Ariz. Admin. Code § R15-5-2007 - Credit for Accounting and Reporting Expenses

A. For purposes of this rule, the following definitions apply:

1. "Reporting period" means a calendar month unless another period is authorized pursuant to A.R.S. § 42-1322.

2. "Statutory delinquency date" means the date by which a payment of tax is considered delinquent pursuant to A.R.S. § 42-1322.

3. "Tax return" means the Transaction Privilege, Use, and Severance Tax Return (TPT-1).

4. "Taxable business" means a business which is subject to either transaction privilege or severance tax.

5. "Taxpayer" means taxpayer as defined in A.R.S. § 42-1322.04(C), including an entity which is exempt from state income tax. The following are considered a single taxpayer:

a. Members of an Arizona affiliated group filing a consolidated corporate income tax return under A.R.S. § 43-947;

b. Corporations in a unitary business filing a combined corporate income tax return under A.A.C. R15-2-1131(E);

c. Married taxpayers operating separate sole proprietorships and filing a joint income tax return under A.A.C. R15-2-1131(E); or

d. Partnerships, S Corporations, trusts, or estates conducting multiple businesses, filing a single income tax return.

B. A taxpayer shall compute the credit, using the full amount of tax as required to be reported on the tax return, including any excess tax collected. The Department shall not allow a credit against taxes other than the state transaction privilege tax and the severance tax.

C. Except as provided in subsection (D), the Department shall not allow a credit if the taxpayer fails to pay the tax due before the statutory delinquency date. Failure to pay the tax due includes the following circumstances:

1. The taxpayer makes an underpayment of tax due, including any estimated tax due, or,

2. The taxpayer's check is dishonored.

D. In the case of taxpayer computational error, the Department shall allow the credit based on the amounts originally filed, if the computational error resulted in the overpayment or underpayment of the tax actually due:

1. In the case of an overpayment, the Department shall allow the credit on the actual amount of tax due for the reporting period.

2. In the case of an underpayment, the Department shall allow the credit on the amount of the tax paid prior to the statutory delinquency date.

E. To receive the credit for each reporting period, the taxpayer shall claim the credit on the tax return. If the taxpayer understates the amount of the credit on the tax return, the Department shall allow the amount of credit which the taxpayer has claimed. The taxpayer may file an amended return to claim any unclaimed portion of the credit if the taxpayer timely paid the tax upon which the credit is based. If the taxpayer overstates the amount of the credit, the Department shall allow the amount of credit actually permitted for the reporting period.

F. A taxpayer is entitled to one credit, regardless of the number of licenses, businesses, or locations the taxpayer may have. Taxpayers with multiple licenses for separate businesses or separate locations shall elect the manner in which to allocate the credit among their licenses within the $10,000 annual limitation. The election shall be made on a form 51-T. The taxpayer shall file the election on or before January 15 of the first year for which an election is being made or within 30 days prior to beginning operations if the taxpayer is a new business entity. The taxpayer is required to file an election one time; however, a new election may be filed under the following circumstances:

1. If a taxpayer does not claim the entire $10,000 credit during the calendar year, the taxpayer may amend the election at the end of the calendar year to reallocate the unclaimed portion of the credit for that particular year. This amended election shall be filed on or before January 31 of the following year. To claim the reallocated credit, the taxpayer shall file an amended tax return for each reporting period in which a sufficient tax was due and timely paid. For example: an individual owns three separate businesses with different transaction privilege tax licenses. At the beginning of the year, the individual allocates the $10,000 credit as follows: $3,000 to Company A; $2,000 to Company B; and $5,000 to Company C. At the end of the year, Companies A and B have claimed the credit up to their allocated amounts. However, Company C has only claimed $1,000 of its allocated credit. Company A timely paid a sufficient amount of tax during the months of August and September to qualify for an additional $4,000 credit. The individual may amend the election to reallocate the unclaimed credit to Company A. To claim the $4,000 credit, the individual must file an amended tax return for Company A for the months of August and September.

2. If a taxpayer acquires, sells, or terminates a taxable business during the calendar year, the taxpayer may amend the election at that time to reallocate the credit. The taxpayer shall only reallocate the portion of the credit which has not been claimed by the date on which the taxpayer acquires, sells, or terminates the business. The taxpayer shall ensure that the election relates to the acquired, sold, or terminated business and is made on a prospective basis only. The taxpayer shall notify the Department of the reallocation 30 days prior to the due date of the tax return for the reporting period to which the reallocation applies. For example: Corporation A is the common parent of Corporations B and C and elects to file a consolidated corporate state income tax return. Each of the three corporations conducts a taxable business activity. Since the three corporations file state income tax as one entity, Corporation A is required to allocate the $10,000 credit among the three corporations. At the beginning of the year, Corporation A elects to allocate the entire $10,000 credit to Corporation B. On July 1, Corporation A acquires Corporation D which also conducts a taxable business activity. Corporation A may amend its election at this time to take into account Corporation D. Corporation A may reallocate the portion of the credit not already claimed by Corporation B to Corporation D.

G. Where a taxpayer is allocating the $10,000 credit, the following rules apply:

1. The Department shall allow a unitary business, filing a combined corporate state income tax return, or an Arizona affiliated group, filing a consolidated corporate state income tax return, one $10,000 credit. The unitary business or affiliated group may allocate the credit among its members. If the unitary business or affiliated group fails to allocate the $10,000 credit, the Department shall allocate the credit to the corporation in whose name the unitary business or affiliated group files its state income tax return regardless of whether the corporation conducts a taxable business.

a. If a corporation joins an Arizona affiliated group or unitary business during the calendar year, the Department shall classify the corporation as a separate taxpayer for the period before it joins the affiliated group or unitary business. The Department shall classify the corporation as the same taxpayer, an affiliated group, or unitary business for the period after it joins the affiliated group or unitary business. An affiliated group or unitary business may allocate the $10,000 credit, even if a member corporation claimed the credit before it joined the affiliated group or unitary business.

b. If a corporation leaves an affiliated group or unitary business during the calendar year, the Department shall classify the corporation as the same taxpayer, an affiliated group, or unitary business for the period before it leaves the affiliated group or unitary business. The Department shall not classify the corporation as the same taxpayer for the period after it leaves the affiliated group or unitary business. The corporation, as a separate taxpayer or part of a separate taxpayer, may allocate the $10,000 credit, even if the corporation claimed the credit before it left an affiliated group or unitary business.

2. If a partnership, S corporation, trust, or estate conducts multiple taxable businesses, the Department shall allow the partnership, S corporation, trust, or estate one $10,000 credit. The partnership, S corporation, trust, or estate may allocate the credit among its businesses. The credit shall not be allocated to the partners of a partnership, shareholders of an S corporation, or beneficiaries of a trust or estate.

3. In cases where the taxpayers are married and each spouse conducts a taxable business, the Department shall allow one $10,000 credit per income tax return. If the married taxpayers file separate individual income tax returns, the Department shall allow each spouse one $10,000 credit. If the married taxpayers file a joint income tax return, the Department shall allow one $10,000 credit for the couple.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R15-5-2007

Renumbered from R15-5-3025 (Supp. 94-2). Amended effective August 13, 1996 (Supp. 96-3).