S3624

An Act concerning the corporation business tax, and amending various parts of the statutory law.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 4 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-4) is amended to read as follows:

4. For the purposes of this act, unless the context requires a different meaning:

(a) "Commissioner" or "director" shall mean the Director of the Division of Taxation of the State Department of the Treasury.

(b) "Allocation factor" shall mean the proportionate part of a taxpayer's net worth or entire net income used to determine a measure of its tax under this act.

(c) "Corporation" shall mean any corporation, joint-stock company or association and any business conducted by a trustee or trustees wherein interest or ownership is evidenced by a certificate of interest or ownership or similar written instrument, any other entity classified as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, and any state or federally chartered building and loan association or savings and loan association.

(d) "Net worth" shall mean the aggregate of the values disclosed by the books of the corporation for (1) issued and outstanding capital stock, (2) paid-in or capital surplus, (3) earned surplus and undivided profits, and (4) surplus reserves which can reasonably be expected to accrue to holders or owners of equitable shares, not including reasonable valuation reserves, such as reserves for depreciation or obsolescence or depletion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, net worth shall not include any deduction for the amount of the excess depreciation described in paragraph (2) (F) of subsection (k) of this section. The foregoing aggregate of values shall be reduced by 50% of the amount disclosed by the books of the corporation for investment in the capital stock of one or more subsidiaries, which investment is defined as ownership (1) of at least 80% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the subsidiary entitled to vote and (2) of at least 80% of the total number of shares of all other classes of stock except nonvoting stock which is limited and preferred as to dividends. In the case of investment in an entity organized under the laws of a foreign country, the foregoing requisite degree of ownership shall effect a like reduction of such investment from the net worth of the taxpayer, if the foreign entity is considered a corporation for any purpose under the United States federal income tax laws, such as (but not by way of sole examples) for the purpose of supplying deemed paid foreign tax credits or for the purpose of status as a controlled foreign corporation. In calculating the net worth of a taxpayer entitled to reduction for investment in subsidiaries, the amount of liabilities of the taxpayer shall be reduced by such proportion of the liabilities as corresponds to the ratio which the excluded portion of the subsidiary values bears to the total assets of the taxpayer.

In the case of banking corporations which have international banking facilities as defined in subsection (n), the foregoing aggregate of values shall also be reduced by retained earnings of the international banking facility. Retained earnings means the earnings accumulated over the life of such facility and shall not include the distributive share of dividends paid and federal income taxes paid or payable during the tax year.

If in the opinion of the director, the corporation's books do not disclose fair valuations the director may make a reasonable determination of the net worth which, in his opinion, would reflect the fair value of the assets, exclusive of subsidiary investments as defined aforesaid, carried on the books of the corporation, in accordance with sound accounting principles, and such determination shall be used as net worth for the purpose of this act.

(e) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1998, c.114.)

(f) "Investment company" shall mean any corporation whose business during the period covered by its report consisted, to the extent of at least 90% thereof of holding, investing and reinvesting in stocks, bonds, notes, mortgages, debentures, patents, patent rights and other securities for its own account, but this shall not include any corporation which: (1) is a merchant or a dealer of stocks, bonds and other securities, regularly engaged in buying the same and selling the same to customers; or (2) had less than 90% of its average gross assets in New Jersey, at cost, invested in stocks, bonds, debentures, mortgages, notes, patents, patent rights or other securities or consisting of cash on deposit during the period covered by its report; or (3) is a banking corporation, a savings institution, or a financial business corporation as defined in the Corporation Business Tax Act.

(g) "Regulated investment company" shall mean any corporation which for a period covered by its report, is registered and regulated under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (54 Stat. 789), as amended.

(h) "Taxpayer" shall mean any corporation, and any partnership required, or consenting, to report or to pay taxes, interest or penalties under this act. "Taxpayer" shall not include a partnership that is listed on a United States national stock exchange.

(i) "Fiscal year" shall mean an accounting period ending on any day other than the last day of December on the basis of which the taxpayer is required to report for federal income tax purposes.

(j) Except as herein provided, "privilege period" shall mean the calendar or fiscal accounting period for which a tax is payable under this act.

(k) "Entire net income" shall mean total net income from all sources, whether within or without the United States, and shall include the gain derived from the employment of capital or labor, or from both combined, as well as profit gained through a sale or conversion of capital assets.

For the purpose of this act, the amount of a taxpayer's entire net income shall be deemed prima facie to be equal in amount to the taxable income, before net operating loss deduction and special deductions, which the taxpayer is required to report, or, if the taxpayer is classified as a partnership for federal tax purposes, would otherwise be required to report, to the United States Treasury Department for the purpose of computing its federal income tax, provided however, that in the determination of such entire net income,

(1) Entire net income shall exclude for the periods set forth in paragraph (2)(F)(i) of this subsection, any amount, except with respect to qualified mass commuting vehicles as described in section 168(f)(8)(D)(v) of the Internal Revenue Code as in effect immediately prior to January 1, 1984, which is included in a taxpayer's federal taxable income solely as a result of an election made pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (8) of that section.

(2) Entire net income shall be determined without the exclusion, deduction or credit of:

(A) The amount of any exemption or credit allowed in any law of the United States imposing any tax on or measured by the income of corporations.

(B) Any part of any income from dividends or interest on any kind of stock, securities or indebtedness, except as provided in paragraph (5) of subsection (k) of this section.

(C) Taxes paid or accrued to the United States, a possession or territory of the United States, a state, a political subdivision thereof, or the District of Columbia, or to any foreign country, state, province, territory or subdivision thereof, on or measured by profits or income, or business presence or business activity, or the tax imposed by this act, or any tax paid or accrued with respect to subsidiary dividends excluded from entire net income as provided in paragraph (5) of subsection (k) of this section.

(D) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1985, c.143.)

(E) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1995, c.418.)

(F) (i) The amount by which depreciation reported to the United States Treasury Department for property placed in service on and after January 1, 1981, but prior to taxpayer fiscal or calendar accounting years beginning on and after the effective date of P.L.1993, c.172, for purposes of computing federal taxable income in accordance with section 168 of the Internal Revenue Code in effect after December 31, 1980, exceeds the amount of depreciation determined in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code provisions in effect prior to January 1, 1981, but only with respect to a taxpayer's accounting period ending after December 31, 1981; provided, however, that where a taxpayer's accounting period begins in 1981 and ends in 1982, no modification shall be required with respect to this paragraph (F) for the report filed for such period with respect to property placed in service during that part of the accounting period which occurs in 1981. The provisions of this subparagraph shall not apply to assets placed in service prior to January 1, 1998 of a gas, gas and electric, and electric public utility that was subject to the provisions of P.L.1940, c.5 (C.54:30A-49 et seq.) prior to 1998.

(ii) For the periods set forth in subparagraph (F)(i) of paragraph (2) of this subsection, any amount, except with respect to qualified mass commuting vehicles as described in section 168(f)(8)(D)(v) of the Internal Revenue Code as in effect immediately prior to January 1, 1984, which the taxpayer claimed as a deduction in computing federal income tax pursuant to a qualified lease agreement under paragraph (8) of that section.

The director shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this section, which rules shall provide, among others, the manner in which the remaining life of property shall be reported.

(G) (i) The amount of any civil, civil administrative, or criminal penalty or fine, including a penalty or fine under an administrative consent order, assessed and collected for a violation of a State or federal environmental law, an administrative consent order, or an environmental ordinance or resolution of a local governmental entity, and any interest earned on the penalty or fine, and any economic benefits having accrued to the violator as a result of a violation, which benefits are assessed and recovered in a civil, civil administrative, or criminal action, or pursuant to an administrative consent order. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to a penalty or fine assessed or collected for a violation of a State or federal environmental law, or local environmental ordinance or resolution, if the penalty or fine was for a violation that resulted from fire, riot, sabotage, flood, storm event, natural cause, or other act of God beyond the reasonable control of the violator, or caused by an act or omission of a person who was outside the reasonable control of the violator.

(ii) The amount of treble damages paid to the Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to subsection a. of section 7 of P.L.1976, c.141 (C.58:10-23.11f), for costs incurred by the department in removing, or arranging for the removal of, an unauthorized discharge upon failure of the discharger to comply with a directive from the department to remove, or arrange for the removal of, the discharge.

(H) The amount of any sales and use tax paid by a utility vendor pursuant to section 71 of P.L.1997, c.162.

