N.J. Admin. Code § 18:7-5.2

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 23, December 2, 2024

Section 18:7-5.2 - Entire net income; how computed

(a) "Taxable income before net operating loss deduction and special deductions," hereinafter referred to as "Federal taxable income," is the starting point in the computation of the entire net income. After determining Federal taxable income, it must be adjusted as follows:

1. Add to Federal taxable income:

i. 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, where such exemption or credit has been deducted in computing Federal taxable income.

(1) All income that is exempt under any provision of the Federal law must be included in the entire net income for New Jersey corporation business tax purposes, unless there is a provision of the Corporation Business Tax Act that exempts or excludes such item of income;

(2) New Jersey shall follow the Federal government's treatment of the related expenses paid with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and forgiven loans will be excluded from entire net income. A taxpayer, pursuant to the Corporation Business Tax Act, P.L. 1945, c. 162 (N.J.S.A. 54:10A-1 et seq.), shall not be denied a deduction for ordinary and necessary business expenses paid for with the proceeds of a Federal Paycheck Protection Program loan by reason of the exclusion from entire net income, pursuant to P.L. 1945, c. 162, of such loan, or portion thereof, forgiven pursuant to § 1106 of the Federal CARES Act, P.L. 116-136, or any subsequent expansion of the Federal Paycheck Protection Program, including the provision of second draw loans pursuant to § 311 of Division N of the "Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021," P.L. 116-260; and

(3) Items of income excluded from Federal taxable net income pursuant to the specific terms of a treaty do not have to be added back to entire net income;

ii. All interest income from sources within the United States which has not been included in computing Federal taxable income, including interest on State and Municipal bonds and certain obligations of the United States and its instrumentalities, less interest expense incurred to carry such investments, to the extent such interest expense has not been deducted in computing Federal taxable income;

iii. All dividend income from sources within the United States which has not been included in computing Federal taxable income;

iv. All Federal taxes on or measured by income or profits which were deducted in computing Federal taxable income;

v. All New Jersey franchise taxes paid or accrued under the Corporation Business Tax Act, whether measured by net worth, net income or otherwise, to the extent such taxes were deducted in computing Federal taxable income; and, with respect to accounting years beginning after July 7, 1993, taxes paid or accrued to a possession or territory of the United States, a state, a political subdivision thereof, or the District of Columbia on or measured by profits or income, or business presence or business activity including, without limitation, the Michigan Single Business Tax and taxes measured in whole or in part by "net taxable capital" to the extent such taxes were deducted in computing Federal taxable income;

vi. All taxes paid or accrued to any foreign country, state, province, territory, or subdivision, on or measured by profit or income or business presence or business activity, to the extent such taxes were deducted in computing Federal taxable income with respect to accounting years beginning on or after January 1, 2002;

vii. Taxes paid or accrued with respect to subsidiary dividends should be added back to the extent dividends are excluded from entire net income and such taxes were deducted in computing Federal taxable income;

viii. Net operating losses sustained during any year or period other than that covered by the return, which were deducted in computing Federal taxable income, but a net operating loss deduction shall be allowed to the extent provided at N.J.A.C. 18:7-5.12 through 5.17 for privilege periods ending before July 31, 2019. For privilege periods ending on and after July 31, 2019, net operating losses are calculated on a post-allocation basis, rather than a pre-allocation basis, and are not included in the computation of entire net income. See N.J.A.C. 18:7-5.21;

ix. For accounting or privilege periods ending on or before January 10, 1996, the amount deducted, in computing Federal taxable income, for interest on indebtedness whether or not evidenced by a written statement. To be added back, such interest must be owed directly or indirectly either to an individual stockholder or members of his or her immediate family who, in the aggregate, own beneficially 10 percent or more of the taxpayer's outstanding shares of capital stock or to a corporate stockholder that owns 10 percent or more of the taxpayer's outstanding shares of capital stock. The amount deducted shall be reduced by 10 percent of the amount so deducted or $ 1,000, whichever is larger. Thus, if the amount of such interest is $ 1,000 or less, then none of said amount need be added back. However, there shall be allowed as a deduction:

(1) Any part of a deduction for interest on written evidence of indebtedness issued, with stock, pursuant to a bona fide plan of reorganization to persons who prior to such reorganization were bona fide creditors of the taxpayer or any predecessor corporation, but were not stockholders thereof; and

(2) Any part of a deduction for interest that relates to financing of motor vehicle inventory held for sale to customers, provided that the underlying indebtedness is owed to a taxpayer customarily and routinely providing this type of financing. The portion of such interest which may be deducted is limited to interest on indebtedness relating to floor-planning of motor vehicles evidenced by a trust receipt or similar document and is also limited to interest on unsold inventory items. The interest must be paid or accrued directly to a creditor which is a taxpayer under the act and not indirectly to any related entity. That taxpayer, or a corporation which is a parent or subsidiary of that taxpayer, must be the manufacturer or the motor vehicles financed; and

(3) Any deduction for interest that relates to debt of a "financial business corporation" owed to an affiliate corporation but only where the interest rate does not exceed two percentage points over a prime rate as determined by the Commissioner of Banking. Interest paid or accrued to such an affiliate is an unrestricted deduction only when a corporation is a financial business corporation as determined at N.J.A.C. 18:7-1.16. A debt is owed to an "affiliate" corporation when it is owed directly or indirectly to holders of 10 percent or more of the aggregate outstanding shares of the taxpayer's capital stock of all classes. The deduction may not be claimed on the Corporation Business Tax Return, Form CBT-100. Any corporation that is a financial business corporation must file the Corporation Business Tax Return for Banking and Financial Corporations, Form BFC-1, and complete Schedule L apportioning the financial business conducted in New Jersey consistent with N.J.S.A. 54:10A-38; and

(4) Any part of a deduction for interest that related to debt of a banking corporation owed directly to a bank holding company, as defined in 12 U.S.C. § 1841, of which the banking corporation is a subsidiary. The allowable deduction for interest is limited to interest paid or accrued directly by the subsidiary to its bank holding company parent notwithstanding that related indebtedness may be excluded from net worth where it is indirectly owed to such bank holding company.

x. Recoveries with respect to war losses, regardless of whether such war losses were deducted in any return previously made for the purpose of computing the New Jersey Corporation Business Tax;

xi. All income from sources outside the United States which has not been included in computing Federal taxable income less all allowable deductions to the extent that such allowable deductions were not taken into account in computing Federal taxable income;

xii. In any year or short period which ends after 1981, with respect to property placed in service on and after January 1, 1981, but prior to taxpayer fiscal or calendar accounting years beginning on or after July 7, 1993, any depreciation or cost recovery (ACRS or MACRS) which was deducted in arriving at Federal taxable income and which was determined in accordance with I.R.C. § 168 in effect after December 31, 1980. See (a)2iv below for depreciation allowable in computing entire net income.

xiii. In any year or short period ending after 1981, with respect to property placed in service on and after January 1, 1981, but prior to taxpayer fiscal or calendar accounting years beginning on or after July 7, 1993, any interest, amortization or transactional costs, rent, or any other deduction which was claimed in arriving at Federal taxable income as a result of a "safe harbor leasing" election made under I.R.C. § 168(f)8; provided, however, that for a fiscal year or short period which begins in 1981 and ends in 1982, any such amount which relates to property placed in service during that part of the return year that occurs in 1981 shall be allowed as a deduction in arriving at entire income for that year only; and provided further that any such amount with respect to a qualified mass commuting vehicle pursuant to I.R.C. § 168(f)(8)(D)(v) (formerly 168(f)(8)(D)(iii)) shall be allowed in any event.

(1) Where the "user/lessee" of qualified lease property which is precluded from claiming a deduction for rent under this rule would have been entitled to cost recovery on property which is subject to such "safe harbor lease" election in the absence of that election, it may claim depreciation on that property under the provisions of (a)2iv and v below. See (a)2vi below for the treatment to be accorded related income on such "safe harbor lease" transactions.

xiv. All income, from whatever sources derived not included in computing Federal taxable income and not otherwise required to be added back under (a)1i through ix above, less all allowable deductions attributable thereto, to the extent that those allowable deductions were not taken into account in computing Federal taxable income.

