EMERGENCY RULES
Effective Date of Rule: Immediately.
Purpose: Part I of chapter 23, Laws of 2010 1st sp. sess. (2ESSB 6143) changed the apportionment and nexus requirements for apportionable activities, effective June 1, 2010. The department has adopted the following emergency rules to explain how these requirements apply: WAC 458-20-19402 (Rule 19402) Single factor receipts apportionment -- Generally and 458-20-19403 (Rule 19403) Single factor receipts apportionment -- Royalties.
No changes from the previous emergency rule filed January 28, 2011, under WSR 11-04-068 were made.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 82.32.300 and 82.01.060(2).
Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the public interest.
Reasons for this Finding: An emergency adoption of these new rules is necessary because permanent rules cannot be adopted at this time.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 2, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 2, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: May 27, 2011.
Alan R. Lynn
Rules Coordinator
(a) Section 105, chapter 23, Laws of 2010 1st sp. sess. establishes a new apportionment method for businesses engaged in apportionable activities and that have nexus with Washington. The new apportionment method explained in this rule only applies to business and occupation (B&O) tax liability incurred after May 31, 2010. This rule does not apply to the apportionment of income of financial institutions taxable under RCW 82.04.290, which is governed by WAC 458-20-19404, nor the receipt of royalty income from granting the right to use intangible property under WAC 458-20-19403.
(b) Taxpayers may also find helpful information in the following sections:
(i) WAC 458-20-19401 Minimum nexus thresholds for apportionable activities. This rule describes minimum nexus thresholds that are effective June 1, 2010.
(ii) WAC 458-20-19403 Single factor receipts apportionment -- Royalties. This rule describes the application of single factor receipts apportionment to gross income from royalties and applies only to tax liability incurred after May 31, 2010.
(iii) WAC 458-20-19404 Single factor receipts apportionment -- Financial institutions. This rule describes the application of single factor receipts apportionment to certain income of financial institutions and applies only to tax liability incurred after May 31, 2010.
(iv) WAC 458-20-194 Doing business inside and outside the state. This rule describes separate accounting and cost apportionment and applies only to tax liability incurred from January 1, 2006 through May 31, 2010.
(v) WAC 458-20-14601 Financial institutions -- Income apportionment. This rule describes the apportionment of income for financial institutions for tax liability incurred prior to June 1, 2010.
(c) Examples included in this rule identify a number of facts and then state a conclusion; they should be used only as a general guide. The tax results of all situations must be determined after a review of all the facts and circumstances
(2) Definitions. The following definitions apply to this rule:
(a) "Apportionable income" means gross income of the business generated from engaging in apportionable activities, including income received from apportionable activities performed outside this state if the income would be taxable under this chapter if received from activities in this state, less the exemptions and deductions allowable under chapter 82.04 RCW.
(i) Example 1. Corporation A received $2,000,000 in gross income from its world-wide apportionable activities, including $500,000 in world-wide bona fide initiation fees deductible under RCW 82.04.4282. Corporation A's apportionable income would be $1,500,000.
(b) "Apportionable activities" means only those activities subject to B&O tax under the following classifications:
(i) Service and other activities,
(ii) Royalties (see WAC 458-20-19403 for apportionment of royalties),
(iii) Travel agents and tour operators,
(iv) International steamship agent, international customs house broker, international freight forwarder, vessel and/or cargo charter broker in foreign commerce, and/or international air cargo agent,
(v) Stevedoring and associated activities,
(vi) Disposing of low-level waste,
(vii) Title insurance producers, title insurance agents, or surplus line brokers,
(viii) Public or nonprofit hospitals,
(ix) Real estate brokers,
(x) Research and development performed by nonprofit corporations or associations,
(xi) Inspecting, testing, labeling, and storing canned salmon owned by another person,
(xii) Representing and performing services for fire or casualty insurance companies as an independent resident managing general agent licensed under the provisions of chapter 48.17 RCW,
(xiii) Contests of chance,
(xiv) Horse races,
(xv) International investment management services,
(xvi) Room and domiciliary care to residents of a boarding home;
(xvii) Aerospace product development,
(xviii) Printing or publishing a newspaper (but only with respect to advertising income),
(xix) Printing materials other than newspapers and publishing periodicals or magazines (but only with respect to advertising income), and
(xx) Cleaning up radioactive waste and other by-products of weapons production and nuclear research and development, but only with respect to activities that would be taxable as an "apportionable activity" under any of the tax classifications listed in (a)(i) through (xviii) of this subsection (2) if this special tax classification did not exist.