(I) Interest paid, accrued or incurred for the privilege period to a related member, as defined in section 5 of P.L.2002, c.40 (C.54:10A-4.4), except that a deduction shall be permitted to the extent that the taxpayer establishes by clear and convincing evidence, as determined by the director, that: (i) a principal purpose of the transaction giving rise to the payment of the interest was not to avoid taxes otherwise due under Title 54 of the Revised Statutes or Title 54A of the New Jersey Statutes, (ii) the interest is paid pursuant to arm's length contracts at an arm's length rate of interest, and (iii)(aa) the related member was subject to a tax on its net income or receipts in this State or another state or possession of the United States or in a foreign nation, (bb) a measure of the tax includes the interest received from the related member, and (cc) the rate of tax applied to the interest received by the related member is equal to or greater than a rate three percentage points less than the rate of tax applied to taxable interest by this State pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-5).

A deduction shall also be permitted if the taxpayer establishes by clear and convincing evidence, as determined by the director, that the disallowance of a deduction is unreasonable, or the taxpayer and the director agree in writing to the application or use of an alternative method of apportionment under section 8 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-8); nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit or negate the director's authority to otherwise enter into agreements and compromises otherwise allowed by law.

A deduction shall also be permitted to the extent that the taxpayer establishes by a preponderance of the evidence, as determined by the director, that the interest is directly or indirectly paid, accrued or incurred to (i) a related member in a foreign nation which has in force a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States [and the related member (aa) was subject to tax in the foreign nation on a tax base that included the payment paid, accrued, or incurred; and (bb) under which the related member's income received from the transaction was taxed at an effective tax rate equal to or greater than a rate of three percentage points less than the rate of tax applied to taxable interest by the State of New Jersey pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-5)], provided however that the taxpayer shall disclose on its return for the privilege period the name of the related member, the amount of the interest, the relevant foreign nation, and such other information as the director may prescribe or (ii) to an independent lender and the taxpayer guarantees the debt on which the interest is required. The adjustments required by this subparagraph shall not apply to transactions between related members included in a combined group reported on a New Jersey combined return.

(J) (i) Amounts deducted for federal tax purposes pursuant to section 199 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.199, except that this exclusion shall not apply to amounts deducted pursuant to that section that are exclusively based upon domestic production gross receipts of the taxpayer which are derived only from any lease, rental, license, sale, exchange, or other disposition of qualifying production property which the taxpayer demonstrates to the satisfaction of the director was manufactured or produced by the taxpayer in whole or in significant part within the United States but not qualified production property that was grown or extracted by the taxpayer. "Manufactured or produced" as used in this paragraph shall be limited to performance of an operation or series of operations the object of which is to place items of tangible personal property in a form, composition, or character different from that in which they were acquired. The change in form, composition, or character shall be a substantial change, and result in a transformation of property into a different or substantially more usable product.

(ii) For privilege periods beginning after December 31, 2017, notwithstanding the provisions of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-1 et seq.) or any other law to the contrary, for the purposes of determining the amount of income pursuant to P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-1 et seq.) that is net of expenses, no amounts shall be taken as a deduction pursuant to section 199A of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. s.199A).

(K) For privilege periods beginning after December 31, 2017, the interest deduction limitation in subsection (j) of section 163 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. s.163), shall apply on a pro-rata basis to interest paid to both related and unrelated parties, regardless of whether the related parties are subject to the add-back provision of either subparagraph (I) of paragraph (2) of this subsection or in section 5 of P.L.2002, c.40 (C.54:10A-4.4).

(3) The director may, whenever necessary to properly reflect the entire net income of any taxpayer, determine the year or period in which any item of income or deduction shall be included, without being limited to the method of accounting employed by the taxpayer.

(4) There shall be allowed as a deduction from entire net income of a banking corporation, to the extent not deductible in determining federal taxable income, the eligible net income of an international banking facility determined as follows:

(A) The eligible net income of an international banking facility shall be the amount remaining after subtracting from the eligible gross income the applicable expenses;

(B) Eligible gross income shall be the gross income derived by an international banking facility, which shall include, but not be limited to, gross income derived from:

(i) Making, arranging for, placing or carrying loans to foreign persons, provided, however, that in the case of a foreign person which is an individual, or which is a foreign branch of a domestic corporation (other than a bank), or which is a foreign corporation or foreign partnership which is controlled by one or more domestic corporations (other than banks), domestic partnerships or resident individuals, all the proceeds of the loan are for use outside of the United States;

(ii) Making or placing deposits with foreign persons which are banks or foreign branches of banks (including foreign subsidiaries) or foreign branches of the taxpayers or with other international banking facilities;

(iii) Entering into foreign exchange trading or hedging transactions related to any of the transactions described in this paragraph; or

(iv) Such other activities as an international banking facility may, from time to time, be authorized to engage in;

(C) Applicable expenses shall be any expense or other deductions attributable, directly or indirectly, to the eligible gross income described in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph.

(5) (A) (i) Entire net income shall exclude 100% of dividends which were included in computing such taxable income for federal income tax purposes, paid to the taxpayer by one or more subsidiaries owned by the taxpayer to the extent of the 80% or more ownership of investment described in subsection (d) of this section for privilege periods beginning on or before December 31, 2016.

(ii) For privilege periods beginning after December 31, 2016 and before January 1, 2019, entire net income shall exclude 95% of dividends which were included in computing such taxable income for federal income tax purposes, paid or deemed paid, to the taxpayer by one or more subsidiaries owned by the taxpayer to the extent of the 80% or more ownership of investment described in subsection (d) of this section. For the purposes of calculating the tax liability owed for the paid or deemed paid dividends included in entire net income by this subsection, the taxpayer shall use either their three-year average allocation factor for the taxpayer's 2014 through 2016 tax years reported on the taxpayer's tax returns or 3.5 percent, whichever is lower.

(iii) For privilege periods beginning on and after January 1, 2019, entire net income shall exclude 95% of dividends which were included in computing such taxable income for federal income tax purposes, paid or deemed paid to the taxpayer by one or more subsidiaries owned by the taxpayer to the extent of the 80% or more ownership of investment described in subsection (d) of this section.

(B) Entire net income shall exclude 50% of dividends which were included in computing such taxable income for federal income tax purposes, paid or deemed paid to the taxpayer by one or more subsidiaries owned by the taxpayer to the extent of 50% or more ownership of investment, such ownership of investment calculated in the same manner as the 80% or more of ownership of investment is calculated as described in subsection (d) of this section.

(C) To the extent a subsidiary received dividends from other subsidiaries and included those dividends in its entire net income for the purposes of determining its tax liability pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-5) and paid tax on those dividends, the taxpayer receiving those same dividends from the subsidiary shall exclude those dividends from its entire net income based on the subsidiary's allocation factor used by the subsidiary in determining its tax liability pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-5).

(6) (A) Net operating loss deduction. For privilege periods ending before July 31, 2019, there shall be allowed as a deduction for the privilege period the net operating loss carryover to that period.

(B) Net operating loss carryover. A net operating loss for any privilege period ending after June 30, 1984 shall be a net operating loss carryover to each of the seven privilege periods following the period of the loss and a net operating loss for any privilege period ending after June 30, 2009 shall be a net operating loss carryover to each of the twenty privilege periods following the period of the loss. The entire amount of the net operating loss for any privilege period (the "loss period") shall be carried to the earliest of the privilege periods to which the loss may be carried. The portion of the loss which shall be carried to each of the other privilege periods shall be the excess, if any, of the amount of the loss over the sum of the entire net income, computed without the exclusions permitted in paragraphs (4) and (5) of this subsection or the net operating loss deduction provided by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, for each of the prior privilege periods to which the loss may be carried.

(C) Net operating loss. For purposes of this paragraph the term "net operating loss" means the excess of the deductions over the gross income used in computing entire net income without the net operating loss deduction provided for in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph and the exclusions in paragraphs (4) and (5) of this subsection.

(D) Change in ownership. Where there is a change in 50% or more of the ownership of a corporation because of redemption or sale of stock and the corporation changes the trade or business giving rise to the loss, no net operating loss sustained before the changes may be carried over to be deducted from income earned after such changes. In addition where the facts support the premise that the corporation was acquired under any circumstances for the primary purpose of the use of its net operating loss carryover, the director may disallow the carryover.

(E) Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (6) of subsection (k) of this section to the contrary, for privilege periods beginning during calendar year 2002 and calendar year 2003, no deduction for any net operating loss carryover shall be allowed and for privilege periods beginning during calendar year 2004 and calendar year 2005, there shall be allowed as a deduction for the privilege period so much of the net operating loss carryover as reduces entire net income otherwise calculated by 50%. If and only to the extent that any net operating loss carryover deduction is disallowed by reason of this subparagraph (E), the date on which the amount of the disallowed net operating loss carryover deduction would otherwise expire shall be extended by a period equal to the period for which application of the net operating loss was disallowed by this subparagraph.

Provided, that this subparagraph (E) shall not restrict the surrender or acquisition of corporation business tax benefit certificates pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1997, c.334 (C.34:1B-7.42a) and shall not restrict the application of corporation business tax benefit certificates pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1997, c.334 (C.54:10A-4.2).

