Wis. Admin. Code § Tax 2.61
(2) Corporations required to use combined reporting.
(a) General. A corporation is required to use combined reporting if it satisfies each of the following three conditions:
(f) Other provisions that may apply. Nothing in ss. Tax 2.60 to 2.67 is intended or should be construed as a waiver of the department’s authority under s. 71.255 (2) (f), Stats., or any other authority granted to the department by law. Section 71.255 (2) (f), Stats., provides the following:
(3) Commonly controlled group. In general, s. 71.255 (1) (c), Stats., provides that a commonly controlled group exists in cases where there is common ownership or control of stock representing more than 50 percent of the voting power of the corporations in the group. The corporations in a commonly controlled group shall be determined as provided in s. 71.255 (1) (c), Stats., which is further explained in the following paragraphs:
(a) Stock attribution rules. For purposes of s. 71.255 (1) (c) 1. and 2., Stats., a shareholder is considered to have indirect ownership of stock or indirectly own stock if the shareholder has constructive ownership of the stock by operation of section 318 of the Internal Revenue Code, except as provided in subds. 1. and 2.
1. In applying section 318(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, if a partnership, estate, trust, or corporation owns, directly or indirectly, more than 50 percent of an entity, it shall be considered to own all of the stock or other ownership or control interests owned by that entity.
Example: Corporation D owns stock representing 10% of the voting power of Corporation E and has a 75% interest in Partnership F. Partnership F owns stock representing 45% of the voting power of Corporation E. Corporation D is considered to constructively own stock representing 55% (= 10% + 45%) of the voting power of Corporation E. This is because Corporation D owns more than 50% of Partnership F and is therefore considered to own all of the Corporation E stock owned by Partnership F.
Example: Corporation A owns stock representing 40% of the voting power of Corporation B and has a 50% interest in Partnership C. Partnership C owns stock representing 30% of the voting power of Corporation B. By operation of section 318 of the Internal Revenue Code, Corporation A constructively owns stock representing 55% (= 40% + (50% x 30%)) of the voting power of Corporation B.
(d) Voting power.
(4) Water’s edge. This subsection describes how a corporation that is otherwise a combined group member must determine and report items that are not subject to combination due to the extent of the corporation’s activities outside the United States, as provided in s. 71.255 (2), Stats. In general, the corporation must consider whether it is a foreign corporation or domestic corporation, whether it qualifies as an “80/20 corporation,” and whether its income is from foreign sources or U.S. sources. The following rules apply:
(a) Qualifying as a “foreign corporation”. For purposes of the water’s edge rules in pars. (d) and (e), a “foreign corporation” means any corporation that is not incorporated, organized, or created in the United States or under the laws of the United States or any state. For purposes of determining whether a corporation is a foreign corporation or a domestic corporation, the following rules apply:
(b) Qualifying as an “80/20 corporation”.
(c) Foreign source income.
(d) Water’s edge rules for domestic corporations.
(e) Water’s edge rules for foreign corporations.
(f) Includable income of consolidated foreign operating corporations. The net income that a consolidated foreign operating corporation shall include in a unitary combination, as described in par. (d) 2., includes the items described in subds. 1. to 5. to the extent the income is U.S. source income and from the unitary business, regardless of whether earned or incurred directly by that corporation or by a pass-through entity in which the corporation has an interest:
(h) Taxation of income not subject to combination under water’s edge. Any income, expenses, and apportionment factors that are excluded from the unitary combination under pars. (d) and (e) shall be taken into account by the separate corporation that earned the income. The following rules apply to determining and reporting Wisconsin net income or loss not subject to combination under the water’s edge rules:
7. Income separately apportioned as described in this paragraph may be reported on a designated line of the combined return, supported by a department-prescribed schedule, instead of reporting that income on a separate return. This separately apportioned income shall be considered a separate entity item. See s. Tax 2.67 (2) (d) for filing requirements relating to separate entity items.