(c) "Business activities tax" means a tax measured by the amount of, or economic results of, business activity conducted in a state. The term includes taxes measured in whole or in part on net income or gross income or receipts. The term includes personal income taxes if the gross income from apportionable activities is included in the gross income subject to the personal income tax. The term "business activities tax" does not include a sales tax, use tax, or similar transaction tax, imposed on the sale or acquisition of goods or services, whether or not denominated a gross receipts tax or a tax imposed on the privilege of doing business.
(d) "Customer" means a person or entity to whom the taxpayer makes a sale or renders services or from whom the taxpayer otherwise receives gross income of the business.
(e) "State" means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the United States, or any foreign country or political subdivision of a foreign country.
(f) "Taxable in another state" means either:
(i) The taxpayer is actually subject to a business activities tax by another state on its income received from engaging in apportionable activity; or
(ii) The taxpayer is not subject to a business activities tax by another state on its income received from engaging in apportionable activity, but the other state has jurisdiction to subject the taxpayer to a business activities tax on such income under the substantial nexus thresholds described in WAC 458-20-19401.
(3) Apportionment general: Persons earning apportionable income subject to B&O tax and that are also taxable in another state are entitled to determine their taxable income for B&O tax purposes by using the apportionment method provided in this rule. Taxable income is determined by multiplying apportionable income from each apportionable activity by its receipts factor.
(4) Receipts Factor. The receipts factor is a fraction that applies to all apportionable income for each calendar year. Separate receipts factors must be calculated for each apportionable activity taxed under a separate business and occupation tax classification.
(a) The numerator of the receipts factor is the total gross income of the business of the taxpayer attributable to this state during the calendar year from engaging in an apportionable activity.
(b) The denominator of the receipts factor is the total gross income of the business of the taxpayer from engaging in an apportionable activity everywhere in the world during the tax year, less amounts that are attributed to states where the taxpayer is not taxable and at least some of the activity is performed in Washington.
(c) Example 2. XYZ Corp. is a Washington business, has no property or payroll outside of Washington, and performs all of its services inside this state. XYZ Corp. has gross income from apportionable activities that is attributed using the criteria listed in subsection (5) below as follows: Washington $500,000; Idaho $200,000; Oregon $100,000; and California $300,000. XYZ Corp. is subject to Oregon corporate income tax, but does not owe any California or Idaho business activities taxes. The $200,000 that would be attributed to Idaho is excluded from the denominator because XYZ Corp. performs the services in Washington, and it is not subject to actual Idaho business activities taxes and does not have substantial nexus with Idaho under Washington thresholds. Although California does not impose a business activities tax on XYZ Corp., XYZ Corp. does have substantial nexus with California using Washington thresholds (more than $250,000 in receipts). Therefore, the California attributed income is not excluded from the denominator. The Oregon receipts remain in the denominator because XYZ Corp. is subject to Oregon corporate income taxes. The receipts factor is 500,000/900,000 or 55.56%.
(d) Example 3. The same facts as Example 2 except all of XYZ's property and payroll are located in Oregon, and XYZ Corp. performs no activities in Washington related to the $200,000 attributed to Idaho. In this situation, the $200,000 is not excluded from the denominator. The receipts factor is 500,000/1,100,000 or 45.45%.