(F) Reduction for discharge of indebtedness. A net operating loss for any privilege period ending after June 30, 2014, and any net operating loss carryover to such privilege period, shall be reduced by the amount excluded from federal taxable income under subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of section 108 of the federal Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. s.108), for the privilege period of the discharge of indebtedness.

(7) The entire net income of gas, electric and gas and electric public utilities that were subject to, or would have been subject to tax if doing business in this State, the provisions of P.L.1940, c.5 (C.54:30A-49 et seq.) prior to 1998, shall be adjusted by substituting the New Jersey depreciation allowance for federal tax depreciation with respect to assets placed in service prior to January 1, 1998. For gas, electric, and gas and electric public utilities that were subject to, or would have been subject to tax if doing business in this State, the provisions of P.L.1940, c.5 (C.54:30A-49 et seq.) prior to 1998, the New Jersey depreciation allowance shall be computed as follows: All depreciable assets placed in service prior to January 1, 1998 shall be considered a single asset account. The New Jersey tax basis of this depreciable asset account shall be an amount equal to the carryover adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes on December 31, 1997 of all depreciable assets in service on December 31, 1997, increased by the excess, of the "net carrying value," defined to be adjusted book basis of all assets and liabilities, excluding deferred income taxes, recorded on the public utility's books of account on December 31, 1997, over the carryover adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes on December 31, 1997 of all assets and liabilities owned by the gas, electric, or gas and electric public utility as of December 31, 1997. "Books of account" for gas, gas and electric, and electric public utilities means the uniform system of accounts as promulgated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and adopted by the Board of Public Utilities. The following adjustments to entire net income shall be made pursuant to this section:

(A) Depreciation for property placed in service prior to January 1, 1998 shall be adjusted as follows:

(i) Depreciation for federal income tax purposes shall be disallowed in full.

(ii) A deduction shall be allowed for the New Jersey depreciation allowance. The New Jersey depreciation allowance shall be computed for the single asset account described above based on the New Jersey tax basis as adjusted above as if all assets in the single asset account were first placed in service on January 1, 1998. Depreciation shall be computed using the straight line method over a thirty-year life. A full year's depreciation shall be allowed in the initial tax year. No half-year convention shall apply. The depreciable basis of the single account shall be reduced by the adjusted federal tax basis of assets sold, retired, or otherwise disposed of during any year on which gain or loss is recognized for federal income tax purposes as described in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph.

(B) Gains and losses on sales, retirements and other dispositions of assets placed in service prior to January 1, 1998 shall be recognized and reported on the same basis as for federal income tax purposes.

(C) The Director of the Division of Taxation shall promulgate regulations describing the methodology for allocating the single asset account in the event that a portion of the utility's operations are separated, spun-off, transferred to a separate company or otherwise desegregated.

(8) In the case of taxpayers that are gas, electric, gas and electric, or telecommunications public utilities as defined pursuant to subsection (q) of this section, the director shall have authority to promulgate rules and issue guidance correcting distortions and adjusting timing differences resulting from the adoption of P.L.1997, c.162 (C.54:10A-5.25 et al.).

(9) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, entire net income shall not include the income derived by a corporation organized in a foreign country from the international operation of a ship or ships, or from the international operation of aircraft, if such income is exempt from federal taxation pursuant to section 883 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.883.

(10) Entire net income shall exclude all income of an alien corporation the activities of which are limited in this State to investing or trading in stocks and securities for its own account, investing or trading in commodities for its own account, or any combination of those activities, within the meaning of section 864 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.864, as in effect on December 31, 1998. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, if an alien corporation undertakes one or more infrequent, extraordinary or non-recurring activities, including but not limited to the sale of tangible property, only the income from such infrequent, extraordinary or non-recurring activity shall be subject to the tax imposed pursuant to P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-1 et seq.), and that amount of income subject to tax shall be determined without regard to the allocation to that specific transaction of any general business expense of the taxpayer and shall be specifically assigned to this State for taxation by this State without regard to section 6 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-6). For the purposes of this paragraph, "alien corporation" means a corporation organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than the United States or its political subdivisions.

(11) No deduction shall be allowed for research and experimental expenditures, to the extent that those research and experimental expenditures are qualified research expenses or basic research payments for which an amount of credit is claimed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1993, c.175 (C.54:10A-5.24) unless those research and experimental expenditures are also used to compute a federal credit claimed pursuant to section 41 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.41.

(12) (A) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (k) of section 168 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.168, subsection (b) of section 1400L of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.1400L, or any other federal law, for property acquired after September 10, 2001, the depreciation deduction otherwise allowed pursuant to section 167 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.167, shall be determined pursuant to the provisions of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. s.1 et seq.) in effect on December 31, 2001.

(B) The director shall prescribe the rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this paragraph, including, among others, those for determining the adjusted basis of the acquired property for the purposes of the Corporation Business Tax Act (1945), P.L.1945, c.162.

(13) (A) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 179 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.179, for property placed in service on or after January 1, 2004, the costs that a taxpayer may otherwise elect to treat as an expense which is not chargeable to a capital account shall be determined pursuant to the provisions of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. s.1 et seq.) in effect on December 31, 2002.

(14) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (i) of section 108 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. s.108), for privilege periods beginning after December 31, 2008 and before January 1, 2011, entire net income shall include the amount of discharge of indebtedness income excluded for federal income tax purposes pursuant to subsection (i) of section 108 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. s.108), and for privilege periods beginning on or after January 1, 2014 and before January 1, 2019, entire net income shall exclude the amount of discharge of indebtedness income included for federal income tax purposes, pursuant to subsection (i) of section 108 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. s.108).

(15) Entire net income shall exclude the gain or income derived from the sale or assignment of a tax credit transfer certificate pursuant to section 7 of P.L.2011, c.149 (C.34:1B-248) and section 10 of P.L.2014, c.63 (C.34:1B-251).

(16) (A) There shall be allowed as a deduction an amount computed in accordance with this paragraph.

(B) For purposes of this paragraph, "net deferred tax liability" means deferred tax liabilities that exceed the deferred tax assets of the combined group, as computed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and "net deferred tax asset" means that deferred tax assets exceed the deferred tax liabilities of the combined group, as computed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

(C) Only publicly traded companies, including affiliated corporations participating in the filing of a publicly traded company's financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, as of the effective date of this paragraph, shall be eligible for this deduction.

(D) If the provisions of sections 18 through 23 of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:10A-4.6 to C.54:10A-4.11) result in an aggregate increase to the members' net deferred tax liability or an aggregate decrease to the members' net deferred tax asset, or an aggregate change from a net deferred tax asset to a net deferred tax liability, the combined group shall be entitled to a deduction, as determined in this paragraph.

(E) For 10 years beginning with the combined group's first privilege period beginning on or after January 1 of the fifth year after the effective date of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:10A-5.41 et al.), a combined group shall be entitled to a deduction from combined group entire net income equal to one-tenth of the amount necessary to offset the increase in the net deferred tax liability or decrease in the net deferred tax asset, or aggregate change from a net deferred tax asset to a net deferred tax liability. Such increase in the net deferred tax liability or decrease in the net deferred tax asset or the aggregate change from a net deferred tax asset to a net deferred tax liability shall be computed based on the change that would result from the imposition of the unitary reporting requirements under sections 1 and 18 through 23 of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:10A-5.41 and C.54:10A-4.6 to C.54:10A-4.11) but for the deduction provided under this paragraph as of the effective date of this paragraph.

(F) The deferred tax impact determined in subparagraph (E) of this paragraph must be converted to the annual Deferred Tax Deduction amount, as follows:

(i) the deferred tax impact determined in subparagraph (E) of this paragraph shall be divided by the rate determined under section 5 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-5) at the effective date of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:10A-5.41 et al.);

(ii) the resulting amount shall be further divided by the New Jersey unitary business allocation factor that was used by the combined group in the calculation of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities as described in subparagraph (E) of this paragraph;

(iii) the resulting amount represents the total net Deferred Tax Deduction available over the ten-year period as described in subparagraph (E) of this paragraph.

(G) The deduction calculated under this paragraph shall not be adjusted as a result of any events happening subsequent to such calculation, including, but not limited to, any disposition or abandonment of assets. Such deduction shall be calculated without regard to the federal tax effect and shall not alter the tax basis of any asset. If the deduction under this section is greater than combined group entire net income, any excess deduction shall be carried forward and applied as a deduction to combined group entire net income in future privilege periods until fully utilized.

