TEI Detroit Chapter State & Local Tax Seminar March 2015 Presenters Aaron M. Young, Esq. Partner p – 212.521.5478 c – 908.507.8107 ayoung@reedsmith.com Kyle O. Sollie, Esq. Partner p – 415.659.5907 p – 215.851.8852 c – 215.499.6171 ksollie@reedsmith.com Michael J. Wynne, Esq. Partner p – 312.207.3894 mwynne@reedsmith.com Jenny J. Choi, Esq. Associate p – 213.457.8186 jchoi@reedsmith.com New York Tax Updates March 2015 Corporate Tax Reform Legislation Budget Bill – Passed March 31, 2014 Passed legislature and signed by Governor Cuomo on March 31, 2014 Generally effective for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2015 Main components Economic Nexus Modified Tax Base Classification of Income Apportionment Combined Reporting Net Operating Losses New York City – conformity expected soon. 4 Corporate Tax Reform Legislation Nexus Expanded to include economic nexus standard $1M or more of receipts included in numerator of apportionment factor New law aggregates receipts for every company in a combined group with at least $10,000 of New York receipts Nexus established if aggregate New York receipts of at least $1M Retains current economic nexus standards for certain credit card companies Greater than 1,000 customers or merchant contracts in New York Fulfillment services exception repealed 5 Corporate Tax Reform Legislation Nexus Creates nexus for companies with no physical presence in New York, for example (assuming $1M threshold is met): Corporations selling digital products primarily used in New York Corporations selling services with benefits received in New York Corporations receiving interest on loans secured by New York real property Sourcing rules and elections under new law may trigger nexus for companies historically not subject to tax, for example: 8% rule for sourcing receipts from certain financial instruments Election to source receipts from “qualified financial instruments” using fixed percentage or based on customer location 6 Corporate Tax Reform Legislation Nexus Constitutional Issues? Potential “Problem” Scenarios Out-of-state corporations licensing intangible property used by customers’ customer in New York Out-of-state corporations selling TPP to customers in New York Combined group members deemed to have nexus under aggregation rules because of New York contacts of other members of the combined group Corporate Partner Nexus Department may adopt regulations subjecting corporation to tax if it is a partner of any type of partnership doing business in New York (or that has economic nexus with New York) Subject to challenge 7 Corporate Tax Reform Legislation Modified Tax Base Article 32 repealed. Banking and financial institutions subject to tax under Article 9-A Tax computed on three bases Business income Capital Fixed dollar minimum Separate tax on subsidiary capital eliminated 8 Corporate Tax Reform Legislation Modified Tax Base New Rates, Caps and Brackets Tax rate on entire net income (ENI) base reduced from 7.1% to 6.5% for tax years on or after January 1, 2016 Lower rate for certain taxpayers (e.g., Qualified Emerging Technology Companies) and 0% rate for Qualified New York Manufacturers Capital base tax rate of 0.15% phased down to 0% for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2021 Cap under capital base tax increased from $1M to $5M Additional brackets under fixed dollar minimum tax Current top bracket (receipts > $25M) = $4,500 of tax New top bracket (receipts > $1B) = $200,000 of tax Phased in reduction of fixed dollar minimum tax for qualified New York manufacturers and qualified emerging technology companies 9 Corporate Tax Reform Legislation Classification of Income (current law) Three categories of capital and income Subsidiary Investment Business Entire Net Income Includes worldwide income (for non-U.S. corporations, ENI is not limited to federal taxable income) Excludes income, gains and losses from subsidiary capital Must add back interest and other expenses attributable to subsidiary capital and attribute interest/other expenses to investment income 10 Corporate Tax Reform Legislation Classification of Income (new law) Three categories of income Business Income Investment Income Other Exempt Income Only business income subject to tax Business income = ENI minus (i) net investment income and (ii) net other exempt income Repeals exclusion for 100% of income, gains and losses from subsidiary capital 11 Corporate Tax Reform Legislation Classification of Income (new law) Starting point for ENI is federal taxable income For a taxable alien (non-U.S.) corporation, the starting point for ENI is effectively connected income Must add back treaty benefits New law narrows definition of investment capital to investments in stocks of non-unitary corporations held by the taxpayer for more than six consecutive months and not held for sale to customers Bonds, debt instruments, other corporate securities and cash no longer investment income; all treated as business income Other exempt income generally = exempt CFC income and exempt unitary dividends 12 Corporate Tax Reform Legislation Classification of Income Under new law investment income and other exempt income must be reduced by interest expenses directly or indirectly attributable to those items of income Attribution no longer required for non-interest expenses If interest expense attribution amount exceeds investment income and other exempt income, the excess interest expense must be added back to ENI New 40% election: In lieu of computing actual interest expenses attributable to investment income or other exempt income, a corporation may instead elect to reduce its investment and other exempt income by 40% 13 Corporate Tax Reform Legislation Apportionment Single sales factor apportionment formula (MTA surcharge continues to use 3-factor formula) Generally applies market-based sourcing Combined Reporting Combined report required if corporations Are engaged in a unitary business; and More-than-50% common ownership test is met (measured by voting power of capital stock) Presence or lack of substantial intercorporate transactions or distortion is irrelevant Alien corporations with ECI included in group. S Corporations not included. No cross-article combination. Affiliated Group Election – If 50% test ownership test met Election must be made on original return and is irrevocable for 7 years. Automatically renewed if not revoked. If revoked, election not permitted for 3 years 14 Corporate Tax Reform Legislation Net Operating Losses Equals business loss for the tax year multiplied by apportionment factor for that year Does not include NOLs from tax years beginning before January 1, 2015 (replaced with prior NOL conversation subtraction) Removes existing limitation on NOL deductions based on amount allowed for federal income tax purposes Eliminates requirement that NOL deduction originate in the same source year as the federal NOL deduction for that year Conforms NOL carryforward period to the 20-year federal carryforward period, and permits a three-year carryback (but not to tax years beginning before January 1, 2015) 15 Corporate Tax Reform Legislation Net Operating Losses Unabsorbed NOLs generated in tax years beginning before January 1, 2015 cannot be carried forward Instead, unabsorbed NOL carryforward amounts existing on the last day of the taxpayer’s base year are converted into a “prior NOL conversion subtraction” The prior NOL conversion subtraction may be claimed in future tax years (i) in amount equal to 1/10 of the conversion subtraction amount over a 20-year period; or (ii) the taxpayer may elect to use 50% in 2015 and 0% in 2016 (with no carryover if unused). 