Examples: 1) A, B, and C are corporations in a commonly controlled group and engaged in a unitary business. All of the income of the corporations is derived from the unitary business. A and B are incorporated in Delaware. C is incorporated in France. The income of A and B is derived exclusively from U.S. sources. Ninety percent of C’s worldwide gross income is active foreign business income. The remaining 10% of C’s worldwide gross income is U.S. source income, some of which has situs in Wisconsin. C has agents acting on its behalf in Wisconsin which create nexus because their activities exceed the protection of P.L. 86-272. Since C is a foreign 80/20 corporation, none of its net income, expenses, or apportionment factors may be included in the unitary combination. Thus, C is not a combined group member.
However, C is subject to tax on an apportioned share of its worldwide net income, to the extent the income is not exempt by federal treaty. In determining the apportioned share, the numerator and denominator of C’s apportionment factors are its numerator and denominator computed for C on a separate entity basis. Since C is not a combined group member, it cannot consider the activities of A or B when it computes its throwback sales for purposes of the numerator. C is required to report this income to Wisconsin as a separate entity item.
2) Combined Group DE consists of Member D and Member E. Both D and E are Delaware corporations. All of the income of D and E is derived from the unitary business. All of D’s income is from sources within the U.S. However, 85% of E’s worldwide gross income is active foreign business income, making E a domestic 80/20 corporation. E has total of $150,000 of income from the unitary business, net of expenses. Of this amount, $100,000 is derived from intangible property and $50,000 is derived from service fees. D and E must include in the unitary combination all of D’s income, expenses, and apportionment factors and E’s income, expenses, and apportionment factors only to the extent related to its income derived from intangible property. Since E is a domestic 80/20 corporation and service fees are not one of the types of income subject to combination for a domestic 80/20 corporation, E’s service fee income, and expenses and apportionment factors relating to that income, must be excluded from the unitary combination.
However, E is subject to tax on an apportioned share of its service fee income. E has nexus in Wisconsin because it is a member of Group DE, which is doing business in Wisconsin. In determining the apportioned share, the numerator and denominator of E’s apportionment factors are its numerator and denominator including only the factors relating to its service fee income and computed for E on a separate entity basis. However, since E is a combined group member, it may consider the activities of D when it computes its throwback sales for purposes of the numerator. E is required to report this income to Wisconsin as a separate entity item.
(5) Taxable income of a combined group member. The taxable income of a combined group member consists of the components listed in this subsection. For purposes of pars. (c) and (d), a “distinct business activity” means a business activity that is not unitary with the combined group’s unitary business. For purposes of determining the expenses and deductions attributable to each component, the provisions of sub. (6) (h) apply. A combined group member’s taxable income is the total of all of the following:
(6) Computation of combined unitary income. This subsection interprets s. 71.255 (4), Stats., relating to a combined group’s computation of business income subject to combination, which is called “combined unitary income” for purposes of this section. The steps to compute combined unitary income are as follows:
(a) General.
3. Add net capital gain includable in the combined unitary income, applying the loss limitation as described in par. (c) and using the federal basis of assets. Any differences between the federal and Wisconsin basis of assets, including basis differences that arise from the application of par. (f), are accounted for as Wisconsin modifications under subd. 6. The Wisconsin basis of a corporation’s depreciable property for the first year the corporation becomes taxable in Wisconsin equals its federal basis as of the beginning of the taxable year in which the corporation becomes taxable in Wisconsin, as required under s. 71.265, Stats. The federal basis shall be computed under the Internal Revenue Code in effect for federal purposes as required under ss. 71.22 (4) and (4m), 71.26 (3) (y), 71.42 (2), and 71.98 (3), Stats.
Note: Under ss. 71.22 (4) and (4m), 71.26 (3) (y), and 71.42 (2), Stats., the federal bonus depreciation provisions in section 168(k) of the Internal Revenue Code are excluded from the Internal Revenue Code in effect for Wisconsin purposes. Therefore, the federal basis computed under subd. 3. must be computed without regard to any bonus depreciation claimed for federal purposes.