(5) Attribution of income. Income is attributed to states based on a cascading method. That is, each receipt is attributed to a state based on a series of rules. These rules are:
(a)(i) If a taxpayer can reasonably determine the amount of apportionable receipts related to the benefit of the services received in a state, that amount of apportionable receipts is attributable to that state. This may be shown by application of a reasonable method of proportionally assigning the benefit among states. The result determines the receipts attributed to each state. A taxpayer receives the benefit of a service in this state when:
(A) The service relates to real property that is located in this state;
(B) An apportionable service relates to tangible personal property that is located in this state at the time the service is received; or
(C) The service does not relate to real or tangible personal property, and:
(I) The service is provided to a person not engaged in business who is physically present in this state at the time the service is received; or
(II) The service is provided to a person engaged in business in this state, and the service relates to the person's business activities in this state.
(ii) Examples.
(A) Example 4. Director serves on the board of directors of DEF, Inc. DEF, Inc. is commercially domiciled in State Z. DEF, Inc. is Director's customer. DEF is engaged in business in State Z, and the director's services relate to the management of DEF, Inc. Therefore, DEF, Inc. receives the benefit of Director's services in State Z.
(B) Example 5. ABC is headquartered outside of Washington and provides retail services to customers in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. When those customers fail to pay ABC for its services, ABC contracts with Debt Collector located outside of Washington to collect the debt. ABC pays Debt Collector a percentage of the amount collected. ABC is engaged in business in Washington and the activities of Debt Collector relate to that business, therefore the benefit of the service is received by ABC in Washington when Debt Collector obtains payment from debtors located in Washington.
(C) Example 6. The same facts as Example 5, except Debt Collector is paid a fixed amount per month regardless of the total amount collected from debtors, and the debtors are located in Idaho and Washington. If Debt Collector can reasonably determine the proportion of the benefit received by ABC in each state, then that proportion of the fixed amount is the benefit received in each state. Depending on the circumstances, reasonable means to determine the proportion received in each state could be amounts recovered.
(b) If a taxpayer is unable to separately determine the benefit of the services in specific states under (a), and as a result the customer received the benefit of the service in multiple states, the apportionable receipts of the business is attributed to the state in which the benefit of the service was primarily received. Primarily means in this case more than 50%.
(i) Example 7. The same facts as Example 6, except Debt Collector cannot reasonably determine the portion of the benefit received in each state, Debt Collector will have to use the remaining rules in (c) through (g) of this subsection (5) to attribute the income from ABC.
(c) If the taxpayer is unable to attribute gross income of the business under (a) or (b) of this subsection (5), gross income of the business must be attributed to the state from which the customer ordered the service.
(d) If the taxpayer is unable to attribute gross income of the business under (a), (b), or (c) of this subsection (5), gross income of the business must be attributed to the state to which the billing statements or invoices are sent to the customer by the taxpayer.
(e) If the taxpayer is unable to attribute gross income of the business under (a), (b), (c), or (d) of this subsection (5), gross income of the business must be attributed to the state from which the customer sends payment to the taxpayer.
(f) If the taxpayer is unable to attribute gross income of the business under (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) of this subsection (5), gross income of the business must be attributed to the state where the customer is located as indicated by the customer's address: (i) Shown in the taxpayer's business records maintained in the regular course of business; or (ii) obtained during consummation of the sale or the negotiation of the contract for services, including any address of a customer's payment instrument when readily available to the taxpayer and no other address is available.
(g) If the taxpayer is unable to attribute gross income of the business under (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) or (f) of this subsection (5), gross income of the business must be attributed to the commercial domicile of the taxpayer.
(6) Reporting methods.
(a) Taxpayers entitled to use the apportionment method described in this rule may report their apportionable income based on the receipts factor for the most recent calendar year for which the taxpayer has information. If a taxpayer does not calculate the receipts factor for the current tax year based on the most recent tax year for which information is available, the taxpayer must use current year information.