(H) Any combined group intending to claim a deduction under this paragraph shall file a statement with the director on or before July 1 of the year subsequent to the first privilege period for which a combined return is required. Such statement shall specify the total amount of the deduction which the combined group claims on such form and in such manner as prescribed by the director. No deduction shall be allowed under this paragraph for any privilege period except to the extent claimed on such timely filed statement in accordance with this paragraph.

(17) The taxpayer shall include 90% of the taxpayer’s income required to be included in the taxpayer’s federal gross income as reported for the federal taxable year pursuant to subsection (a) of section 951A of the federal Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. s.951A), without regard to the deduction permitted pursuant to section 250 of the federal Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. s.250).

(l) "Real estate investment trust" shall mean any corporation, trust or association qualifying and electing to be taxed as a real estate investment trust under federal law.

(m) "Financial business corporation" shall mean any corporate enterprise which is (1) in substantial competition with the business of national banks and which (2) employs moneyed capital with the object of making profit by its use as money, through discounting and negotiating promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange and other evidences of debt; buying and selling exchange; making of or dealing in secured or unsecured loans and discounts; dealing in securities and shares of corporate stock by purchasing and selling such securities and stock without recourse, solely upon the order and for the account of customers; or investing and reinvesting in marketable obligations evidencing indebtedness of any person, copartnership, association or corporation in the form of bonds, notes or debentures commonly known as investment securities; or dealing in or underwriting obligations of the United States, any state or any political subdivision thereof, or of a corporate instrumentality of any of them. This shall include, without limitation of the foregoing, business commonly known as industrial banks, dealers in commercial paper and acceptances, sales finance, personal finance, small loan and mortgage financing businesses, as well as any other enterprise employing moneyed capital coming into competition with the business of national banks; provided that the holding of bonds, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness by individual persons not employed or engaged in the banking or investment business and representing merely personal investments not made in competition with the business of national banks, shall not be deemed financial business. Nor shall "financial business" include national banks, production credit associations organized under the Farm Credit Act of 1933 or the Farm Credit Act of 1971, Pub.L.92-181 (12 U.S.C. s.2091 et seq.), stock and mutual insurance companies duly authorized to transact business in this State, security brokers or dealers or investment companies or bankers not employing moneyed capital coming into competition with the business of national banks, real estate investment trusts, or any of the following entities organized under the laws of this State: credit unions, savings banks, savings and loan and building and loan associations, pawnbrokers, and State banks and trust companies.

(n) "International banking facility" shall mean a set of asset and liability accounts segregated on the books and records of a depository institution, United States branch or agency of a foreign bank, or an Edge or Agreement Corporation that includes only international banking facility time deposits and international banking facility extensions of credit as such terms are defined in section 204.8(a)(2) and section 204.8(a)(3) of Regulation D of the board of governors of the Federal Reserve System, 12 CFR Part 204, effective December 3, 1981. In the event that the United States enacts a law, or the board of governors of the Federal Reserve System adopts a regulation which amends the present definition of international banking facility or of such facilities' time deposits or extensions of credit, the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance shall forthwith adopt regulations defining such terms in the same manner as such terms are set forth in the laws of the United States or the regulations of the board of governors of the Federal Reserve System. The regulations of the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance shall thereafter provide the applicable definitions.

(o) "S corporation" means a corporation included in the definition of an "S corporation" pursuant to section 1361 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.1361.

(p) "New Jersey S corporation" means a corporation that is an S corporation; which has made a valid election pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1993, c.173 (C.54:10A-5.22); and which has been an S corporation continuously since the effective date of the valid election made pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1993, c.173 (C.54:10A-5.22).

(q) "Public Utility" means "public utility" as defined in R.S.48:2-13.

(r) "Qualified investment partnership" means a partnership under this act that has more than 10 members or partners with no member or partner owning more than a 50% interest in the entity and that derives at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stocks or securities or foreign currencies or commodities or other similar income (including but not limited to gains from swaps, options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing or trading in those stocks, securities, currencies or commodities, but "investment partnership" shall not include a "dealer in securities" within the meaning of section 1236 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.1236.

(s) "Savings institution" means a state or federally chartered building and loan association, savings and loan association, or savings bank.

(t) "Partnership" means an entity classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.

(u) "Prior net operating loss conversion carryover" means a net operating loss incurred in a privilege period ending prior to July 31, 2019 and converted from a pre-allocation net operating loss to a post-allocation net operating loss as follows:

(1) As used in this subsection:

"Base year" means the last privilege period ending prior to July 31, 2019.

"Base year BAF" means the taxpayer's business allocation factor as provided in sections 6 through 10 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-6 through C.54:10A-10) for purposes of calculating entire net income for the base year, as such section was in effect for the last privilege period ending prior to July 31, 2019.

"UNOL" means the unabsorbed portion of net operating loss as calculated under paragraph (6) of subsection (k) of this section as such paragraph was in effect for the last privilege period ending prior to July 31, 2019, that was not deductible in previous privilege periods and was eligible for carryover on the last day of the base year subject to the limitations for deduction under such subsection, including any net operating loss sustained by the taxpayer during the base year.

(2) The prior net operating loss conversion carryover shall be calculated as follows:

(A) The taxpayer shall first calculate the tax value of its UNOL for the base year and for each preceding privilege period for which there is a UNOL. The value of the UNOL for each privilege period is equal to the product of (I) the amount of the taxpayer's UNOL for a privilege period, and (II) the taxpayer's base year BAF. This result shall equal the taxpayer's prior net operating loss conversion carryover.

(B) The taxpayer shall continue to carry over its prior net operating loss conversion carryover to offset its allocated entire net income as provided in sections 6 through 10 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-6 through C.54:10A-10) for privilege periods ending on and after July 31, 2019. Such carryover periods shall not exceed the twenty privilege periods following the privilege period of the initial loss. The entire amount of the prior net operating loss conversion carryover for any privilege period shall be carried to the earliest of the privilege periods to which the loss may be carried. The portion of the prior net operating loss conversion carryover which shall be carried to each of the other privilege periods shall be the excess, if any, of the amount of the prior net operating loss conversion carryover over the sum of the entire net income, computed without the exclusions permitted in paragraphs (4) and (5) of subsection (k) of this section allocated to this State.

(C) The prior net operating loss conversion carryover computed under this subsection shall be applied against the entire net income allocated to this State before the net operating loss carryover computed under subsection (v) of this section.

(v) "Net operating loss deduction" means the amount allowed as a deduction for the net operating loss carryover to the privilege period, calculated as follows:

(1) Net operating loss carryover. A net operating loss for any privilege period ending on or after July 31, 2019, shall be a net operating loss carryover to each of the twenty privilege periods following the period of the loss. The entire amount of the net operating loss for any privilege period shall be carried to the earliest of the privilege periods to which the loss may be carried. The portion of the loss which shall be carried to each of the other privilege periods shall be the excess, if any, of the amount of the loss over the sum of the entire net income, computed without the exclusions permitted in paragraphs (4) and (5) of subsection (k) of this section allocated to this State.

(2) Net operating loss. For purposes of this paragraph the term "net operating loss" means the excess of the deductions over the gross income used in computing entire net income, without regard to any net operating loss carryover, and computed without the exclusions in paragraphs (4) and (5) of subsection (k) of this section, allocated to this State pursuant to sections 6 through 10 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-6 through C.54:10A-10).

(3) Reduction for discharge of indebtedness. A net operating loss for any privilege period ending on or after July 31, 2019, and any net operating loss carryover to such privilege period, shall be reduced by the amount excluded from federal taxable income under subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of section 108 of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.108, for the privilege period of the discharge of indebtedness.

(4) A net operating loss carryover shall not include any net operating loss incurred during any privilege period ending prior to July 31, 2019.

(5) Change in ownership. Where there is a change in 50% or more of the ownership of a corporation because of redemption or sale of stock and the corporation changes the trade or business giving rise to the loss, no net operating loss sustained before the changes may be carried over to be deducted from income earned after such changes. In addition, where the facts support the premise that the corporation was acquired under any circumstances for the primary purpose of the use of its net operating loss carryover, the director may disallow the carryover; provided, however, this paragraph shall not apply between members of a combined group reported on a New Jersey combined return.

(w) "Taxable net income" means entire net income allocated to this State as calculated pursuant to sections 6 through 8 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-6 through 54:10A-8) as modified by subtracting any prior net operating loss conversion carryforward calculated pursuant to subsection (u) of this section, and any net operating loss calculated pursuant to subsection (v) of this section.

(x) "Affiliated group" means an affiliated group as defined in section 1504 of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.1504, except such affiliated group shall include all domestic corporations that are commonly owned, directly or indirectly, by any member of such affiliated group, without regard to whether the affiliated group includes (1) corporations included in more than one federal consolidated return, (2) corporations engaged in one or more unitary businesses, or (3) corporations that are not engaged in a unitary business with any other member of the affiliated group.