(b) Intercompany transactions. Defer or recognize any intercompany income, expense, gain, or loss between combined group members that would be deferred or recognized between those members under 26 CFR 1.1502-13 as if the combined group were a federal consolidated group, except that the provisions for intercompany dividends are excluded and replaced with par. (e). This paragraph does not apply to intercompany transactions which occurred in taxable years beginning before January 1, 2009 or to intercompany transactions where the income, expense, gain, or loss would not otherwise be subject to combination. For modifications to 26 CFR 1.1502-13 that are necessary in the case of a combined group doing business solely in this state, see sub. (8). Any deferred intercompany income, expense, gain, or loss that is recognized under this paragraph shall be recognized by the same combined group member that deferred the income, expense, gain, or loss. The deferred income, expense, gain, or loss shall be recognized when required under 26 CFR 1.1502-13 as if the combined group were a federal consolidated group, or when any of the following apply:
3. The buyer and seller are no longer members of the same combined group, regardless of whether they are in the same unitary business.
Example: S and B are combined group members. S has land with a basis of $130,000 at the end Year 1. In Year 2, S sells the land to B for $100,000. B holds the land until Year 3, when it sells it to X, a person outside the combined group, for $110,000. Assume both sales are otherwise includable in the combined unitary income. Applying 26 CFR 1.1502-13 to S and B in the manner described in this paragraph, S would not recognize any gain or loss on the sale of the land to B in Year 2. However, in Year 3, S would recognize a $30,000 loss and B would recognize a simultaneous $10,000 gain. Thus, in Year 2, the combined group cannot include S’s $30,000 loss on sale of land in its combined unitary income, but in Year 3, the combined group can include a $20,000 loss on sale of land (the net amount of S’s Year 2 loss and B’s Year 3 gain) in its combined unitary income. However, the capital loss limitation may limit this loss, as described further in par. (c).
(c) Capital gains and losses. Compute the capital loss limitation so that it applies to the combined group as a whole, to the extent the capital gains and losses are derived from the unitary business and otherwise subject to combination. Rules to determine the capital loss limitation, the assignment of capital gains and losses to members, and the amounts available for carryover, are as follows:
4. If the result is a net capital gain for the group, the net capital gain shall be apportioned to Wisconsin for the members in the same manner as all other combined unitary income as described in sub. (7), except that if the combined group is doing business solely in Wisconsin, the net capital gain is assigned to the members as described in sub. (8) (b). If the result is a net capital loss for the group, the net capital loss shall be assigned to the members that would have a net capital loss from the unitary business if their amounts were not aggregated with those of the other members of the combined group, in proportion to the amount of that net capital loss.
Examples: 1) Combined Group PQR consists of Member P, Member Q, and Member R. In Group PQR’s unitary combination for 2010, P, Q, and R aggregate their short term capital gains and losses (including sharable capital loss carryovers), long-term capital gains and losses, section 1231 gains and losses, and involuntary conversions, and compute a total of $20,000 in net capital gain for Group PQR. P’s Wisconsin apportionment percentage computed under sub. (7) is 10%; Q’s is 25%; and R’s is 50%. P’s apportioned share of this net capital gain is $2,000 (= $20,000 x 10%), Q’s apportioned share is $5,000 (= $20,000 x 25%) and R’s apportioned share is $10,000 (= $20,000 x 50%).
2) Combined Group STU consists of Member S, Member T, and Member U. In the taxable year 2010, S, T, and U have the following capital gains and losses and section 1231 gains and losses attributable to the unitary business and subject to combination:
When S, T, and U aggregate each class of capital gains and losses and section 1231 gains and losses, Group STU has a net capital loss of $10,000. However, if S, T, and U’s capital gains and losses and section 1231 gains and losses were not aggregated with one another, S would have a net capital loss of $12,000 (its section 1231 loss would be treated as ordinary under section 1231(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code), T would have a net capital loss of $4,000, and U would have a net capital gain of $6,500. Thus, the amount of Group STU’s net capital loss that would be assigned to S is $7,500 (= ($12,000 / $16,000) x $10,000) and the amount that would be assigned to T is $2,500 (= ($4,000 / $16,000) x $10,000). None of the net capital loss would be assigned to U since it did not contribute to Group STU’s net capital loss.
