In interpreting an ambiguous statute allowing for a tax credit against the state’s financial institution excise tax (FIET), the Alabama Court of Appeals held in favor of the Department of Revenue’s interpretation. Alabama imposes a 6½% FIET on the net income of certain financial institutions. After deducting administrative charges payable to the Department, the Department
financial services
Minnesota Supreme Court Upholds Commissioner’s Use of Alternative Apportionment for Financial Institution
The Minnesota Supreme Court held that the state’s standard apportionment method did not fairly reflect the taxpayer’s net income allocable to the state, reversing the Tax Court’s ruling. The taxpayer, a national financial institution, transferred its loan portfolios to two newly formed partnerships. For apportionment purposes, Minnesota requires financial institutions to include loan interest in…
North Carolina Supreme Court Determines that Bank’s Market Discount Income Is Not Deductible as Interest
By Liz Cha and Open Weaver Banks
The North Carolina Supreme Court affirmed the North Carolina Business Court’s decision that Fidelity Bank was precluded from deducting “market discount income” from US bonds for North Carolina corporate income tax purposes. Fidelity Bank acquired US government bonds at a discount, held these bonds until maturity, and earned…
MA ATB Determines a Securities Corporation Subsidiary Must File Required Application to Receive Favorable Tax Status as a Securities Corporation
By Alla Raykin and Eric Coffill
The Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board (ATB) upheld the Commissioner’s assessment, resulting from a denial of a subsidiary’s securities corporation classification for corporate excise tax purposes. Companies classified as securities corporations receive favorable excise tax treatment under G.L. c. 63, § 38B(a), including not being subject to inclusion in the…
NYC Tax Appeals Tribunal Holds Subsidiary Not Required to Be Included in Banking Corporation Tax Return
By Charles Capouet and Madison Barnett
The New York City Tax Appeals Tribunal held that a bank filing a combined New York City bank tax return properly excluded from its combined group a Connecticut investment subsidiary that primarily held mortgage loans secured by non-New York property. Where there are substantial intercorporate transactions among banking corporations…
New York State Taxpayer Must Use Net Operating Loss When Paying on Alternative Tax Base
By Nicole Boutros and Eric Coffill
The New York State Tax Appeals Tribunal determined that a taxpayer subject to the Article 32 bank franchise tax must use its net operating loss deduction to reduce its entire net income to zero in years in which the bank franchise tax was paid by the taxpayer on an…
New Jersey Tax Court Rules on Inclusion of Mortgage-Related Receipts in Receipts Factor Numerator
By Charles Capouet and Todd Lard
The New Jersey Tax Court ruled on the sourcing of mortgage-related receipts received by a bank and also held that the Division of Taxation could not throw out receipts from the bank’s denominator. The taxpayer originated loans for its New Jersey borrowers through its New Jersey lending office employees…
New York State Division of Tax Appeals Addresses Unauthorized Insurance Company Taxation
A New York State Division of Tax Appeals administrative law judge issued three determinations addressing the tax implications for unauthorized insurance companies, both life and non-life. Significant uncertainty has surrounded New York State’s taxation of unauthorized insurance companies since New York State amended its insurance tax provisions in 2003. The Department of Taxation and Finance …
Sourcing the Ticker Tape: California Ruling Addresses Sourcing of Financial Information Provider’s Services
By Hanish Patel and Marc Simonetti
In a Chief Counsel Ruling, the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) ruled that, for purposes of determining its sale factor, a financial information provider should source the sales of its information services based on where the taxpayer’s customer receives the benefit of the service, and not where the ultimate…
Utah Taxes Online Banking Service Provider
The Utah State Tax Commission ruled that sales to financial institutions in Utah of the right to use online banking software, finance and budget tool software, online bill payment software, mobile banking software, and a mobile banking application are sales of tangible personal property subject to Utah sales and…