(y) "Combinable captive insurance company" means an entity that is treated as an association taxable as a corporation under the federal Internal Revenue Code:

(1) more than 50% of the voting stock of which is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by a single entity that is treated as an association taxable as a corporation under the federal Internal Revenue Code, and not exempt from federal income tax;

(2) that is licensed as a captive insurance company under the laws of this State or another jurisdiction;

(3) whose business includes providing, directly and indirectly, insurance or reinsurance covering the risks of its parent, members of its affiliated group, or both; and

(4) 50% or less of whose gross receipts for the privilege period consist of premiums from arrangements that constitute insurance for federal income tax purposes.

A combinable captive insurance company shall not be exempt under section 3 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-3). A captive insurance company that does not meet the definition of combinable captive insurance company shall be excluded as provided in subsection k. of section 18 of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:10A-4.6) and shall be exempt under section 3 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-3).

For purposes of this definition:

"Affiliated group" shall have the same meaning as that term is given by section 1504 of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.1504, except that the term "common parent corporation" as used in section 1504 of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.1504, shall mean any person, as defined in section 7701 of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.7701, and references to "at least 80%" in section 1504 of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.1504, shall be read as "50% or more." Section 1504 of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.1504, shall be read without regard to the exclusions provided for in subsection (b) of that section.

"Gross receipts" includes the amounts included in gross receipts for purposes of paragraph (15) of subsection (c) of section 501 of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.501, except that those amounts also include all premiums.

"Premiums" includes consideration for annuity contracts and excludes any part of the consideration for insurance, reinsurance, or annuity contracts that do not provide bona fide insurance, reinsurance, or annuity benefits.

(z) "Combined group" means the group of all companies that have common ownership and are engaged in a unitary business, where at least one company is subject to tax under this chapter, and shall include all business entities, except as provided for under any section of the Corporation Business Tax Act (1945), P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-1 et seq.).

(aa) "Common ownership" means that more than 50% of the voting control of each member of a combined group is directly or indirectly owned by a common owner or owners, either corporate or non-corporate, whether or not the owner or owners are members of the combined group. Whether voting control is indirectly owned shall be determined in accordance with section 318 of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.318.

(bb) "Group privilege period" means, if two or more members in the combined group file in the same federal consolidated tax return, the same income year as that used on the federal consolidated tax return and, in all other cases, the privilege period of the managerial member.

(cc) "Managerial member" means if the combined group has a common parent corporation and that common parent corporation is a taxable member, the managerial member shall be the common parent corporation. In other cases, the combined group shall select a taxable member as its managerial member or, in the discretion of the director or upon failure of the combined group to select its managerial member, the director shall designate a taxable member of the combined group as managerial member.

(dd) "Member" means a business entity that is a part of a combined group.

(ee) "Nontaxable member" means a member that is: (i) not subject to tax pursuant to the Corporation Business Tax Act (1945), P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-1 et seq.) and is not a corporation exempted from the tax pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-3) except for a combinable captive insurance company; or (ii) a New Jersey S Corporation which does not elect to be included in the combined group.

(ff) "Taxable member" means a member that is subject to tax pursuant to the Corporation Business Tax Act (1945), P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-1 et seq.).

(gg) "Unitary business" means a single economic enterprise that is made up either of separate parts of a single business entity or of a group of business entities under common ownership that are sufficiently interdependent, integrated, and interrelated through their activities so as to provide a synergy and mutual benefit that produces a sharing or exchange of value among them and a significant flow of value among the separate parts. "Unitary business" shall be construed to the broadest extent permitted under the Constitution of the United States. A business conducted by a partnership which is in a unitary business with the combined group shall be treated as the business of the partners that are members of the combined group, whether the partnership interest is held directly or indirectly through a series of partnerships, to the extent of a partner's distributive share of partnership income. The amount of partnership income to be included in the partner's entire net income shall be determined in accordance with subsection a. of section 3 of P.L.2001, c.136 (C.54:10A-15.6) or subsection a. of section 4 of P.L.2001, c.136 (C.54:10A-15.7), as applicable. A business conducted directly or indirectly by one corporation is unitary with that portion of a business conducted by another corporation through its direct or indirect interest in a partnership.

(cf: P.L.2018, c.131, s.2)

2. Section 5 of P.L.2002, c.40 (C.54:10A-4.4) is amended to read as follows:

5. a. For the purposes of this section:

"Intangible expenses and costs" includes (1) expenses, losses and costs for, related to, or in connection directly or indirectly with the direct or indirect acquisition, use, maintenance or management, ownership, sale, exchange, or any other disposition of intangible property to the extent such amounts are allowed as deductions or costs in determining taxable income before operating loss deduction and special deductions for the taxable year under the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.1 et seq.; (2) losses related to, or incurred in connection directly or indirectly with, factoring transactions or discounting transactions; (3) royalty, patent, technical and copyright fees; (4) licensing fees; and (5) other similar expenses and costs.

"Intangible property" means patents, patent applications, trade names, trademarks, service marks, copyrights, mask works, trade secrets and similar types of intangible assets.

"Interest expenses and costs" means amounts directly or indirectly allowed as deductions under section 163 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.163, for purposes of determining taxable income under the code to the extent such expenses and costs are directly or indirectly for, related to, or in connection with the direct or indirect acquisition, maintenance, management, ownership, sale, exchange or disposition of intangible property.

"Related member" means a person that, with respect to the taxpayer during all or any portion of the privilege period, is: (1) a related entity, (2) a component member as defined in subsection (b) of section 1563 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.1563, (3) is a person to or from whom there is attribution of stock ownership in accordance with subsection (e) of section 1563 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.1563, or (4) is a person that, notwithstanding its form of organization, bears the same relationship to the taxpayer as a person described in (1) through (3) of this definition.

"Related entity" means (1) a stockholder who is an individual, or a member of the stockholder's family enumerated in section 318 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.318, if the stockholder and the members of the stockholder's family own, directly, indirectly, beneficially or constructively, in the aggregate, 50% or more of the value of the taxpayer's outstanding stock; (2) a stockholder, or a stockholder's partnership, limited liability company, estate, trust or corporation, if the stockholder and the stockholder's partnerships, limited liability companies, estates, trusts and corporations own directly, indirectly, beneficially or constructively, in the aggregate, 50% or more per cent of the value of the taxpayer's outstanding stock; or (3) a corporation, or a party related to the corporation in a manner that would require an attribution of stock from the corporation to the party or from the party to the corporation under the attribution rules of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.318, if the taxpayer owns, directly, indirectly, beneficially or constructively, 50% or more percent of the value of the corporation's outstanding stock. The attribution rules of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.318, shall apply for purposes of determining whether the ownership requirements of this definition have been met.

b. For purposes of computing its entire net income under section 4 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-4), a taxpayer shall add back otherwise deductible interest expenses and costs and intangible expenses and costs directly or indirectly paid, accrued or incurred to, or in connection directly or indirectly with one or more direct or indirect transactions with, one or more related members.

c. (1) The adjustments required in subsection b. of this section shall not apply if: (a) the interest expenses and costs and intangible expenses and costs are directly or indirectly paid, accrued or incurred to a related member in a foreign nation which has in force a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States [and the (i) related member was subject to tax in the foreign nation on a tax base that included the amount paid, accrued, or incurred and (ii) the related member's income received from the transaction was taxed at an effective tax rate equal to or greater than a rate of three percentage points less than the rate of tax applied to taxable interest by the State of New Jersey pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-5)]; or (b) the taxpayer establishes by clear and convincing evidence, as determined by the director, that the adjustments are unreasonable; or (c) the taxpayer and the director agree in writing to the application or use of an alternative method of apportionment under section 8 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-8). Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit or negate the director's authority to otherwise enter into agreements and compromises otherwise allowed by law.

(2) For the purposes of qualifying for the exception provided by subparagraph (a) of paragraph (1) of this subsection, the taxpayer shall disclose on its return for the privilege period the name of the related member, the amount of the interest expenses and costs and intangible expenses and costs deducted, the relevant foreign nation, and such other information as the director may prescribe.

(3) The adjustments required in subsection b. of this section shall not apply to the portion of interest expenses and costs and intangible expenses and costs that the taxpayer establishes by a preponderance of the evidence meets both of the following: (a) the related member during the same income year directly or indirectly paid, received, accrued or incurred the portion to or from a person that is not a related member, and (b) the transaction giving rise to the interest expenses and costs or the intangible expenses and costs between the taxpayer and the related member did not have as a principal purpose the avoidance of any portion of the tax due under Title 54 of the Revised Statutes or Title 54A of the New Jersey Statutes.

d. Nothing in this section shall require a taxpayer to add to its net income more than once any amount of interest expenses and costs and intangible expenses and costs that the taxpayer pays, accrues or incurs to a related member described in subsection b. of this section.

e. The adjustments required by this section shall not apply to transactions between related members included in a combined group reported on a New Jersey combined return.

f. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or negate the director's authority to make adjustments under paragraph (3) of subsection (k) of section 4 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-4), section 8 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-8), or section 10 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-10).