5. After applying subd. 4., each member computes its net capital gain or loss from separate entity items without considering capital loss carryover amounts. If the result is a net capital loss, the loss may not be deducted except as provided in subd. 6. If the result is a net capital gain, the member may subtract from that amount, subject to the capital loss limitation, any current year net capital loss from the unitary business as computed in subd. 4. and any available net capital loss carryovers, whether they are sharable or non-sharable. The current year net capital loss from the unitary business shall be considered used before the net capital loss carryovers. Any remaining carryover may be used as provided in subd. 6.
Example: Assume the same facts as Example 2 in subd. 4. Assume also that S has a $10,000 long term capital gain from separate entity items in 2010 and a net capital loss carryover of $3,000 which was incurred in 2008. Since the current year net capital loss from the unitary business is considered used before the net capital loss carryover, at the end of 2010 S would have a remaining 2008 net capital loss carryover of $500 (= $10,000 - $7,500 current year net capital loss from unitary business - $3,000 net capital loss carryover).
6. If a member has a share of net capital gain from the unitary business as computed in subd. 4., the member may use any available net capital loss, including current year net capital loss from separate entity items and net capital loss carryovers, to offset that net capital gain. If the group uses apportionment, the member uses the available net capital loss by claiming a deduction equal to the amount of the available net capital loss that does not exceed the group’s net capital gain from the unitary business, multiplied by the member’s apportionment percentage from the unitary combination. The current year net capital loss from separate entity items shall be considered used before the net capital loss carryovers.
Example: Assume the same facts as Example 1 in subd. 4. Assume that Q has a $5,000 long term capital gain from separate entity items and a net capital loss carryover of $6,000 which was incurred in 2008. Since the net capital loss carryover was incurred in a taxable year beginning before 2009, it is non-sharable and could not be used in computing the aggregate net capital gain or loss of the unitary business as described in subd. 1. However, Q may use the non-sharable loss carryover to offset its net capital gain from separate entity items. After doing this, Q has a $1,000 available net capital loss (= $5,000 - $6,000) to use against its share of the $20,000 net capital gain from the unitary business. To use the remaining carryover, Q may claim an additional capital loss deduction of $250 (= $1,000 available carryover x 25% apportionment percentage). After claiming this deduction, Q would have no remaining net capital loss carryover.
7. After each member applies subds. 4. to 6., as applicable, the member may carry back or carry forward any remaining net capital loss carryover as provided in section 1212 of the Internal Revenue Code and may share that carryover to the extent it is a sharable carryover. The sharable carryovers available for use in the aggregation under subd. 1. are determined without regard to when any non-sharable carryovers were incurred and are applied in the order the underlying sharable loss was incurred. The carryovers available to offset the member’s net capital gain under subds. 5. and 6. are applied in the order the underlying loss was incurred. If the carryover available to offset the member’s net capital gain under subds. 5. and 6. consists of both a sharable and non-sharable amount incurred in the same taxable year, the carryover is applied from the sharable and non-sharable amounts on a pro rata basis according to the amount of each type of carryover available from that year.
Example: Member L is a member of Combined Group LM. Group LM uses a calendar year. At the beginning of 2012, L has the following available net capital loss carryovers:
Since the sharable net capital loss carryovers available for use in the aggregation under subd. 1. are determined without regard to when any non-sharable carryovers were incurred, the total sharable carryover that L may include in Group LM’s computation of aggregate net capital gain or loss for the year 2012 is $14,000 (= $4,000 + $0 + $10,000). Assume $12,000 of this amount is absorbed in the aggregation. Since carryovers are applied in the order incurred, L’s remaining sharable carryover of $2,000 is from its 2011 net capital loss. This carryover is available to L to offset against its net capital gain from separate entity items for 2012.
Assume L has a net capital gain from separate entity items of $4,000 and applies its available net capital loss carryover to offset this amount. Since carryovers are applied in the order incurred, $2,500 of the amount used is from its 2008 non-sharable carryover and $500 is from its 2010 non-sharable carryover. Since the remaining $1,000 carryover used is from 2011 where L has both a sharable and a non-sharable carryover, the amount of each carryover used is determined on a pro rata basis. Since L has $2,000 in sharable carryover from 2011 and $2,000 in non-sharable carryover from 2011, the remaining $1,000 carryover used is applied equally from the sharable and non-sharable carryovers. Thus, at the end of its 2012 taxable year, L has $1,500 in sharable carryovers and $1,500 in non-sharable carryovers available to carry forward or carry back.