16 Litigation Update Retroactive Application of 338(h)(10) sourcing rules Caprio v. Dep’t of Taxation and Finance (1st Dep’t 2014) Software/Cloud Computing Matter of SunGard Securities, ALJ (Feb. 6, 2014) Apportionment Receipts from Services v. Other Business Receipts Expedia, NY DTA (Feb. 5, 2015) 17 Litigation Update Royalty Income Exclusion Royalties received from foreign related members Included in NY ENI Decombination Focus on loss companies SunGard Capital Corp., NY DTA (Apr. 3, 2014) IT USA, TAT (Apr. 16, 2014) Knowledge Learning Corp, TAT (Sept. 18, 2014) Net Operating Losses TD Holdings, NY DTA (Jan. 22, 2015) 18 2015 Tax Legislation New York City Tax - Conformity Legislation Substantially similar to 2015 NYS Corporate Tax Reform Single sales factor 2018 Market sourcing Defined economic nexus standard Unitary waters-edge combined reporting Net operating losses New York State Corporate Tax - Corrective Legislation Definition of “qualified financial instrument” Definition of “investment capital” New York State Budget Finalized March 31, 2015 19 Contact Information Aaron M. Young, Esq. p-212.521.5478 c-908.507.8107 ayoung@reedsmith.com 20 Illinois Taxes 2015: At a Crossroads March 2015 Illinois FY 2015 Budget 22 Illinois Snapshot of 2014 vs. 2015 New Republican ‘outsider’ Governor, Jan 2015. Democratic majorities in House and Senate. Income tax rate increases expired 12/31/2014: 2015 Personal rate: 3.75% (up .75% from 2010, down 1.25% from 2014). 2015 Corp. rate: 7.75% (up .50% from 2010, down 1.75% from 2014). Replacement tax rates remained unchanged. If 2015 State spending exceeds $39 Billion, rates drop to 3% and 4.8%, unless Governor declares a Fiscal Emergency. 23 Illinois FY 2016 Budget 24 Illinois FY 2016 Legislative Session Mix FY 2015 Budget: Booby Trap Budget: full FY Expenses but FY revenues reduced by 25% Jan. 1, 2015. FY 2016 Legislative Session: FY 2015 Budget Gap Closure - $1.6 billion deficit FY 2016 Budget - $6.2 billion deficit In play: pending Ill. S. Ct. decision on SB. 1 pension reforms 25 Governor’s Policy Choices FY 2015 – Expanded Executive authority to sweep special funds Tough social spending cuts Reduced distributions to local governments No new revenues FY 2016 Further pension reforms (legal challenges delay / uncertainty) Social spending levels (are FY 2015 cuts a base?) New Revenues: eliminate the lapsed tax hike; modernize the sales tax; freeze property taxes. 26 Illinois Revenues 27 Early Legislative Markers Speaker Madigan’s 3% Millionaire Tax Requires referendum to approve a constitutional amendment; would at best bring in $1 B. HB 295 – add-back of DPAD; add-back foreign dividend subtraction; eliminate non-combination rule (diverse factor unitary members) (SB 717 has same provisions) HB 106 – tax on financial transactions at CBOE, CBOT, CME, and CSE. SB 1828 – False Claims Act amendments Hang in there for a long overtime session. 28 Illinois Tax Administration New IDOR Director Connie Beard, confirmed. Pending Reappointment and confirmation of James Conway as Tax Tribunal Chief Judge Lisa Madigan, Ill. Atty. Gen. & Steven Diamond, FCA plaintiff & attorney. Chang Wong (Daniel Edelman attorney). Regional Transportation Authority? 29 Illinois Income Tax Pressure Points Service Income Apportionment / Throw-out IDOR legislatively directed to issue “market” apportionment regulations in 2007 for TYE on or after 12/31/2008 So far, regulations have been issued for “publishing”, but not for public utilities, advertising, or general services Draft general services regulation has yet to be issued Legislative amendments provided specific treatment for broadcasters Audits / Settlements / Cases 30 Illinois Income Tax Pressure Points Alternative apportionment: Section 304(f) for TYE before 12/31/2008 is a standard UDITPA Sec. 18 (but with Ill. S. Ct. interpretation for “full apportionment” State policy) Effective 1/1/2014, retroactive to TYE on or after 12/31/2008, Section 304(f) is unique in the U.S. Alternative apportionment is allowed “if the allocation and apportionment provisions of [IITA Sec. 304,] subsections (a) through (e) and of subsection (h) do not, “for taxable years ending before December 31, 2008, fairly represent the extent of a person's business activity in this State,” or, “for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2008, fairly represent the market for the person's goods, services, or other sources of business income,” 31 Illinois Income Tax Pressure Points Reasons: Single Factor / “market” for TYE on or after 12/31/3008 Implications: Throw-out Throw-back Other Full apportionment policy? Transportation apportionment proposed regulations 32 Illinois Income Tax Pressure Points Captive Insurance Pending Audits Apparently Scioto (Wendy’s) is not final enough, per IDOR P.A. 98-978 - Self Procurement Tax eff. 1/1/2015 S.B. 1573 – introduced to repeal self-procurement tax About that NOL suspension that just expired . . . Uniformity issues with the 2012 $100,000 limitation? 