(cf: P.L.2018, c.131, s.3)

3. Section 18 of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:10A-4.6) is amended to read as follows:

18. A taxable member of a combined group shall determine its entire net income from the unitary business as its share of the entire net income of the combined group in accordance with a combined unitary tax return made pursuant to this section and sections 19, 20, and 23 of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:18A-4.7, C.54:18A-4.8, and C.54:10A-4.11). The entire net income from the unitary business of a combined group is the sum of the entire net incomes of each taxable member and each nontaxable member of the combined group derived from the unitary business, which shall be determined as follows:

a. For a member incorporated in the United States, the income included in income of the combined group shall be the member's entire net income otherwise determined pursuant to the Corporation Business Tax Act (1945), P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-1 et seq.).

b. For a member not incorporated in the United States, the income to be included in the entire net income of the combined group shall be determined from a profit and loss statement that shall be prepared for each foreign branch or corporation in the currency in which the books of account of the branch or corporation are regularly maintained, adjusted to conform it to the accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for the presentation of those statements and further adjusted to take into account any book-tax differences required by federal or State law. The profit and loss statement of each foreign member of the combined group and the allocation factors related thereto, whether United States or foreign, shall be translated into or from the currency in which the parent company maintains its books and records on any reasonable basis consistently applied on a year-to-year or entity-by-entity basis. Income shall be expressed in United States dollars. In lieu of these procedures and subject to the determination of the director that the income to be reported reasonably approximates income as determined under the Corporation Business Tax Act (1945), P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-1 et seq.), income may be determined on any reasonable basis consistently applied on a year-to-year or entity-by-entity basis.

c. (1) If a member of a combined group receives income from the unitary business from a partnership, the combined group's entire net income shall include the member's direct and indirect distributive share of the partnership's unitary business income.

(2) The distributive share of income received by a limited partner from a qualified investment partnership shall not be considered to be derived from a unitary business unless the general partner of such investment partnership and such limited partner have common ownership. To the extent that the limited partner is otherwise carrying on or doing business in New Jersey, it shall allocate its distributive share of income from a qualified investment partnership in accordance with subsection a. of section 3 of P.L.2001, c.136 (C.54:10A-15.6) or subsection a. of section 4 of P.L.2001, c.136 (C.54:10A-15.7) as applicable. If the limited partner is not otherwise carrying on or doing business in New Jersey, its distributive share of income from an investment partnership is not subject to tax under this chapter.

d. All dividends paid by one member to another member of the combined group shall be eliminated from the income of the recipient.

e. Except as otherwise provided by regulation, business income from an intercompany transaction among members of the same combined group shall be deferred in a manner similar to the deferral under 26 C.F.R. s.1.1502-13, as determined by the director. Upon the occurrence of either of the events set forth in subparagraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection, deferred income resulting from an intercompany transaction among members of a combined group shall be restored to the income of the seller and shall be included in the net income of the combined group as if the seller had earned the income immediately before the event:

(1) The object of a deferred intercompany transaction is: (a) resold by the buyer to an entity that is not a member of the combined group, (b) resold by the buyer to an entity that is a member of the combined group for use outside the unitary business in which the buyer and seller are engaged, or (c) converted by the buyer to a use outside the unitary business in which the buyer and seller are engaged; or

(2) The buyer and seller cease to be members of the same combined group, regardless of whether the buyer and seller remain sufficiently interdependent, integrated, and interrelated through their activities so as to provide a synergy and mutual benefit that produces a sharing or exchange of value between them.

f. A charitable expense incurred by a member of a combined group shall, to the extent allowable as a deduction pursuant to section 170 of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.170, be subtracted first from the combined group's entire net income, subject to the income limitations of that section applied to the entire business income of the group. A charitable deduction disallowed under section 170 of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.170, but allowed as a carryover deduction in a subsequent privilege period, shall be treated as originally incurred in the subsequent year by the same member and the provisions of this section shall apply in the subsequent privilege period in determining the allowable deduction for that privilege period.

g. A prior net operating loss conversion carryover incurred by a member of a combined group shall be deducted from the entire net income or loss allocated to this state pursuant to section 19 of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:10A-4.7) as follows:

(1) Such prior net operating loss conversion carryover deduction shall be allowed to offset only the entire net income allocated to this state of the corporation that created the prior net operating loss; the prior net operating loss conversion carryover cannot be shared with other members of the combined group.

(2) The prior net operating loss conversion carryover deduction computed under subsection (u) of section 4 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-4) shall be applied against the entire net income allocated to this state of the corporation that created the prior net operating loss before the net operating loss carryover computed under subsection h. of this section.

The director shall provide regulations establishing rules on how each such corporation shall apply its prior net operating loss conversion carryover against its share of entire net income allocated as if filing on a separate entity basis.

h. A net operating loss carryover incurred by a member of a combined group shall be deducted from entire net income or loss allocated to this State pursuant to section 19 of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:10A-4.7) as follows:

(1) For privilege periods beginning on or after the first day of the initial privilege period for which a combined unitary tax return is required under this section and sections 19, 20, and 23 of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:18A-4.7, C.54:18A-4.8, and C.54:18A-4.11), [if the computation of a combined group's entire net income allocated to this state results in a net operating loss,] a taxable member of [such] a combined group may carry over the net operating loss allocated to this state, as calculated under this section and sections 19 and 23 of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:18A-4.7 and C.54:18A-4.11), and shall be deductible from entire net income derived from the unitary business in a future privilege period to the extent that the carryover and deduction is otherwise consistent with subsection (v) of section 4 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-4).

(2) Where a taxable member of a combined group has a net operating loss carryover derived from a loss incurred by [a combined group] the taxable member in a privilege period beginning on or after the first day of the initial privilege period for which a combined unitary tax return is required under this section and sections 19, 20, and 23 of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:18A-4.7, C.54:18A-4.8, and C.54:18A-4.11), then the taxable member may share the net operating loss carryover with other taxable members of the combined group if such other taxable members were members of the combined group in the privilege period that the loss was incurred. Any amount of net operating loss carryover that is deducted by another taxable member of the combined group shall reduce the amount of net operating loss carryover that may be carried over by the taxable member that originally incurred the loss.

(3) Where a taxable member of a combined group has a net operating loss carryover derived from a loss incurred in a privilege period during which the taxable member was not a member of such combined group, the carryover shall remain available to be deducted by that taxable member or other group members that, in the year the loss was incurred, were part of the same combined group as such taxable member. Such carryover shall not be deductible by any other members of the combined group.

(4) A net operating loss carryover shall not include any net operating loss incurred during any privilege period beginning prior to the first day of the initial privilege period for which a combined unitary tax return is required under this section and sections 19 and 23 of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:18A-4.7 and C.54:18A-4.11).

i. Tax credits earned by a member of a combined group shall be utilized as follows:

(1) If a taxable member of a combined group earns a tax credit in a privilege period beginning on or after the first day of the initial privilege period for which a combined unitary tax return is required under this section and sections 19, 20, and 23 of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:18A-4.7, C.54:18A-4.8, and C.54:18A-4.11), then the taxable member may share the credit with other taxable members of the combined group. Any amount of credit that is utilized by another taxable member of the combined group shall reduce the amount of credit carryover that may be carried over by the taxable member that originally earned the credit. If a taxable member of a combined group has a tax credit carryover derived from a privilege period beginning on or after the first day of the initial privilege period for which a combined unitary tax return is required under this section and sections 19, 20, and 23 of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:18A-4.7, C.54:18A-4.8, and C.54:18A-4.11), then the taxable member may share the carryover credit with other taxable members of the combined group.

(2) If a taxable member of a combined group has a tax credit carryover derived from a privilege period beginning prior to the first day of the initial privilege period for which a combined unitary tax return is required under this section and sections 19, 20, and 23 of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:18A-4.7, C.54:18A-4.8, and C.54:18A-4.11), then the taxable member may share the carryover credit with other taxable members of the combined group.

(3) If a taxable member of a combined group has a tax credit carryover derived from a privilege period during which the taxable member was not a member of such combined group, the credit carryover shall remain available to be utilized by such taxable member or other group members.

