State Tax Knowledge Update (27 items)- October 2, 2017

The following are state tax and business developments I have curated since September 21st, and posted in the LEVERAGE SALT LinkedIn group:

Some of the items may be on the same state/issue/topic, but they are from different sources which may give you a broader perspective to help your company or client.

1. PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE: STATES KEEP TAXPAYERS AFLOAT BY PROVIDING TAX RELIEF FOR HARVEY AND IRMA VICTIMS

2. Cuomo Announces New Amazon Office in New York City will Create 2,000 Jobs

3. Whole Foods Told To Pay $3.5M On Add-Backs Per NY Tax Law

4. California holds IPM on withholding for pass through entities

5. State Tax Developments: Captives

6. Wisconsin Eliminates Alternative Minimum Tax

7. Alaska 80% DRD for dividends received from 80 20 company

8. State sales tax could be costing Nashville tech jobs

9. Multistate Insider: Local Policy Digest

10. California Governor Signs Cleanup Legislation Related to Restructuring of State BOE and New OTA

11. Virginia Governor Reminds that Amnesty Program Has Begun

12. New York Extends Gramm-Leach Bliley Transition Rules for Certain New York City Financial Institutions

13. New York City Tax Appeals Tribunal Requires Taxpayer to Recognize Property Gain on Final Tax Return

14. Taxpayer Asks US Supreme Court to Review Florida Supreme Court Holding Which Held that Taxing Satellite Services Versus Cable TV Services at Different Rates is Constitutionally Valid

15. Amended Oklahoma Rules Reflect Remote Seller and Affiliate Nexus Provisions

16. South Dakota Supreme Court Affirms that Remote Seller Economic Nexus Law is Unconstitutional

17. Wisconsin Governor Signs Budget Bill with Various Tax Law Changes Including Updated State Conformity to IRC, Revised Sourcing and Apportionment Provisions, and NOL Limitations

18. Proposed Alabama Amended Rule Reflects New Law that Includes Loans and Credit Card Receivables in Property Factor for FIET Purposes

19. California FTB Chief Counsel Ruling Addresses Impact of Recorded Goodwill for Deemed Water-Edge Election Business Assets Test

20. New Mexico AHO Holds in Taxpayer Favor that Interest Income from Payment-in-Kind Notes is Nonbusiness Income Allocable Out-of-State

21. North Carolina Supreme Court Affirms that Taxpayer Cannot Claim Interest Deduction for Market Discount Income on Discounted US Bonds

22. Illinois Appellate Court Holds that Internet Retailer Lacks Substantial Nexus and Thus Not Liable for Use Tax

23. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Affirms that Wholesale Distributor Must Collect and Remit Tax on Goods Sold to Out-of-State Retailers in Drop Shipment Scenarios

24. Holders Beware: Delaware Department of State Notices to be Mailed in Two Weeks!

25. Why Does Missouri Want a Gross Receipts Tax?

26. Ohio’s Commercial Activity Tax: A Reappraisal

27. State and Local Tax Aspects of Republican Tax Reform Framework

The above represents 'general curating' of state tax developments into one spot. If you still feel overwhelmed by the volume of state tax developments, please consider my 'custom curating' service. Meaning, clients hire LEVERAGE SALT to daily curate state tax developments relating to a specific industry, state(s), tax type and issue. You can make it as granular as you prefer. This allows you to reduce information overload, and only get the information you need to help your clients or company. This service is provided on a fixed-fee or subscription basis. Contact me at strahle@leveragesalt.com.

State Tax Knowledge Update (37 items) - Sept 21, 2017

The following are state tax and business developments I have curated since September 12th, and posted in the LEVERAGE SALT LinkedIn group:

Some of the items may be on the same state/issue/topic, but they are from different sources which may give you a broader perspective to help your company or client.