8. If a member has sharable net capital loss carryovers, that member may choose not to use them in the aggregation under subd. 1. If more than one member includes sharable net capital loss carryovers in the aggregation under subd. 1., the amount of each member’s carryover used shall be computed on a pro rata basis according to the amount of carryover each member included in the aggregation.
Example: Combined Group QR consists of Member Q and Member R. Group QR is on a calendar year. For 2010, Q and R have the following amounts:
Assume the long term capital gains and section 1231 gains and losses are derived from Group QR’s unitary business and are subject to combination. Before applying the carryovers, Group QR has an aggregate net capital gain of $9,000 (= $6,000 + $2,000 + ($3,000 - $2,000)). Both Q and R use their sharable net capital loss carryovers to offset this amount. The amount used from Q’s sharable carryover is $6,000 (= $9,000 x ($10,000 / $15,000)) and the amount used from R’s sharable carryover is $3,000 (= $9,000 x ($5,000 / $15,000)). After applying these carryovers, Q’s remaining sharable carryover is $4,000 (= $10,000 - $6,000) and R’s remaining sharable carryover is $2,000 (= $5,000 - $3,000).
(d) Charitable contributions. Compute the charitable contributions deduction limitation so that it applies to the combined group as a whole. Rules to determine the charitable contributions deduction limitation are as follows:
2. Determine and apply the charitable contributions deduction under Internal Revenue Code section 170, before any Wisconsin modifications under ss. 71.26 or 71.45, Stats., as if the combined group were a consolidated group for federal purposes. The provisions of 26 CFR 1.1502-24, and the regulations which it references, shall apply for this purpose, except to the extent otherwise inconsistent with ss. 71.26 and 71.45, Stats., and the provisions of this section.
Example: Combined Group GH consists of Member G and Member H. G incurred $5,000 in charitable contribution deductions relating to the unitary business in Year 1, while H incurred $15,000 in charitable contribution deductions. Assume the federal taxable income upon which the charitable contribution limitation (10% of adjusted taxable income) would be based is $50,000 for G and $30,000 for H. Applying 26 CFR 1.1502-24 to Group GH in the manner described in this paragraph, Group GH would include a charitable contribution deduction of $8,000 (= lesser of ($5,000 + $15,000) or (($50,000 + $30,000) x 10%)) in its combined unitary income.
3. Any unused charitable contribution deduction after applying subd. 2. is assigned to the member that incurred the expense and is available to that member to offset its net income, if any, from separate entity items, subject to the limitation of section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code. Any of a member’s remaining unused charitable contribution may be carried over by that member and used in subsequent years, subject to the carryover period provided in section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code. The unused carryover may either be shared in a subsequent combined report in the manner described in subd. 2. or may be used by that member specifically.
Example: Assume the same facts as in the example for subd. 2. After the computation of Group GH’s combined unitary income for Year 1, the amount of unused charitable contribution deduction available to G would be $3,000 (= $12,000 unused deduction x ($5,000 / $20,000)) and the amount available to H would be $9,000 (= $12,000 x ($15,000 / $20,000)). Assume G has separate entity items in Year 1 and the adjusted federal taxable income from those items is $20,000. G may deduct $2,000 (= $20,000 x 10%) of its unused deduction against its income from separate entity items. Assume H does not have separate entity items in Year 1 and both G and H are in Group GH in Year 2. In Year 2, Group GH could include $10,000 of charitable contribution deduction carryover from Year 1 ($1,000 from G and $9,000 from H) in its combined unitary income, subject to the limitations of section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code.