(4) To the extent a taxable member has more than one corporation business tax credit that it may utilize in a privilege period, whether such credits were earned by said member or are available to said member in accordance with paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) of this subsection, the order of priority of the application of the credits shall be as prescribed by the director.

j. An expense of a member of the combined group that is directly or indirectly attributable to the income of any member of the combined group, which income this State is prohibited from taxing pursuant to the laws or Constitution of the United States, shall be disallowed as a deduction for purposes of determining the combined group's entire net income.

k. Nothing in this section shall apply to:

(1) A corporation or combined group which is licensed, in whole or in part, as an insurance company under the laws of this State or of another state, including corporations which are surplus lines insurers declared eligible by the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance pursuant to section 11 of P.L.1960, c.32 (C.17:22-6.45) to insure risks within this State that is not a combinable captive insurance company. Notwithstanding a provision, if any, to the contrary in this section, the income of an insurance company that is not a combinable captive insurance company, the allocation or apportionment of income related thereto and the apportionment factors of an insurance company that is not a combinable captive insurance company shall not be included in a combined unitary tax return filed under this section and sections 19, 20, and 23 of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:18A-4.7, C.54:18A-4.8, and C.54:18A-4.11). In addition, the dividend exclusion provisions of paragraph (5) of subsection (k) of section 4 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-4) relating to dividends paid by insurance companies to non-insurance companies included in the unitary group shall not be affected by P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:10A-5.41 et al.).

(2) A corporation that is regulated, in whole or in part, by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, or similar regulatory body of another state, with respect to rates charged to customers for electric or gas services and water and wastewater services.

l. The director shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

(cf: P.L.2018, c.131, s.4)

4. Section 23 of P.L.2018, c.48 (C.54:10A-4.11) is amended to read as follows:

23. a. The managerial member of a combined group may elect to have the combined group determined on a world-wide basis or an affiliated group basis. If no such election is made, the combined group shall be determined on a water's-edge basis and will take into account the incomes and allocation factors of only the following members of the combined group:

(1) each member incorporated in the United States, or formed under the laws of the United States, any state, the District of Columbia, or any territory or possession of the United States, excluding such a member if eighty per cent or more of both its property and payroll during the privilege period are located outside the United States, the District of Columbia, and any territory or possession of the United States;

(2) each member, wherever incorporated or formed, if twenty per cent or more of both its property and payroll during the privilege period are located in the United States, the District of Columbia, or any territory or possession of the United States;

(3) any member that earns more than 20% of its income, directly or indirectly, from intangible property or related service activities that are deductible against the income of other members of the combined group;

(4) each member that has income as defined under the Corporation Business Tax Act (1945), P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-1 et seq.) and has sufficient nexus in New Jersey pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-2).

b. A world-wide election or an affiliated group election is effective only if made on a timely filed, original return for a privilege period by the managerial member of the combined group. Such election is binding for, and applicable to, the privilege period for which it is made and for the five immediately succeeding privilege periods. Provided however, the election can be revoked prior to the expiration of the binding period by written request to the Director of Taxation for reasonable cause including but not limited to a substantial change in ownership, members of the combined group or principal business, or changes in tax law, regulation or policy.

c. If the managerial member elects to determine the members of a combined group on an affiliated group basis, the taxable members shall take into account the entire net income or loss and allocation factors of all of the members of its affiliated group, regardless of whether such members are engaged in a unitary business, that are subject to tax or would be subject to tax under this chapter, if doing business in this State.

d. For a combined group that determines its net income or loss on a water’s-edge basis pursuant to this section, an item of income of a corporation that is organized outside of the United States shall not be included in the net income of the combined group to the extent that the item is exempt from United States federal income tax by virtue of a federal income tax treaty. Any items of expense and apportionment factors related to that item of exempt income shall be excluded in the determination of net income of the combined group to the extent provided in regulations issued by the director. However, that item of exempt income shall be taken into account to determine whether the corporation is included in the water’s-edge group pursuant to this section. If a corporation organized outside of the United States is included in a water’s-edge combined group and has an item of income that is exempt from United States federal income tax by virtue of a federal tax treaty, the corporation shall be considered to be included in the combined group pursuant to this section only with regard to any items of income described pursuant to this section that are not exempt, taking into account items of expense and apportionment factors associated with those items of non-exempt income to the extent provided by regulations issued by the director.

Nothing in this subsection shall prevent the director from adjusting, pursuant to section 5 of P.L.2002, c.40 (C.54:10A-4.4), section 10 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-10), or any other provision of law, any deduction claimed by the payer for amounts that are excluded from the net income of the combined groups pursuant to this subsection. The director may require the reporting of the amounts of excluded income and the documentation of any claimed treaty exemption as conditions to be met by a payer claiming a deduction of those payments.

e. The director shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

(cf: P.L.2018, c.48, s.23)

5. Section 5 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-5) is amended to read as follows:

5. The franchise tax to be annually assessed to and paid by each taxpayer shall be the greater of the amount computed pursuant to this section or the alternative minimum assessment computed pursuant to section 7 of P.L.2002, c.40 (C.54:10A-5a); provided however, that in the case of a taxpayer that is a New Jersey S corporation, an investment company, a professional corporation organized pursuant to P.L.1969, c.232 (C.14A:17-1 et seq.) or a similar corporation for profit organized for the purpose of rendering professional services under the laws of another state, or a person operating on a cooperative basis under Part I of Subchapter T of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.1381 et seq., there shall be no alternative minimum assessment computed pursuant to section 7 of P.L.2002, c.40 (C.54:10A-5a).

The amount computed pursuant to this section shall be the sum of the amount computed under subsection (a) hereof, or in the alternative to the amount computed under subsection (a) hereof, the amount computed under subsection (f) hereof, and the amount computed under subsection (c) hereof:

(a) That portion of its entire net worth as may be allocable to this State as provided in section 6, multiplied by the following rates: 2 mills per dollar on the first $100,000,000.00 of allocated net worth; 4/10 of a mill per dollar on the second $100,000,000.00; 3/10 of a mill per dollar on the third $100,000,000.00; and 2/10 of a mill per dollar on all amounts of allocated net worth in excess of $300,000,000.00; provided, however, that with respect to reports covering accounting or privilege periods set forth below, the rate shall be that percentage of the rate set forth in this subsection for the appropriate year:

Accounting or Privilege

Periods Beginning on or The Percentage of the Rate

after: to be Imposed Shall be:

April 1, 1983 75%

July 1, 1984 50%

July 1, 1985 25%

July 1, 1986 0

(b) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1968, c.250, s.2.)

(c) (1) For a taxpayer that is not a New Jersey S corporation, 3 1/4% of its entire net income or such portion thereof as may be allocable to this State as provided in sections 6 through 10 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-6 through C.54:10A-10), plus such portion thereof as is specifically assigned to this State as provided in section 5 of P.L.1993, c.173 (C.54:10A-6.1); provided, however, that with respect to reports covering accounting or privilege periods or parts thereof ending after December 31, 1967, the rate shall be 4 1/4%; and that with respect to reports covering accounting or privilege periods or parts thereof ending after December 31, 1971, the rate shall be 5 1/2%; and that with respect to reports covering accounting or privilege periods or parts thereof ending after December 31, 1974, the rate shall be 7 1/2%; and that with respect to reports covering privilege periods or parts thereof ending after December 31, 1979, the rate shall be 9%; provided however, that for a taxpayer that has entire net income of $100,000 or less for a privilege period and is not a partnership the rate for that privilege period shall be 7 1/2% and provided further that for a taxpayer that has entire net income of $50,000 or less for a privilege period and is not a partnership the rate for that privilege period shall be 6 1/2%.

For privilege periods ending on or after July 31, 2019, the tax rate shall be applied against taxable net income.

(2) For a taxpayer that is a New Jersey S corporation:

(i) for privilege periods ending on or before June 30, 1998 the rate determined by subtracting the maximum tax bracket rate provided under N.J.S.54A:2-1 for the privilege period from the tax rate that would otherwise be applicable to the taxpayer's entire net income for the privilege period if the taxpayer were not an S corporation provided under paragraph (1) of this subsection for the privilege period; and

(ii) For a taxpayer that has entire net income in excess of $100,000 for the privilege period,

for privilege periods ending on or after July 1, 1998, but on or before June 30, 2001, the rate shall be 2%,

for privilege periods ending on or after July 1, 2001, but on or before June 30, 2006, the rate shall be 1.33%,

for privilege periods ending on or after July 1, 2006, but on or before June 30, 2007, the rate shall be 0.67%, and

for privilege periods ending on or after July 1, 2007 there shall be no rate of tax imposed under this paragraph; and

(iii) For a taxpayer that has entire net income of $100,000 or less for privilege periods ending on or after July 1, 1998, but on or before June 30, 2001, the rate for that privilege period shall be 0.5%, and for privilege periods ending on or after July 1, 2001, there shall be no rate of tax imposed under this paragraph.