1. VA sourcing rules constitutional IPA where work performed

2. AL group may use NOLs generated before consolidated election

3. State Rundown 9/13: The Year of Unprecedented State Budget Impasses Continues

4. Comments on South Dakota’s Challenge to Quill

5. Domestic tax quarterly webcast series: a focus on state tax matters

6. South Dakota Supreme Court – Sales tax economic nexus provisions unconstitutional; appeal to US Supreme Court expected

7. Virginia Denies Alternative Market Approach for Sourcing Sales

8. South Dakota Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Remote Retailers; Next Step US Supreme Court?

9. Florida Provides Guidance Regarding Sourcing of Services for Income Tax Purposes

10. Pennsylvania Department of Revenue Attempts to Tax Information Retrieval Services: An Overview of Letter Ruling SUT-17-002

11. Foxconn Tax Credit Package Enacted in Wisconsin

12. Zapper Fraud Case Results in Mandatory Real-Time Monitoring

13. INDIVIDUAL INCOME INSIGHTS: CHECKING UP ON CHECKOFFS

14. CORPORATE CLOSE-UP: VIRGINIA COURT DENIES CORPORATION USE OF ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF APPORTIONMENT

15. PROPERTY TAX POST: ARE STATES TAKING THEIR TAKINGS POWER TOO FAR?

16. CORPORATE CLOSE-UP: ILLINOIS (FINALLY!) FINALIZES MARKET-BASED SOURCING REGULATIONS

17. INDIVIDUAL INCOME TAX INSIGHTS: INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF NONRESIDENT TELECOMMUTING

18. CORPORATE CLOSE-UP: THE FTB’S SMALL CAP SOLUTION TO ALLEGED FINANCIAL AND NON-FINANCIAL COMBINED REPORTING APPORTIONMENT DISTORTION

19. CORPORATE CLOSE-UP: DELAWARE CONTINUES DEVELOPING UNCLAIMED PROPERTY RULES

20. State Tax Filing Relief for Victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma

21. Examining the Potential Tax Implications of Streaming Video Distribution

22. Alabama Appellate Court Affirms that Certain Separate Company NOL Carryforwards Can Be Claimed on Consolidated Return

23. New Delaware Law Includes Retroactive Tax Law Changes for Series Captive Insurance Companies

24. Illinois Tax Tribunal Holds that Insurance Premium Financing Subs Must File as Part of Combined Return for Financial Organizations

25. New Mississippi Law Allows Department of Revenue to Contract with Third-Party Auditors on a Contingent Fee Basis

26. Proposed Regulations Reflect Recent Montana Law Changes that Expand Waiver of Composite Return or Withholding for Domestic Second-Tier Pass-Through Entities

27. Pennsylvania Trial Court Finds NOL Cap is Unconstitutional

28. Tennessee DOR Issues Chart and Examples Depicting Apportionment Calculations Under Various Elections

29. Virginia Circuit Court Denies Alternative Apportionment Request and Upholds Validity of Standard Cost-of-Performance Method to Apportion Income from Subscription-Based Services

30. Massachusetts DOR Finalizes New Regulation Adopting Bright Line Nexus for Some Remote Sellers

31. Proposed Amended Ohio Rule Addresses Bad Debts, Assignment of Accounts Receivables, and Financing Companies

32. Illinois DOR Proposes Use Tax Nexus Standards for Trade Show Retailers

33. DON'T MISS the 24th Annual Paul J. Hartman SALT Forum

34. 2017 Oregon Legislative Tax Update

35. How Much Does Your State Collect in Corporate Income Taxes Per Capita?

36. REMINDER: Supreme Court to Consider West Virginia Tax Credits Case

37. Maine: 2017 Legislative Changes

The above represents 'general curating' of state tax developments into one spot. If you still feel overwhelmed by the volume of state tax developments, please consider my 'custom curating' service. Meaning, clients hire LEVERAGE SALT to daily curate state tax developments relating to a specific industry, state(s), tax type and issue. You can make it as granular as you prefer. This allows you to reduce information overload, and only get the information you need to help your clients or company. This service is provided on a fixed-fee or subscription basis. Contact me at strahle@leveragesalt.com.

New York Advisory Opinion: Sales Taxability of Webinar and Live Stream Products

The New York Department of Taxation and Finance issued an Advisory Opinion concluding that the petitioner's webinar and live stream products are not taxable, but two of the optional services are subject to state and local sales tax.