2003 and prior NOLs excluded from the suspension? What if suspension resulted instead in elimination? Is it a taking? 33 Local Tax Pressure Points Local Sales Tax (collected by IDOR) Sourcing RTA City of Chicago City of Chicago 1 % Use Tax Credit Amendment Amendment to Ruling No. 5 for Personal Property Lease Transaction Tax Other Municipal Taxes Cook County Non-titled Personal Property Use Tax 34 Illinois – Transition Points Illinois Supreme Court Pension amendments decision General Assembly After May 31, 2015 a three fourth’s majority is required to pass legislation. Will new revenue measures surface before then? Tax Tribunal Substantive decisions Department of Revenue Proposed / Pending Regulations Settlements / Directors Advisory Group City of Chicago Mayoral election State pension developments 35 Illinois Sales Tax Pressure Points False Claims Act Issues Nexus Shipping Charges Wine Gallonage Next? Consumer Protection Act Issues Shipping Charges Discount Coupons Next? 36 Contact Information Michael J. Wynne p-312.207.3894 mwynne@reedsmith.com 37 Pennsylvania and New Jersey: Income Tax Developments And Planning Opportunities March 2015 Pennsylvania—Sourcing Sales Other Than TPP Market sourcing adopted for some receipts for 2014 Pre-change service / intangible sourcing = your choice Statute: Cost of Performance Department Position: Customer Location DIRECTV litigation 39 Pennsylvania—Market sourcing…sometimes What changed? Services: Delivery Location Leases of TPP: Source to location of first possession by taxpayer All other non-TPP sales—COP remains the rule Department Informational Bulletin 2014-01 40 Pennsylvania—Market Sourcing Opportunities Characterizing Receipts—Services v. Other Information services Franchise fees Characterizing Receipts—Tangible v. Intangible Software (See e.g. Dechert) Where is a service delivered Customer Location v. Customer Benefit E.g. Shared services companies E.g. Advertising placement 41 Pennsylvania—Licenses to Tangible Personal Property License/Lease/Rental to TPP: Only purchaser first obtained possession in Pennsylvania Leased mobile property Source to PA, but exclude if leaves PA No corresponding position for incoming property 42 Add-Back Comes to Pennsylvania Effective for tax years beginning 1/1/15 Taxes paid credit: Doesn’t address financial IHCs “the” principle purpose avoid PA tax? Reed’s “$1 conduit” Taxes paid credit: Aggregate the other states Reduce denominator of credit apportionment Constitutional issues Remember: no penalties in PA 43 Pennsylvania Franchise Tax Manufacturing and R&D exemptions If conducted anywhere, property and payroll factors should be ~0% Exempt assets fraction Discriminates—only PA companies get to exempt investments in subsidiaries Remedy is a refund Refund = Investment in Subs Total Assets 44 44 www.reedsmith.com/statetax x Franchise Tax Pennsylvania’s Uniformity Requirement All taxpayers pay same tax rate Brian Roberts, Comcast CEO 3.07% tax rate Comcast cable guy 3.07% tax rate 45 PA’s Net Loss Cap Cap is the greater of: 2009: $3m or 15% 2010-2013: $3m or 20% 2014: $4m or 25% 2015: $5m or 30% Reed Smith: cap is unconstitutional under uniformity clause 46 PA’s NOL Cap—Taxpayer Options Option #1: Take return position No penalties, no compound interest “More likely than not” position No need to disclose—position is self-evident Option #2: Refund claim (Three-year statute of limitations) 2014 (once filed) 2013 2012 2011 47 What’s Next? Pennsylvania’s new Governor Former Pennsylvania Secretary of Revenue Budget proposal includes: Combined reporting Eliminate franchise tax…for real this time Sales tax on services Increase taxes on banks And more… 48 Net Operating Losses 2002-2005 NOL suspension: statute adds 4 years to 7 year carryover Got federal research credit in 1999-2001? Get 19 year