(b) Regardless of how a taxpayer reports its apportionable income under (a) of this subsection 6, when the taxpayer has the information from which to determine the receipts for a calendar year, it must file reconciliation and either obtain a refund or pay the additional tax. In either event (refund or additional taxes due), interest will apply retroactively to the due date of each tax return. If the reconciliation is completed prior to October 31st of the following year, no penalties will apply.
(c) Example 8: Assume that LMN is headquartered in Washington, reports B&O taxes on a quarterly basis, and its apportionable income is a constant $300,000 per quarter. LMN's receipts factor after performing the reconciliation is as follows:
| Year | Receipt factor | When Determined |
| Year 1 | 0.28 | March of Year 2 |
| Year 2 | 0.25 | September of Year 3 |
| Year 3 | 0.35 | June of Year 4 |
| Year 4 | 0.30 | June of Year 5 |
| Tax return | Gross income | Receipt factor used | Taxable reported | Reconciliation amount |
| Year 3 Quarter 1 | 300,000 | 0.281 | 84,000 | |
| Year 3 Quarter 2 | 300,000 | 0.28 | 84,000 | |
| Year 3 Quarter 3 | 300,000 | 0.252 | 75,000 | |
| Year 3 Quarter 4 | 300,000 | 0.25 | 75,000 | |
| Year 4 Quarter 1 | 300,000 | 0.25 | 75,000 | |
| Year 4 Quarter 2 | 300,000 | 0.353 | 105,000 | |
| Year 3 reconciliation | 1,200,000 | 0.35 | 420,000 | 102,0004 |
| Year 4 Quarter 3 | 300,000 | 0.35 | 105,000 | |
| Year 4 Quarter 4 | 300,000 | 0.35 | 105,000 | |
| Year 4 reconciliation | 1,200,000 | 0.30 | 360,000 | (30,000)5 |
2 LMN will change its receipts factor for the third quarter to year 2's actual receipts factor because it now has that information.
3 LMN will change its receipts factor for the third quarter to year 3's actual receipts factor because it now has that information.
4 LMN will file its reconciliation for Year 3. The taxable amount is $420,000 less the previously reported taxable amount of $318,000. This means LMN will owe taxes on $102,000 plus interest on the underpaid taxes. However, no penalties will be imposed if the reconciliation is filed with the department no later than October 31st of Year 4.
5 LMN will file its reconciliation for Year 3. The taxable amount is $360,000 less the previously reported taxable amount of $390,000. This means LMN overpaid taxes by $30,000. LMN will receive interest on the overpaid taxes.
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(a) This rule is limited to the apportionment of gross income from royalties. This rule does not apply to apportionment or allocation of income from any other business activity.
(b) Taxpayers may also find helpful information in the following rules:
(i) WAC 458-20-19401 Minimum nexus thresholds for apportionable activities. This rule describes minimum nexus thresholds that are effective June 1, 2010.
(ii) WAC 458-20-19402 Single factor receipts apportionment -- Generally. This rule describes the general application of single factor receipts apportionment that is effective June 1, 2010.
(iii) WAC 458-20-19404 Single factor receipts apportionment -- Financial institutions. This rule describes the application of single factor receipts apportionment to certain income of financial institutions and applies only to tax liability incurred after May 31, 2010.
(iv) WAC 458-20-194 Doing business inside and outside the state. This rule describes separate accounting and cost apportionment and applies only to tax liability incurred from January 1, 2006 through May 31, 2010.
(v) WAC 458-20-14601 Financial institutions -- Income apportionment. This rule describes the apportionment of income for financial institutions for periods prior to June 1, 2010.
(2) Definitions for the purposes of this rule. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this subsection apply throughout this rule.
(a) "Apportionable activity" means those activities conducted by a person in the business of receiving gross income from royalties.