xv. The amount deducted from Federal taxable income for any civil, civil administrative, or criminal penalty or fine, including a penalty or fine under an administrative consent order, assessed and collected for 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 subsection 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.

xvi. The amount deducted from Federal taxable income of treble damages paid to the Department of Environmental Protection and Energy (Department) pursuant to subsection a of section 7 of P.L. 1976, c.141 (N.J.S.A. 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.

xvii. Any deduction 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 research credit is claimed pursuant to N.J.S.A. 54:10A-5.24, unless those research and experimental expenditures are also used to compute a Federal credit claimed pursuant to I.R.C. § 41;

xviii. Interest paid, accrued, or incurred to a related member except as may be permitted pursuant to N.J.A.C. 18:7-5.18;

xix. Interest expenses and costs and intangible expenses and costs directly or indirectly paid, accrued, or incurred in connection with a transaction with one or more related members, except as may be permitted pursuant to N.J.A.C. 18:7-5.18;

xx. For privilege periods beginning after December 31, 2004, but before January 1, 2018, amounts deducted for Federal tax purposes pursuant to I.R.C. § 199, except that this provision shall not apply to amounts deducted pursuant to that section that are exclusively based upon domestic production gross receipts of the taxpayer that 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 subparagraph, 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. For example, expenses to be added back include, but are not limited to, expenses that are applicable to or pertain to production property grown or extracted; from food processing (but not retail food sales); from software development; from filmmaking and sound recordings; from the production of electricity, natural gas, and potable water; from construction activities; and from engineering or architectural services;

xxi. For property placed in service on or after January 1, 2004, the amounts claimed as cost expense pursuant to I.R.C. § 179 that are in excess of $ 25,000;

xxii. For privilege periods beginning after December 31, 2008, and before January 1, 2011, the amount of discharge of indebtedness income excluded for Federal income tax purposes pursuant to I.R.C. § 108(i);

xxiii. For privilege periods beginning on and after January 1, 2017, any deduction, exemption, or credit allowed under the Internal Revenue Code for income reported pursuant to I.R.C. § 965;

xxiv. For privilege periods beginning after December 31, 2017, the amounts taken as a deduction pursuant to I.R.C. § 199A; and

xxv. For privilege periods beginning after December 31, 2017, see N.J.A.C. 18:7-5.22 for more information on the interest deduction limitation in subsection (j) at I.R.C. § 163; and

2. Deduct from Federal taxable income:

i. For privilege periods ending on or before December 31, 2016, 100 percent of all dividends or deemed dividends for Federal purposes included in Federal taxable income that were received from subsidiaries meeting the definition of a subsidiary having the requisite degree of ownership of investment as described at N.J.S.A. 54:10A-4(d) and 100 percent of all dividends from those subsidiaries that were added to Federal taxable income in accordance with (a)1 above. For privilege periods beginning on or after January 1, 2017, 95 percent of all dividends or deemed dividends for Federal purposes included in Federal taxable income that were received from subsidiaries meeting the definition of a subsidiary at N.J.S.A. 54:10A-4(d) and 95 percent of all dividends or deemed dividends from those subsidiaries that were added to Federal taxable income, in accordance with (a)1 above.

(1) Dividends received from an entity qualified as a real estate investment trust (REIT) as defined pursuant to I.R.C. § 856, and N.J.S.A. 54:10A-4(1), are ineligible for inclusion in the dividends received deduction for corporations as provided at (a)2i above. For those taxpayers that are subject to New Jersey corporation business tax, REIT distributions in conformity with Federal law are subject to taxation.

(2) For privilege periods beginning on or after January 1, 2017, dividends or deemed dividends received from a subsidiary shall be excluded from the entire net income of a taxpayer to the extent to which the subsidiary: received the same dividends or deemed dividends from other subsidiaries; included those dividends or deemed dividends in its entire net income for the purposes of determining its tax liability pursuant to section 5 at P.L. 1945, c. 162 (N.J.S.A. 54:10A-5); and paid tax to New Jersey on those dividends or deemed dividends, based on the subsidiary's allocation factor used by the subsidiary in determining its tax liability pursuant to section 5 at P.L. 1945, c. 162 (N.J.S.A. 54:10A-5). This sub-subparagraph shall not apply to privilege periods ending on and after July 31, 2019. Taxpayers may request section 8 relief as a result of differing allocation factors.