carryover instead of 7 Foreign dividends = no absorption of NOLs Tax benefit rule—gains from sale of depreciated property Post apportionment carryover means NOLs worth more under single sales fraction www.reedsmith.com/njtax 49 Reduce Gains with Moroney Basis Adjustments NJ mistreats NOLs: Historically short carryover No carryover unless loss company survives merger If your NOLs expired or were lost, increase basis in property: Depreciated during loss years Amortized during loss years Basis otherwise reduced attributable to losses or deductions in loss years Ford / Toyota win www.reedsmith.com/njtax 50 New Jersey Apportionment Flexibility on sourcing services Sales fraction and market sourcing To reflect market, consider ultimate destination for sales of TPP Dock sales – NJ lacks definitive authority Distributor’s warehouse and inventory-in-transit Intangibles—domicile or market? Gross vs. net for forward contracts Property fraction—federal tax basis or GAAP? Partnership factors don’t automatically flow up NJ has flip-flopped on flow up policy Unitary test for partnerships less rigorous than constitutional standard www.reedsmith.com/njtax 51 New Jersey – Holding Companies Jersey – Holding Companies IHC New receipts: source copyright and patent royalties based on use, not licensee’s sales Interest addbacks Exception for cash sweeps and push-down debt? If payor’s NJ factor less than 33%, automatic exception if interest company files anywhere Royalty addbacks Refund claims based on unconstitutional discrimination Post throwout, make sure IHC has at least some property and payroll outside NJ 52 BIS LP—Is CBT Now Voluntary? The BISYS Group, Inc. Limited partnership structure Partnership paid tax on behalf of BIS, which took credit on CBT return Taxpayer BIS argued non-unitary and thus no nexus BISYS, Inc. BIS LP, Inc. (“BIS”) 99% Limited Partner Partnership So far, courts agree that partner gets refund 1% General Partner BISYS Information Solutions, L.P. (“Solutions”) Doing Business in New Jersey www.reedsmith.com/njtax 53 Other Partnership Issues Choose apportionment method that’s best Flow up partnership income and factors or Apportion at partnership level No addback of interest and royalties Only NJ adjustment to federal taxable income is tax exempt interest income No statutory mechanism for adding back affiliated expenses incurred by partnerships Partnership filing fees www.reedsmith.com/njtax 54 Contact Information Kyle O. Sollie p-415.659.5907 p-215.851.8852 c-215.499.6171 ksollie@reedsmith.com 55 California Issues and Opportunities March 2015 California Background on Dividend Treatment No general DRD CRT §25106 elimination if paid out of previously taxed income 75% deduction for foreign dividends under CRT § 24411 But subject to Foreign Investment Interest Offset 57 Opportunity: Reduce FIIO Attribute to domestic operations Notwithstanding Regulation § 24344 Apple: taxpayer wins on this issue More recent trend favors taxpayers: American General Realty Investment Appeal of Beneficial Appeal of Zenith 58 FIIO Impact: Obscured by the Return 59 Opportunity: Factor Representation 25% not deducted is taxed. SBE is receptive to factor representation. Argonaut Group. CRT § 25137 60 Include prop., payroll, sales of dividend paying sub. for each year from which E&P was paid. ______________________________ 61 R&D Credit: Alternative Calculation Alternative incremental credit Different fixed base and qualified research % CA conforms to IRC 62 Special Tax Base Issues 63 Income From “Excess Cash” – Formula December January February March April May June July August September October November December Cash Balance $90.00 $100.00 $90.00 $75.00 $85.00 $110.00 $105.00 $95.00 $90.00 $85.00 $100.00 $110.00 $130.00 Cash Surplus Income From (Deficit) Cash $10.00 $0.50 -$10.00 $0.45 -$15.00 $0.38 $10.00 $0.43 $25.00 $0.55 -$5.00 $0.53 -$10.00 $0.48 -$5.00 $0.45 -$5.00 $0.43 $15.00 $0.50 $10.00 $0.55 $20.00 $0.65 Total $ 5.88 Top deficit month Plus 20% As increased by 20% margin Average monthly balance Business Income Percentage Income from cash for year Business income $15.00 $3.00 $18.00 ÷$97.92 =18.38% x$5.88 =$1.08 NBI $4.80 Month w/ greatest deficit ÷ 64 COD Income / One-Time Settlement 65 Tenneco West comparison Tenneco West sold properties on an installment-sale basis At the time of many of the sales, its California apportionment was nearly 90% When Tenneco West recognized the income, its California apportionment had dropped to 10% 66 EZ Credits Take-aways: Compute credit limitations on a group-wide, not entityby-entity basis Compute credit limitations as if all the enterprise zones were one single zone Take a deduction for interest as if the entire United States is an enterprise zone 67 EZ limits: loosen calculation of limits Whole unitary group should be considered the “taxpayer” Definitions under 23622.7 In apportionment context “taxpayer” means the group: see Finnigan All zones should be treated as a single “zone” A “credit” against “the tax” Legislative history: “one strong, combined, business friendly incentive program” 68 California NOL Extensions Four more years! Last Carryover Year Legal Ruling 2011-04 Ruling: 4-year extension requires income in suspension year That requirement is not in the statute 69 Per Reed Loss Year Per FTB Smith 2000 2010 2016 2001 2011 2017 2002 2012 2017 2003 2013 2017 2004 2014 2018 2005 2015 2019 2006 2016 2020 2007 2017 2021 2008 2028 2031 2009 2029 2031 2010 2030 2031 Rule 10+2+4 10+2+4 10+1+4 10+4 10+4 10+4 10+4 10+4 20+3 20+2 20+1 Opportunities from Form 4797 Gain Taxpayers who should be interested: Disposed of property / otherwise recognized federal gain in NOL suspension years 2008-2011; or Disposed of property placed in service during the period 1987-2004 and you had NOLs for a year when the property was in service 70 Opportunities from Form 4797 Gain - Example 1990: $45 Million Property Depreciate Straight-Line Method 1990–2009: Loss Years 2010: $25 Million Adjusted Basis in Property Sell Property for $45 Million Problem: Fictional $20 Million Gain Solution: Basis Adjustment of $20 Million 71 Contact Information Kyle O. Sollie p-415.659.5907 p-215.851.8852 c-215.499.6171 ksollie@reedsmith.com Jenny J. Choi p-213.457.8168 jchoi@reedsmith.com 72 Reed Smith LLP – State Tax Practice Chicago ▪ Los Angeles ▪ New York Philadelphia ▪ San Francisco ▪ Washington, D.C. Lee A. Zoeller Philadelphia 215 851 8850 Cell: 610 246 8815 lzoeller@reedsmith.com Adam P. Beckerink Chicago 312 207 6528 abeckerink@reedsmith.com Brent K. Beissel Philadelphia 215 851 8869 bbeissel@reedsmith.com Stephen J. Blazick Philadelphia 215 851 8877 sblazick@reedsmith.com Jenny J. Choi Los Angeles 213 457 8186 jchoi@reedsmith.com Marty H. Dakessian Los Angeles 213 457 8310 mdakessian@reedsmith.com Daniel M. Dixon Philadelphia 215 851 8854 ddixon@reedsmith.com Frank J. Gallo Philadelphia 215 851 8860 Cell: 215 805 6008 fgallo@reedsmith.com Jennifer S. Goldstein New York 212 521 5406 jsgoldstein@reedsmith.com David J. Gutowski Philadelphia 215 851 8874 Cell: 610 368 0813 dgutowski@reedsmith.com Christine M. Hanhausen Philadelphia 215 851 8865 chanhausen@reedsmith.com Michael A. Jacobs Philadelphia 215 851 8868 mjacobs@reedsmith.com Kenneth R. Levine Philadelphia 215 851 8870 klevine@reedsmith.com Sara A. Lima Philadelphia 215 851 8872 slima@reedsmith.com Michael I. Lurie Philadelphia 215 241 5687 mlurie@reedsmith.com Erin J. Mariano San Francisco 415 659 4750 emariano@reedsmith.com Paul E. Melniczak Philadelphia 215 851 8853 pmelniczak@reedsmith.com Kelley C. Miller Philadelphia 215 851 8855 kmiller@reedsmith.com Alexandra E. Sampson Washington, D.C. 202 414 9486 asampson@reedsmith.com Mike Shaikh Los Angeles 213 457 8044 mshaikh@reedsmith.com Kyle O. Sollie Philadelphia 215 851 8852 ksollie@reedsmith.com Brian W. Toman San Francisco 415 659 5994 btoman@reedsmith.com Jack Trachtenberg New York 212 521 5414 jtrachtenberg@reedsmith.com Jennifer C. Waryjas Chicago 312 207 6470 jwaryjas@reedsmith.com Shirley J. Wei Los Angeles 213 457 8217 swei@reedsmith.com Robert E. Weyman Philadelphia 215 851 8160 rweyman@reedsmith.com Aaron M. Young New York 212 521 5478 ayoung@reedsmith.com Gordon Yu Philadelphia 215 851 8876 gyu@reedsmith.com 73