(b) "Apportionable income" means gross income of the business generated from engaging in apportionable activity, including income received from apportionable activity performed outside Washington if the income would be taxable under the business and occupation tax if received from activities in Washington less any allowable exemptions and deductions under chapter 82.04 RCW.
(c) "Business activities tax" means a tax measured by the amount of, or economic results of, business activity conducted in a state by a person. The term includes taxes measured in whole or in part on net income or gross income or receipts. In the case of sole proprietorships and pass-through entities, the term includes personal income taxes if the gross income from royalties is included in the gross income subject to the personal income tax. The term "business activities tax" does not include a sales tax, use tax, or similar transaction tax, imposed on the sale or acquisition of goods or services, whether or not referred to as a gross receipts tax or a tax imposed on the privilege of doing business.
(d) "Customer" means a person who pays royalties or charges in the nature of royalties for the use of the taxpayer's intangible property.
(e) "Gross income from royalties" means compensation for the use of intangible property, including charges in the nature of royalties regardless of where the intangible property will be used. "Gross income from royalties" does not include compensation for any natural resources, the licensing of prewritten computer software to the end user, or the licensing of digital goods, digital codes, or digital automated services to the end user as defined in RCW 82.04.190(11).
(f) "Intangible property" includes: copyrights, patents, licenses, franchises, trademarks, trade names and similar items.
(g) "State" means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the United States, or any foreign country or political subdivision of a foreign country.
(h) "Taxable in another state" means either:
(i) The taxpayer is actually subject to a business activities tax by another state on its income received from engaging in apportionable activity; or
(ii) The taxpayer is not subject to a business activities tax by another state on its income received from engaging in apportionable activity, but the other state has jurisdiction to subject the taxpayer to a business activities tax on such income under the substantial nexus thresholds described in WAC 458-20-19401.
(iii) "Not Taxable" with respect to a particular state means the taxpayer is not actually subject to a business activities tax by that state on its income received from engaging in apportionable activities and that state does not have jurisdiction to subject the taxpayer to a business activities tax on such income under the substantial nexus thresholds described in WAC 458-20-19401.
(3) How does a taxpayer apportion its gross income from royalties? A taxpayer earning gross income from royalties generated on or after June 1, 2010, must apportion such income when the taxpayer is taxable in another state. Gross income is apportioned to Washington by multiplying apportionable income by the receipts factor. The resulting amount of taxable income is then multiplied by the applicable tax rate.
(4) What is the receipts factor? The "receipts factor" is a fraction with the following numerator and denominator:
(a) Numerator: is the total gross income from royalties attributable to Washington during the tax year. Generally, a tax year is the same as a calendar year. For the purposes of this rule, tax years will be referred to as calendar years.
(b) Denominator: is the total gross income from royalties attributable to everywhere in the world during the calendar year, less amounts that are attributed to states where the taxpayer is not taxable if at least some of the apportionable activity is performed in Washington.
(5) How are royalty receipts attributed to Washington? To compute the numerator of the receipts factor, gross income from royalties is attributable to states as follows:
(a) Place of use: where the customer used the taxpayer's intangible property. If a taxpayer can reasonably determine the amount of royalty receipts related to the use in a state, that amount of royalty receipts is attributable to that state. This may be shown by application of a reasonable method of proportionally assigning the use of the intangible property among states.
(b) If a taxpayer is unable to separately determine the use of the intangible property in specific states under (a), and as a result the customer used the intangible property in multiple states, the royalty receipts are attributed to the state in which the intangible property was primarily used. Primarily means in this case more than 50%.
(c) Office of negotiation: if the taxpayer is unable to attribute gross income to a location under (a) or (b) of this subsection (5), then gross income must be attributed to the office of the customer from which the royalty agreement with the taxpayer was negotiated.
(d) Billing state: if the taxpayer is unable to attribute gross income to a location under (a), (b), or (c) of this subsection (5), then gross income must be attributed to the state to which the billing statement or invoices are sent to the customer by the taxpayer.
