A California trial court granted summary adjudication in the American Catalog Mailers Association’s (ACMA) action against the Franchise Tax Board (FTB), invalidating FTB guidance that says certain online activities exceed the protections of Public Law 86-272 for state income tax purposes. This follows the court’s denial of ACMA’s first motion for summary adjudication, which we discussed in detail in an earlier blog post, where the court found ACMA did not carry its burden to show FTB Technical Advice Memorandum (TAM) 2022-01 and amendments to FTB Publication 1050 are facially invalid because they contradict PL 86-272.
Articles Posted in Income Tax
Maine Expressly Requires Express Scripts to Apportion Services Receipts Using a Look-Through Approach
On November 7, 2023, the Supreme Judicial Court of Maine held a taxpayer’s receipts from the performance of pharmacy benefit management (PBM) services should be apportioned using a look-through approach. Specifically, the court held such services receipts should be apportioned to the state where the prescription drug is dispensed by retail pharmacies to individual members (i.e., the market member method), rather than the state where the taxpayer’s client’s primary commercial and administrative headquarters is located (i.e., the market client method).
No Sugarcoating: The California Office of Tax Appeals Limits the California FTB’s Application of Legal Ruling 2006-01
In the Appeal of Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative (2023-OTA-342P) (Beet Sugar), the California Office of Tax Appeals (OTA) issued a precedential opinion holding the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) is not entitled to apply its FTB Legal Ruling 2006-01 (Apr. 28, 2006) to prohibit taxpayers from including in their apportionment factors property, payroll, and sales that generated statutorily deductible income. The OTA’s guidance on the FTB’s interpretation and application of Legal Ruling 2006-01 in this opinion also has implications beyond the specific issue in Beet Sugar, as the FTB has been attempting to expand the application of the limited legal ruling to other inapplicable situations. For example, an opinion by the OTA in the Appeal of Microsoft Corporation & Subsidiaries (OTA Case Number 21037336) is also anticipated to be issued soon, which appeal concerns whether the FTB is entitled to apply Legal Ruling 2006-01 to prohibit taxpayers from including in their apportionment sales factors statutorily deductible foreign dividend amounts.
Big Things Have Small Beginnings: New Jersey Broadens Definition of Unitary Business
On July 3, 2023, Governor Phil Murphy signed into law A.B. 5323, enacting important revisions to New Jersey’s Corporation Business Tax (CBT)[1] including expanding the definition of what constitutes a “unitary business.” The expanded definition now includes affiliated entities that may not have previously met the requirements for combined group membership for CBT purposes.
California Trial Court Rejects Industry Trade Association’s Motion for Summary Judgment Seeking to Declare Technical Advice Memorandum 2022-01 and FTB Publication 1050 Invalid
A California trial court denied summary judgment in the American Catalog Mailers Association’s (ACMA) action that seeks to invalidate Franchise Tax Board (FTB) guidance that says certain online activities exceed the protections of Public Law 86-272 for state income tax purposes. However, the court signaled it may invalidate the FTB’s guidance on the basis it constitutes underground regulations and violates California’s Administrative Procedure Act. Continue Reading ›
Minnesota Tax Court Denies a Catalog and Internet-Based Distribution Company Public Law 86-272 Protection
The Minnesota Tax Court held a catalog and internet-based distribution company exceeded the protections of Public Law 86-272 (PL 86-272) by providing non-sales personnel with information about competitors’ products and sales terms obtained from Minnesota customers by the company’s salespeople.
A Hat Tip to the Manufacturing, R&D and Electric Power Industries: California Bill Would Provide Income Tax Credits for Sales and Use and District Taxes Paid on Certain “Qualified Tangible Personal Property”
Pillsbury SALT attorneys Zachary Atkins, Craig Becker, Carley Roberts, & Richard Nielsen discuss California Assembly Bill 52. AB 52 would provide corporation and personal income tax credits for local sales and use and district taxes paid on machinery and equipment primarily used in manufacturing, research and development, electric power generation or production, or electric power storage and distribution.
No Day Off for Buehler: California Sources Gain from Sale of Intangible to Domicile and Denies Other State Tax Credit
The California Office of Tax Appeals (OTA) held a California resident was not entitled to claim an other state tax credit (OSTC) for taxes paid to Massachusetts because gain from the sale of an LLC membership interest was wholly sourced to the taxpayer’s domicile under California law. Continue Reading ›
2023 COST Intermediate/Advanced State Income Tax School
Pillsbury SALT attorney Evan Hamme will be presenting at the 2023 COST Intermediate/Advanced State Income Tax School on May 8 in DFW Airport, Texas.
COST/CTC Mid-West Regional State Tax Seminar
Pillsbury SALT attorneys Carley Roberts, Craig Becker, Zachary Atkins and Kristen Sharp will be presenting at the upcoming COST/CTC Mid-West Regional State Tax Seminar on Wednesday, May 3 in Rolling Meadows, Illinois.