28 State Tax Developments You May Want to Know - Sept 12, 2017

The following are state tax and business developments I have curated since September 5th, and posted in the LEVERAGE SALT LinkedIn group:

1. State income tax return extended due dates 2016 calendar year

2. While Virginia Supreme Court Holds “Subject-To-Tax” Means “Actually Taxed,” Determination of “Actually Taxed” is Relatively Broad for Purposes of Addback Exception

3. Corporate Income Tax Rates around the World, 2017

4. Wrapping Up August – and Looking Forward to September

5. How Much Does Your State Collect in Corporate Income Taxes Per Capita?

6. The Virginia Tax Amnesty Program will run for a 62-day period, beginning on September 13, 2017, and ending on November 14, 2017.

7. Guidance for 2017 Tennessee Hall Income Tax Released

8. As Political Division Grows, State Budgets Come in Later (If at All)

9. How Did America's Richest State Become Such a Fiscal Mess?

10. Indiana Ruling Holds that Taxpayer Successfully Showed Nexus with Foreign Jurisdictions for Sales Factor Throwback Purposes

11. New York ALJ Rules in Favor of Taxpayer - Receipts from Online Services Sourced Out-of-State

12. New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Removes Draft Proposed Regulation Section 4-2.12 Regarding Receipts from Certain Services to Investment Companies

13. South Carolina Appellate Court Affirms that Satellite TV Provider Must Source Subscription Receipts Based on Market because Signal Delivery is Income-Producing Activity

14. New York Advisory Opinion Explains Taxation and Sourcing of Interactive Software with Customized Skinning

15. New New York Law Extends Certain Real Property Transfer Tax Rate Reductions to 1 September 2020

16. California FTB proposes new withholding regulation for pass-through entities

17. This week's local policy digest includes the NC Brunch Bill, a housing discrimination ordinance, and a balloon ban.

18. California partnership returns: penalty relief available for 2016 returns and revised extension period in 2017

19. NFL Superstars Sacked by Jock Taxes on Away Games

20. State Revenue Volatility: An Inevitable Challenge With a Workable Solution

21. States vs. Marketplace vs. Third-Party Sellers––The Amazon Sales Tax Challenge

22. First U.S. Prosecution Over ‘Zapper’ Software Nets Guilty Plea

23. New York Tax Office Loses Another Case Against Remote Company

24. South Carolina income producing activity at customer location

25. NORTH CAROLINA IMPORTANT NOTICE: SALES TAX BASE EXPANSION PROTECTION ACT

26. TENNESSEE: Is there more than one formula for apportioning franchise and excise tax?

27. TENNESSEE: 2017 SALES AND USE TAX GUIDE

28. Virginia Supreme Court Rules in Addback Case

The above represents 'general curating' of state tax developments into one spot. If you still feel overwhelmed by the volume of state tax developments, please consider my 'custom curating' service. Meaning, clients hire LS to daily curate state tax developments relating to a specific industry, state(s), tax type and issue. You can make it as granular as you prefer. This allows you to reduce information overload, and only get the information you need to help your clients or company. This service is provided on a fixed-fee or subscription basis. Contact me at strahle@leveragesalt.com.

What Type of Evidence Do You Need?

If you are not a lawyer and you work in the state tax field, over time, after reading court case after court case, you begin to learn what different legal terms mean. If you have read any articles or statutes and regulations regarding the burden of proof taxpayers or departments of revenue must meet when proposing alternative apportionment, you have probably read the terms:

• Preponderance of Evidence
• Clear and Convincing (or Cogent) Evidence

But what do these terms mean?

Preponderance of Evidence

The preponderance of evidence standard is met if the proposition is more likely to be true than not true. Effectively, the standard is satisfied if there is greater than 50 percent chance that the proposition is true.

For example, in Mississippi, starting January 1, 2015, the commissioner may require a taxable corporation that is affiliated with one or more corporations that are not taxable to file a combined return with the affiliated corporation or corporations if he establishes by preponderance of the evidence that the intercompany transactions of the taxable corporation have resulted in the shifting of taxable income from itself to another member or members of its affiliated group not subject to tax. The commissioner may also require a taxable group of affiliated corporations to file a combined return if he establishes by preponderance of the evidence that the intercompany transactions of the corporations have resulted in the shifting of taxable income between members of the affiliated group (Miss Code Ann Sec. 27-7-37(2)(a)(ii)).