(e) Payment state: if the taxpayer is unable to attribute gross income to a location under (a), (b), (c), or (d) of this subsection (5), then gross income must be attributed to the state from which the customer sends payment to taxpayer.
(f) Customer's address: if the taxpayer is unable to attribute gross income under (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) of this subsection (5), then gross income must be attributed to the state where the customer is located as indicated by customer's address:
(i) As shown in the taxpayer's business records maintained in the regular course of business; or
(ii) Obtained during negotiation of the contract for the use of the taxpayer's intangible property, including any address of a customer's payment instrument when readily available to the taxpayer and no other address is available.
(g) Taxpayer's domicile: if the taxpayer is unable to attribute gross income under (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), or (f) of this subsection (5), then gross income must be attributed to the commercial domicile of the taxpayer.
(6) Examples. Examples included in this subsection identify a number of facts and then state a conclusion; they should be used only as a general guide. The tax results of all situations must be determined after a review of all the facts and circumstances.
(a) Example 1: Taxpayer has its domicile in California and runs a national restaurant franchising business. Taxpayer enters into a contract with Company A under which Taxpayer licenses the right to use its trademark to Company A's so that Company A can display that trademark on its restaurant, menus, marketing materials, etc. Company A has a single restaurant that is located in Washington. Company A pays Taxpayer $500,000 per calendar year for the right to use the trademark at its restaurant in Washington. Pursuant to the first sourcing rule, the intangibles (trademark) are used in Washington. Therefore, Taxpayer would attribute the $500,000 in receipts from Company A to Washington.
(b) Example 2: Same facts as Example 1 except Company A in a single contract receives the right to use Taxpayer's trademark in as many restaurants as it wants in Washington and Idaho and pays $500,000 for each restaurant when the restaurant opens and each calendar year thereafter. Company A opens two restaurants in Idaho and one in Washington. Taxpayer would attribute $500,000 it received from Company A to Washington and $1,000,000 to Idaho.
(c) Example 3: Same facts as Example 1 above, except that Company A now has many locations in Idaho but still only one in Washington. Further, Company A enters into a new contract with Taxpayer under which Company A must now pay $1,500,000 per calendar year for the exclusive and unlimited right to the use of the trademark in Idaho but only a single location in Washington. Because the intangible is used in more than one state, but is primarily used in Idaho, Taxpayer would attribute all receipts received from Company A, (i.e. $1,500,000) to Idaho pursuant to the second sourcing rule.
(7) What data can be used for calculating the receipts factor?
(a) A taxpayer may calculate the receipts factor for the current calendar year based on the most recent calendar year for which information is available for the full calendar year. Taxpayers may refer to WAC 458-20-19402 for an example of the application of the use of the most current information available.
(b) If a taxpayer does not calculate the receipts factor for the current calendar year based on the previous calendar year information as authorized in this rule, the business must use current year information to calculate the receipts factor for the current tax year.
(c) In either case, a taxpayer must correct the reporting for the current calendar year when complete information is available to calculate the receipts factor for that year, but not later than October 31st of the following calendar year. Taxpayers may refer to WAC 458-20-19402 for an example of the reconciliation.
(8) What interest applies to underpayments and overpayments?
(a) Interest will apply to any additional tax due on a corrected tax return. Interest must be assessed at the rate provided for delinquent excise taxes under RCW 82.32.050 retroactively to the date the original return was due and will accrue until the additional taxes are paid.
(b) Interest as provided in RCW 82.32.060 will apply to any tax paid in excess of that properly due on a return as a result of a taxpayer using previous calendar year data or incomplete current year data to calculate the receipts factor.
(9) What penalties may apply? Penalties as provided in RCW 82.32.090 will apply to any additional taxes due only if the current calendar year reporting is not corrected and the additional tax is not paid by October 31st of the following calendar year.
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