(e) Dividends. Eliminate dividends paid between members of the same combined group, but only if the dividends were paid from earnings and profits attributable to net income or loss that was includable in that group’s combined unitary income in the current taxable year or a prior taxable year, and only to the extent the dividend does not exceed the payee’s basis in the payer’s stock. The following rules apply in determining the dividends that may be eliminated under this paragraph:
2. For purposes of this paragraph, dividends are treated as paid out of current earnings and profits, and if the dividends paid exceed current earnings and profits, then the dividends are treated as paid out of earnings and profits accumulated in preceding years, beginning with the year closest to the current year (LIFO rule). With respect to an individual taxable year, dividends are treated as paid from all earnings and profits earned in that taxable year on a pro rata basis according to the proportion of net income that was included in the combined unitary income for that taxable year (pro rata rule). Earnings and profits are determined as provided in par. (g).
Note: See the examples under subds. 4. and 5. for application of the LIFO and pro rata rules.
4. To the extent that a dividend is paid out of earnings and profits that were generated while the payer was not, or in the case of subd. 3. would not have been, a member of the combined group, the dividend may not be eliminated.
Example: Combined Group MN consists of Member M and Member N. The combined group was formed when Corporation M acquired 60% of Corporation N on June 1, 2009. Group MN uses a calendar year. During 2010, N paid a dividend to M of $500,000. N’s current earnings and profits for 2010, before accounting for the distribution to M, are $100,000. N’s earnings and profits attributable to its 2009 calendar year are $1,000,000, of which $50,000 (5% of the total) were earned while N was a member of Group MN. Assume N had no separate entity items while it was a member of Group MN. Also assume M did not deduct any foreign taxes attributable to the dividend and N has sufficient stock basis. Applying the LIFO and pro rata rules of subd. 2., the amount of dividend that qualifies for elimination from Group MN’s combined unitary income in 2010 is $120,000 (= $100,000 + (5% x $400,000)). Under the pro rata rule, 95%, or $380,000, of dividends paid out of N’s 2009 earnings and profits are considered to be paid from pre-acquisition earnings and profits.
5. To the extent that a dividend is paid out of earnings and profits that were generated in taxable years when the payer was, or in the case of subd. 3. would have been, a member of the combined group for all or a portion of the taxable year, any portion of the dividend attributable to separate entity items may not be eliminated.
Example: Combined Group GH consists of Member G and Member H. G owns 55% of H. Group GH is on a calendar year and both G and H were members of the group for the entire taxable year. During 2010, H paid a dividend of $1,000,000 to G. H’s current year earnings and profits are $2,500,000. Of these earnings and profits, $250,000 (10% of the total) is attributable to separate entity items of H. Assume G did not deduct any foreign taxes attributable to the dividend and H has sufficient stock basis. Applying the pro rata rule of subd. 2., the amount of dividend that qualifies for elimination from Group GH’s combined unitary income is $900,000 (= $1,000,000 x 90%). Under the pro rata rule, 10%, or $100,000, of dividends paid out of H’s current year earnings and profits are considered to be attributable to separate entity items.
(f) Stock basis adjustments. A combined group member’s basis in stock of a subsidiary that is a member of the same combined group shall be adjusted to reflect the subsidiary’s distributions and items of income, gain, deduction and loss taken into account while the subsidiary was a member of the combined group. Except as provided in subds. 1. to 4. and except to the extent otherwise inconsistent with this section or ss. 71.26 or 71.45, Stats., the provisions of 26 CFR 1.1502-32, and the regulations which it references, shall apply in determining the amount of basis adjustment as if the Wisconsin combined group is a federal consolidated group:
3. An adjustment to reduce basis shall be made for the subsidiary’s distributions to the extent those distributions are from earnings and profits attributable to items that were included in the group’s combined unitary income, or from earnings and profits attributable to items deemed to be included in the group’s combined unitary income under par. (e) 3. for purposes of the dividend elimination under par. (e). For purposes of determining the amount of basis reduction under this subdivision, the LIFO and pro rata rules of par. (e) 2. apply.
Example: Combined Group CD consists of Member C and Member D. C owns 65% of D. Group CD is on a calendar year. At the beginning of taxable year 2009, C’s basis in the stock of D is $2,000,000. In the group’s taxable year 2009, D has $100,000 of net income, all of which is included in Group CD’s 2009 combined unitary income. During 2009, D pays a dividend of $300,000 to C. Assume the entire dividend from D to C qualifies for elimination under par. (e) 3. and is eliminated from Group CD’s combined unitary income in 2009. C’s basis in the stock of D as of the beginning of 2010 is $1,800,000 (= $2,000,000 + $100,000 – $300,000).