(3) For privilege periods ending on and after July 31, 2019, but before July 31, 2020, the extent to which a subsidiary: received dividends from other subsidiaries; included those dividends in its entire net income for the purposes of determining its tax liability pursuant to section 5 at P.L. 1945, c. 162 (N.J.S.A. 54:10A-5) and paid tax on those dividends; and the taxpayer receiving those same dividends from the subsidiary shall exclude those dividends from its entire net income.

(4) For privilege periods ending on and after July 31, 2020, for the treatment of tiered subsidiary dividends received from subsidiaries that file a return separate and apart from the taxpayer, please see N.J.A.C. 18:7-3.28.

(5) For privilege periods ending on and after July 31, 2020, for purposes of N.J.S.A. 54:10A-4(k)(5), the members of a combined group filing a New Jersey combined return shall be treated as one taxpayer regarding dividends and deemed dividends that were received as part of the unitary business of the combined group pursuant to N.J.S.A. 54:10A-4(k)(5)(E);

ii. Fifty percent of all dividends or amounts deemed dividends for Federal purposes included in Federal taxable income or added to Federal taxable income, in accordance with (a) above if received from 50 percent to less than 80 percent owned subsidiaries. Dividends received from a regulated investment company that are treated as interest for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code and/or that are not considered qualifying dividends for Federal purposes are not eligible for deduction or exclusion from entire net income pursuant to this subsection.

(1) Dividends received from an entity qualified as a real estate investment trust (REIT) as defined at I.R.C. § 856, and N.J.S.A. 54:10A-4(1), are ineligible for inclusion in the dividends received deduction for corporations as provided at (a)2ii above. For those taxpayers that are subject to New Jersey corporation business tax, REIT distributions in conformity with Federal law are subject to taxation.

(2) For privilege periods beginning on or after January 1, 2017, dividends received from a subsidiary, to the extent to which the subsidiary: received the same dividends from other subsidiaries; included those dividends in its entire net income for the purposes of determining its tax liability pursuant to section 5 at P.L. 1945, c. 162 (N.J.S.A. 54:10A-5); and paid tax to New Jersey on those dividends, a taxpayer shall exclude from the entire net income those dividends received from the subsidiary which the subsidiary paid tax on, to New Jersey, based on the subsidiary's allocation factor used by the subsidiary in determining its tax liability pursuant to section 5 at P.L. 1945, c. 162 (N.J.S.A. 54:10A-5). This sub-subparagraph shall not apply to privilege periods ending on and after July 31, 2019. Taxpayers may request section 8 relief as a result of differing allocation factors.

(3) For privilege periods ending on and after July 31, 2019, but before July 31, 2020, the extent to which a subsidiary: received dividends from other subsidiaries; included those dividends in its entire net income for the purposes of determining its tax liability pursuant to section 5 at P.L. 1945, c. 162 (N.J.S.A. 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.

iii. Depreciation on property placed in service after 1980, but prior to taxpayer fiscal or calendar accounting years beginning on and after July 7, 1993, on which ACRS or MACRS has been disallowed pursuant to (a)1xii above using any method, life and salvage value that would have been allowable under the Internal Revenue Code at December 31, 1980. A method, once adopted, must be used for all succeeding years for purposes of computing depreciation on that particular recovery property, except only that a taxpayer may make a change in method that would not have required the consent of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue. Personal property placed in service during any year after 1980 must be treated using the half year convention by claiming a half year of depreciation in the year that property is placed in service. No depreciation is allowable in the year of disposal. Aggregate depreciation claimed pursuant to this subparagraph for all years is limited to the basis for depreciation under the Internal Revenue Code at the date the property is placed in service less whatever salvage value would have been required to be considered under the Internal Revenue Code at December 31, 1980;

iv. In any privilege period or taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2002, with respect to property acquired on or after September 10, 2001, any depreciation that was deducted in arriving at Federal taxable income and that was determined in accordance with I.R.C. §§ 168(k) and 1400L. Assets acquired before September 10, 2001, for which such depreciation was taken will continue for the entire life of the asset to follow Federal depreciation. Assets acquired in periods beginning before September 10, 2001, will continue to follow Federal depreciation even if the asset itself was acquired after September 10, 2001, but during such fiscal year. Upon early retirement a basis adjustment will be required to equalize Federal and State basis.