Clear and Convincing Evidence

Clear and convincing evidence is a higher level of burden of persuasion than "preponderance of the evidence."

Clear and convincing proof means that the evidence presented by a party during the trial must be highly and substantially more probable to be true than not and the trier of fact must have a firm belief or conviction in its factuality. In this standard, a greater degree of believability must be met than the common standard of proof in civil actions, which only requires that the facts as a threshold be more likely than not to prove the issue for which they are asserted.

This standard is also known as "clear, convincing, and satisfactory evidence"; "clear, cognizant, and convincing evidence"; and "clear, unequivocal, satisfactory, and convincing evidence"; and is applied in cases or situations involving an equitable remedy or where a presumptive civil liberty interest exists.

For your reference, the following is a sample list of cases that have discussed the level of evidence necessary to meet the burden of proof:

1. Equifax, Inc. v. Mississippi Dep’t of Revenue, No. 2010-CT-01857-SCT (Miss. 2013) 
2. CarMax Auto Superstores West Coast, Inc. v. South Carolina Department of Revenue, Docket No. 4953 (S.C. Ct. App. 2012) 
3. Microsoft v. Franchise Tax Board, 139 P.3d 1169 (Cal. 2006)
4. British Land (Maryland) Inc. v. N.Y. Tax App. Trib., 85 N.Y.2d 139, 147-48 (N.Y. Ct. App. 1995)

Note: the definitions above were obtained from "legal burden of proof" - Wikipedia. Other sources provide similar definitions.

17 State Tax and Business Developments You May Want to Know - Sept 5, 2017

The following are state tax and business developments I have curated since August 26th, and posted in the LEVERAGE SALT LinkedIn group:

1. NC market discount income from US govt bonds is not interest

2. CORPORATE CLOSE-UP: THE FTB’S SMALL CAP SOLUTION TO ALLEGED FINANCIAL AND NON-FINANCIAL COMBINED REPORTING APPORTIONMENT DISTORTION

3. COST, EY & State Tax Research Institute Study: Total State and Local Business Taxes (fy16)

4. Oregon revenue online educational services sourced faculty costs

5. State Rundown 8/31: Modernizing Taxes is Sometimes a Sprint, Sometimes a Marathon

6. Oral Arguments Heard in South Dakota’s Challenge to Quill

7. Net Operating Loss Carryforward & Carryback Provisions by State

8. Indiana Files Lawsuit to Defend Out-Of-State Sales Tax Law

9. Amended Colorado Regulations Address Combined and Consolidated Filing and Apportionment

10. Massachusetts DOR Issues Technical Information Release on Policy Change Regarding Treaty-Exempt Income

11. Oregon Tax Court Explains that Only Direct Costs are Relevant in Determining Where Greater Proportion of Costs of Performance Was Incurred

12. Indiana Attorney General Responds to Suit Filed by Trade Groups Regarding Enforcement of New Remote Seller Economic Nexus Law

13. Limited-Time Voluntary Disclosure Program for Out-of-State Sellers Having Click-Through Nexus Runs through November 21 in New Jersey

14. Rhode Island Division of Taxation Explains New Information Reporting and Notice Requirements on Some Remote Sellers - Including Marketplace Facilitators

15. Seattle high-income resident income tax enacted

16. Texas appellate court upholds subcontractor exclusion while reversing and remanding on COGS methodology

17. VA Supreme Ct rules subject to tax exception post apportionment

The above represents 'general curating' of state tax developments into one spot. If you still feel overwhelmed by the volume of state tax developments, please consider my 'custom curating' service. Meaning, clients hire LS to daily curate state tax developments relating to a specific industry, state(s), tax type and issue. You can make it as granular as you prefer. This allows you to reduce information overload, and only get the information you need to help your clients or company. This service is provided on a fixed-fee or subscription basis. Contact me at strahle@leveragesalt.com.