4. A basis adjustment may not be attributed to a subsidiary from a lower-tier subsidiary’s items of income, gain, deduction, or loss, except to the extent that the lower-tier subsidiary’s items of income, gain, deduction, or loss originated in taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2009 and were included in the combined unitary income of that same unitary business.
Example: Combined Group QRS consists of Member Q, Member R, and Member S. Q owns all the stock of R, and R owns all the stock of S. Group QRS is on a calendar year. As of the beginning of 2009, Q had an unadjusted basis of $500,000 in R stock, which includes R’s unadjusted basis of $200,000 in S stock under the rules of 26 CFR 1.1502-32. In the group’s 2009 taxable year, R had a total of $80,000 of net income and S had a total of $150,000 of net income. Of S’s net income, $20,000 was attributable to overseas operations, the income from which was not included in combined unitary income under the water’s edge rules. Neither R nor S made any distributions in 2009. At the end of 2009, Q’s basis in R stock is $710,000 (= $500,000 + $80,000 + $150,000 - $20,000). Q’s basis in R stock cannot include any amounts attributed from S that are attributable to separate entity items.
(g) Earnings and profits. A combined group member’s earnings and profits shall be adjusted to reflect the undistributed earnings and profits of any subsidiary that is a member of the same combined group, subject to the following rules and limitations:
2. Undistributed earnings and profits attributed to a subsidiary of a combined group member from any lower-tier subsidiary may not be included in the combined group member’s earnings and profits or its subsidiary’s earnings and profits except to the extent the lower-tier subsidiary’s earnings and profits are attributable to net income that was, or in the case of par. (e) 3. would have been, included in the group’s combined unitary income.
Example: Combined Group EFG consists of Member E, Member F, and Member G. E owns all the stock of F, and F owns all the stock of G. Group EFG is on a calendar year. During the taxable year 2009, E has current year earnings and profits of $300,000 and F has current year earnings and profits of $500,000, both exclusive of any amounts attributed from subsidiaries. Assume these amounts are attributable entirely to items included in Group EFG’s 2009 combined unitary income. G has current year earnings and profits of $400,000. However, $50,000 of this amount is attributable to overseas operations, the income from which was not included in combined unitary income under the water’s edge rules. Assume none of the corporations made distributions in 2009. F’s total current year earnings and profits are $850,000 (= $500,000 + ($400,000 - $50,000 attributed from G)), and E’s current year earnings and profits are $1,150,000 (= $300,000 + $850,000 attributed from F).
(h) Allocation of expenses and deductions.
(7) Apportionment of combined unitary income. A combined group is considered to be a single taxpayer for purposes of determining whether it is engaged in business both within and outside Wisconsin. For combined groups engaged in business both within and outside Wisconsin, the combined unitary income is apportioned to the combined group members as provided in s. 71.255 (5), Stats. Under this section, each member’s share of the combined unitary income is the product of the combined unitary income and the member’s modified sales factor ratio. The following rules apply to this computation:
(a) Numerator of modified sales factor.
(b) Denominator of modified sales factor. The denominator of a combined group member’s modified sales factor ratio is the sum of the separate company denominators of each combined group member, so that each member of the combined group has the same modified sales factor denominator. Each combined group member’s separate company denominator is determined as follows:
(d) Intercompany transactions.
2. If a combined group member sells an item or service to another combined group member and the purchaser subsequently resells it to a third party outside of the combined group, the situs of the sale between the combined group members and the sale from the purchasing member to the third party shall both be determined based on the situs of the sale from the purchasing member to the third party, and the purchasing member shall exclude from the numerator and denominator of the modified sales factor the amount the selling member already included under subd. 1. attributable to the item or service that was resold.
