective date. The department is further prohibited from issuing new assessments related to these industrial processing activities for any tax period prior to the effective date.

Act 27 (S.B. 97), Act 30 (H.B. 4054) Laws 2023, effective May 9, 2023.

Personal income tax: Flow-through entity tax rate reduced

For tax years beginning in 2023, the Michigan flow-through entity (FTE) tax rate is reduced to 4.05% for all flow-through entities. The notice can be viewed on the department’s website.

Notice, Michigan Department of Treasury, May 3, 2023.

Sales and use tax: Separately stated delivery and installation charges excluded from tax

Delivery and installation charges are excluded from the definition of sales price for purposes of Michigan’s sales and use tax if they are separately stated on an invoice or bill of sale. The exclusion also requires that the seller maintain its books and records to show separately the transactions used to determine the tax. The exclusion doesn’t apply to delivery or installation charges relating to the sale of electricity, natural gas, or artificial gas by a utility.

The department is required to take the following actions in regards to delivery and installation charges (except for those relating to the sale of electricity, natural gas, or artificial gas by a utility):

Act 20 (H.B. 4039), Laws 2023, Act 21 (H.B. 4253) effective April 26, 2023.

New York

Multiple taxes: Enacted budget extends corporate rates; adds and revises credits; increases cigarette tax

Enacted as part of New York's 2023-24 budget package, S.B. 4009 contains a variety of personal income, corporate franchise, sales and use, motor fuel, property, cigarette, tobacco, and other tax changes, including those detailed below.

Ch. 59; (S.B. 4009), Laws 2023, effective May 3, 2023, or as noted.

Tennessee

Corporate income, franchise taxes: Tax cut legislation enacted

Tennessee has enacted H.B. 323, known as the Tennessee Works Tax Act, which contains a number of franchise and excise tax changes, as noted below.

In addition, the Tennessee Department of Revenue has posted a summary of the legislation.

H.B. 323, Laws 2023, applicable as noted; Press Release, Tennessee Governor’s Office, May 11, 2023.

Sales and use, miscellaneous taxes: Tennessee Works Tax Act enacted

The Tennessee Works Tax Act, which makes changes to sales and use tax and business tax provisions, is enacted.

Sales and use tax provisions

A sales tax holiday is enacted for the retail sale of food and food ingredients sold between 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 1, 2023, and 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2023. The holiday provision doesn’t exempt sales from a micro market or a vending machine or device.

Effective July 1, 2024, sales tax is imposed on the following, when such repair, cleaning, or installation occurs at a place of business outside Tennessee and the serviced tangible personal property or computer software is delivered by the seller to the purchaser or the purchaser’s designee within the physical limits of Tennessee, or to a carrier for delivery to a place inside the physical limits of Tennessee, for use or consumption in Tennessee:

Effective July 1, 2024, the existing sales and use tax exemption for magazines and books that are sold to consumers by U.S. mail or a common carrier for certain sellers and cooperative direct mail advertising is repealed.

Also, effective July 1, 2024, the following transactions are sourced to the seller’s place of business:

Effective July 1, 2024, multiple terms regarding telecommunications services are defined, including:

Business tax provisions

Effective May 11, 2023, and applicable to tax years ending on or after Dec. 31, 2023, the minimum threshold of compensation earned from contracts for various types of work in a county or incorporated municipality that requires a business to file a business tax return in that location, is increased from $50,000 to $100,000.

The business tax rate for industrial loan and thrift companies is decreased from three-tenths of 1% to one-tenth of 1%. In addition, the business tax exemption for goods sold from a manufacturing location to any goods sold from a facility within 10 miles of the manufacturing location is extended to manufacturing locations outside Tennessee. Moreover, the filing threshold for state and local business tax is increased from $10,000 to $100,000 in gross receipts.

H.B. 323, Laws 2023, effective May 11, 2023, unless otherwise indicated.

Corporate income tax: Adoption of bonus depreciation explained

Tennessee issued a notice discussing recent legislation that aligned the state with the federal bonus depreciation provisions contained in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA). Taxpayers can take bonus depreciation deductions for assets purchased on or after Jan. 1, 2023, for excise tax purposes, in the year of the purchase if the taxpayer takes bonus depreciation on the asset for federal tax purposes. The TCJA phases out bonus depreciation over a five-year period. Accordingly, the notice includes a table that sets forth the applicable bonus depreciation percentage, depending on the year when the asset is acquired.

Notice 23-07, Tennessee Department of Revenue, May 2023.

Texas

Sales and use tax: Sourcing of local taxes discussed

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts issued guidance regarding the sourcing of local sales and use tax collected on sales of goods and services. Previously, an oil well servicing company (taxpayer) had requested a ruling regarding the correct location to source the local tax it would collect on the rental and repair of oil field equipment. The Comptroller determined that the taxpayer’s equipment yard was a place of business because the taxpayer received all of its orders through its salespersons over their cellphones, either at the equipment yard or out in the field. Therefore, the taxpayer would be required to collect and remit local taxes on its nonresidential real property repair and remodeling services based on the location of the job site.

Letter No. 202304006L, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, April 17, 2023. 

The information provided in this alert is only a general summary and is being distributed with the understanding that Plante & Moran, PLLC, is not rendering legal, tax, accounting, or other professional advice, position, or opinions on specific facts or matters and, accordingly, assumes no liability whatsoever in connection with its use.

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