(iv) The taxpayer's rate determined under subparagraph (i), (ii) or (iii) of this paragraph shall be multiplied by its entire net income that is not subject to federal income taxation or such portion thereof as may be allocable to this State pursuant to sections 6 through 10 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-6 through C.54:10A-10) plus such portion thereof as is specifically assigned to this State as provided in section 5 of P.L.1993, c.173 (C.54:10A-6.1). For privilege periods ending on or after July 31, 2019, the tax rate shall be applied against taxable net income.

(3) For a taxpayer that is a New Jersey S corporation, in addition to the amount, if any, determined under paragraph (2) of this subsection, the tax rate that would otherwise be applicable to the taxpayer's entire net income for the privilege period if the taxpayer were not an S corporation provided under paragraph (1) of this subsection for the privilege period multiplied by its entire net income that is subject to federal income taxation or such portion thereof as may be allocable to this State pursuant to sections 6 through 10 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-6 through C.54:10A-10). For privilege periods ending on or after July 31, 2019, the tax rate shall be applied against taxable net income.

(d) Provided, however, that the franchise tax to be annually assessed to and paid by any investment company or real estate investment trust, which has elected to report as such and has filed its return in the form and within the time provided in this act and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, shall, in the case of an investment company, be measured by 40% of its entire net income and 40% of its entire net worth, and in the case of a real estate investment trust, by 4% of its entire net income and 15% of its entire net worth, at the rates hereinbefore set forth for the computation of tax on net income and net worth, respectively, but in no case less than $250, and further provided, however, that the franchise tax to be annually assessed to and paid by a regulated investment company which for a period covered by its report satisfies the requirements of Chapter 1, Subchapter M, Part I, Section 852(a) of the federal Internal Revenue Code shall be $250. For privilege periods ending on or after July 31, 2019, the tax rate shall be applied against taxable net income.

(e) The tax assessed to any taxpayer pursuant to this section shall not be less than $25 in the case of a domestic corporation, $50 in the case of a foreign corporation, or $250 in the case of an investment company or regulated investment company. Provided however, that for privilege periods beginning in calendar year 1994 and thereafter the minimum taxes for taxpayers other than an investment company or a regulated investment company shall be as provided in the following schedule:

Period Beginning Domestic Foreign

In Calendar Year Corporation Corporation

Minimum Tax Minimum Tax

1994 $ 50 $100

1995 $100 $200

1996 $150 $200

1997 $200 $200

1998 $200 $200

1999 $200 $200

2000 $200 $200

2001 $210 $210

and for calendar years 2002 through 2005 the minimum tax for all taxpayers shall be $500, and for calendar year 2006 through calendar year 2011 the minimum tax for all corporations, and for privilege periods beginning in calendar year 2012 and thereafter the minimum tax for corporations that are not New Jersey S corporations shall be based on the New Jersey gross receipts of the taxpayer pursuant to the following schedule:

New Jersey Gross Receipts: Minimum Tax:

Less than $100,000 . . . . . . . .$500

$100,000 or more but

less than $250,000 . . . . . . . $750

$250,000 or more but

less than $500,000 . . . . . . $1,000

$500,000 or more but

less than $1,000,000 . . . . . . $1,500

$1,000,000 or more . . . . . . $2,000

and for privilege periods beginning in calendar year 2012 and thereafter the minimum tax for corporations that are New Jersey S corporations shall be based on the New Jersey gross receipts of the taxpayer pursuant to the following schedule:

New Jersey Gross Receipts: Minimum Tax:

Less than $100,000 . . . . . . .$375

$100,000 or more but

less than $250,000 . . . . . . . $562.50

$250,000 or more but

less than $500,000 . . . . . . $750

$500,000 or more but

less than $1,000,000 . . . . . . $1,125

$1,000,000 or more . . . . . . $1,500

provided however, that for a taxpayer that is a member of an affiliated group or a controlled group pursuant to section 1504 or 1563 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.1504 or 1563, and whose group has total payroll of $5,000,000 or more for the privilege period, the minimum tax shall be $2,000 for the privilege period. For privilege periods ending on and after July 31, 2019, the minimum tax of each member of a combined group filing a mandatory or elective New Jersey combined return shall be [$2,000] $1,000 for the group privilege period.

(f) In lieu of the portion of the tax based on net worth and to be computed under subsection (a) of this section, any taxpayer, the value of whose total assets everywhere, less reasonable reserves for depreciation, as of the close of the period covered by its report, amounts to less than $150,000, may elect to pay the tax shown in a table which shall be promulgated by the director.

(g) Provided however, that for privilege periods beginning on or after January 1, 2001 but before January 1, 2002 the franchise tax annually assessed to and paid by a taxpayer:

(1) that is a limited liability company or foreign limited liability company classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes shall be the amount determined pursuant to the provisions of section 3 of P.L.2001, c.136 (C.54:10A-15.6); or

(2) that is a limited partnership or foreign limited partnership classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes shall be the amount determined pursuant to the provisions of section 4 of P.L.2001, c.136 (C.54:10A-15.7).

(h) Provided however, that for privilege periods beginning on or after January 1, 2002 the franchise tax annually assessed to and paid by a taxpayer that is a partnership shall be the amount determined pursuant to the provisions of section 12 of P.L.2002, c.40 (C.54:10A-15.11).

(i) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2008, c.120)

(cf: P.L.2018, c.131, s.6)

6. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that sections 1 and 2 shall apply to privilege periods ending on or after July 31, 2019.

STATEMENT

This bill amends certain provisions of the corporation business tax, including provisions related to combined reporting, relative to: (1) global intangible low-tax income; (2) CBT minimum assessments; (3) ability of taxable members of a combined group to carryover and share net operating losses; and (4) treatment of certain foreign-sourced income subject to a federal income tax treaty.

GLOBAL INTANGIBLE LOW-TAXED INCOME

The federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Public Law 115-97, includes a provision that defined a new category of taxable income, known as global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”), and thereby taxes income received from American shareholders that is derived from tangible assets of controlled foreign corporations. Under current State law, this federally-reported income is to be included in entire net income when a corporate taxpayer determines corporate business tax (“CBT”) liability in a privilege period.

This bill changes current law to provide that, for purposes of determining entire net income under the CBT, a corporate taxpayer should report only 90 percent of the amount of GILTI reported for federal income tax purposes.

Section 250 of the federal Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. s.250) allows taxpayers to receive a 50 percent deduction in the amount of GILTI reported for federal income tax purposes, and chapter 131 of P.L.2018 allows CBT taxpayers to claim a corresponding State deduction. The bill clarifies that the amount of GILTI to be reported for CBT purposes should be determined prior to the application of the federal deduction allowed by section 250 or the State analog, per N.J.S.A.54:10A-4.15.

Combined Group Minimum Tax

This bill reduces the minimum tax imposed on members of a combined group for purposes of combined reporting under the CBT.

Under current law, each member of a combined group filing a mandatory or elective New Jersey combined return is required to pay a minimum tax of $2,000 for the group privilege period. The bill reduces this minimum tax to $1,000.

Net Operating Loss and Combined Groups

This bill broadens the ability of members of a combined group to share a net operating loss carryover under the CBT.

Under current law, if a combined group’s entire net income for a privilege period, allocated to the State, results in a net operating loss (“NOL”), then a taxable member of the group may carry over a NOL, which shall be deductible from entire net income for the unitary business. Moreover, the taxable member may share the NOL carryover with other taxable members who were part of the combined group during the privilege period in which the loss was incurred.

The bill changes the law to provide that a taxable member may carry over an NOL incurred in any privilege period, irrespective of whether the combined group’s entire net income allocated to the State resulted in an NOL. The taxable member may carry over the NOL in accordance with otherwise current law pertaining to NOL carryovers.

Additionally, the taxable member may share the NOL carryover with other taxable members of the combined group that were members of the combined group in the privilege period in which the NOL was incurred.

Treatment of Foreign-Sourced Income Subject to Federal Treaty

Finally, the bill changes the CBT treatment of certain foreign-sourced income that is subject to a federal income tax treaty.

Specifically, the bill provides that, for a combined group that elects to be taxed on a water’s-edge basis, certain income derived from a corporation organized outside of the United States should not be included in the net income of the combined group if that income is exempt from federal income tax by operation of a federal income tax treaty. The Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury, however, is to develop regulations to clarify the treatment of expenses and apportionment factors related to such exempt income.

Moreover, for purposes of the add-back provisions of N.J.S.A.54:10A-4.4 and the related-member interest paid deduction per N.J.S.A.54:10A-4, the bill removes the requirements that the related member be subject to tax in the foreign nation on such amounts in order to qualify for the deduction or avoid the add-back provision. Thus, the taxpayer must only demonstrate that the amounts were paid or incurred by a related member in a foreign nation with an effective comprehensive income tax treaty in effect with the United States.