Example: Federal bonus depreciation with respect to an asset acquired February 1, 2002, by a corporation that is a calendar year corporation will be disallowed for the corporation when filing its Form CBT-100 for 2002.

v. Gain or loss on property sold or exchanged is to be determined with reference to the amount properly to be recognized in determination of Federal taxable income. However, on the physical disposal of recovery property, whether or not a gain or loss is properly to be recognized under the Internal Revenue Code, the transferor of the property shall take as a deduction any excess or shall restore as an item of income any deficiency of depreciation disallowed pursuant to (a)1xii above over related depreciation claimed on that property pursuant to (a)2iv above. A statutory merger or consolidation shall not constitute a disposal of recovery property.

vi. In any year or short period ending after 1981, with respect to property placed in service on and after January 1, 1981, but prior to taxpayer fiscal or calendar accounting years beginning on or after July 7, 1993, any item of income included in arriving at Federal taxable income solely as a result of a "safe harbor leasing" election made under I.R.C. § 168(f)(8); provided, however, that for the accounting period which begins in 1981 and ends in 1982, such income which relates to property placed in service during 1981 is not to be excluded; and provided, further, that any such income which relates to a qualified mass commuting vehicle pursuant to I.R.C. § 168(f)(8)(D)(v) (formerly 168(f)(8)(D)(iii)) shall be included in entire net income in any event.

(1) Where income relating to such safe harbor leasing election would have been included in Federal taxable income whether or not the election is made, no exclusion is permitted. Example: A corporation which finances the acquisition of machinery and equipment is not permitted to exclude interest income merely because it is one of the parties to a "safe harbor lease" whereby it agreed that all parties to the transaction characterize it as a lease for Federal income tax purposes.

(2) For treatment of deductions relating to such "safe harbor lease" transactions, see (a)1xi above.

vii. Any banking corporation which is operating an international banking facility (IBF) as part of its business may exclude the eligible net income of the IBF, as described in this section, from its entire net income, as follows:

(1) Any deductions pursuant to this subsection can only be claimed to the extent that they are not deductible in determining Federal taxable income, or not deductible pursuant to N.J.S.A. 54:10A-4(k)(1) through (3).

(2) The eligible net income of an IBF is the amount of income remaining after subtracting the applicable expenses, as defined at (a)2vii(4) below.

(3) Eligible gross income is the gross income derived from an IBF. This will include gross income derived from the following:

(A) 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.

(B) Making or placing deposits with foreign persons that are banks or foreign branches of banks (including foreign subsidiaries) or foreign branches of the taxpayers or with other international banking facilities.

(C) Entering into foreign exchange or hedging transactions relating to any transactions pursuant to (a)2vii(3)(A) and (B) above or (D) below.

(D) Any other activities that an IBF may be, at any time, authorized to engage in by Federal or state law, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, the Comptroller of the Currency, the New Jersey Banking Commission, or any other authority.

(4) Applicable expenses are any expenses or deductions which are directly or indirectly attributable to eligible gross income as defined at (a)2vii(3) above.

(5) For the international banking facility and combined groups, see N.J.A.C. 18:7-21.25.

viii. For privilege periods beginning on or after January 1, 2014, and before January 1, 2019, the amount of discharge of indebtedness income included for Federal income tax purposes, pursuant to I.R.C. § 108(i)).

ix. For privilege periods beginning on and after January 1, 2018, a taxpayer is allowed as a deduction the amount of the full value of the deduction that the taxpayer was allowed for Federal income tax purposes and for which the taxpayer had taken for Federal income tax purposes pursuant to I.R.C. § 250. See N.J.S.A. 54:10A-4.15 and N.J.A.C. 18:7-5.19 for more information.

N.J. Admin. Code § 18:7-5.2

Amended by 49 N.J.R. 1694(a), effective 6/19/2017

Amended by 54 N.J.R. 1819(a), effective 9/19/2022