Example: Combined Group YZ consists of Member Y and Member Z. Group YZ is on a calendar year. On December 30, 2009, Y sells a widget with a cost of $400 to Z, for $600. Y ships the widget to Z’s warehouse in Wisconsin. On January 30, 2010, Z resells the widget to Q, an unrelated third party, for $700. Z ships the widget to Q’s headquarters in Illinois. Assume both the sale by Y and the sale by Z are subject to combination, and assume that Z has nexus in Illinois. In 2009, Y did not recognize any gain on the sale to Z because the gain was deferred under the provisions of s. 71.255 (4) (g), Stats., and sub. (6) (b). Since the gain on the sale was not recognized, Y cannot include the $600 sale in its apportionment factors for 2009. In 2010, the year the widget was resold by Z, Y must include its $200 of gain on the sale to Z (= $600 - $400) in combined unitary income. Y must also include the sale amount of $600 in the modified sales factor denominator for 2010. Z must include its $100 gain on the sale to Q (= $700 - $600) in combined unitary income for 2010. However, since $600 of Z’s sales price has already been included in the combined group’s modified sales factor, Z may only include $100 of the sale amount in the modified sales factor denominator. Neither Y nor Z include these amounts in their modified sales factor numerators since both sales have a situs in Illinois where Z has nexus. Under the provisions of par. (c), Z’s nexus in Illinois applies to both itself and Y for purposes of applying the throwback rule.
(e) Pass-through entities. A combined group member’s numerator and denominator for purposes of the modified sales factor generally includes the apportionment factors of pass-through entities owned directly or indirectly by the member, in proportion to the combined group member’s distributive share of the pass-through entity’s net income or loss included in the combined unitary income. However, a combined group member’s modified sales factor may not include apportionment factors of a real estate investment trust, regulated investment company, real estate mortgage investment conduit, or financial asset securitization investment trust. Additionally, subds. 1. and 2. apply in order to avoid duplication. For purposes of subds. 1. and 2., “sale” includes sales as defined in s. 71.25 (9), Stats., premiums under s. 71.45 (3) (a), Stats., or receipts under ss. Tax 2.49 or 2.495, as applicable, which would otherwise be included in a combined group member’s modified sales factor.
1. If a sale is made by a combined group member to a pass-through entity which is more than 50 percent owned, directly or indirectly, by members of the combined group as provided in subd. 3., the selling member shall subtract from its modified sales factor numerator and denominator, as applicable, an amount equal to the gross receipts of the sale multiplied by the sum of all combined group members’ interests in the pass-through entity as of the date of the sale. This subdivision applies to the extent the gross receipts of the sale are otherwise includable in combined unitary income. For purposes of this subdivision, a combined group member’s interest in the pass-through entity as of the date of the sale means the percentage of the pass-through entity’s income or loss that is allocable to the member in the taxable year of the sale.
Examples: 1) Combined Group LM consists of Member L and Member M. L owns a 40% interest in Partnership P. M owns a 60% interest in Partnership P. On March 1, 2010, L sells a widget to Partnership P for $10,000, and this sale is includable in Group LM’s combined unitary income. In its computation of apportionment factors for 2010, L must subtract an amount of $10,000 (= $10,000 x (40% + 60%)) from the modified sales factor denominator and, if applicable, from its numerator.
2) Assume the same facts as Example 1, except that Member L owns a 25% interest and M owns a 50% interest in Partnership P. In its computation of apportionment factors for 2010, L must subtract an amount of $7,500 (= $10,000 x (25% + 50%)) from the modified sales factor denominator and, if applicable, from its numerator.
2. If a sale is made by a pass-through entity to a combined group member and more than 50 percent of the pass-through entity is directly or indirectly owned by members of the combined group as provided in subd. 3., each member with an interest in the pass-through entity shall subtract from its modified sales factor numerator and denominator, as applicable, any amount attributable to the sale. This subdivision applies to the extent the gross receipts of the sale are otherwise includable in combined unitary income.
Example: Combined Group ST consists of Member S and Member T. S owns a 20% interest in Partnership R. T owns an 80% interest in Partnership R. On October 1, 2010, Partnership R sells a widget to S for $20,000, and this sale is includable in Group ST’s combined unitary income. In its computation of apportionment factors for 2010, S must subtract an amount of $4,000 (= $20,000 x 20%) from its sales factor denominator and, if applicable, from its numerator. Similarly, T must subtract an amount of $16,000 (= $20,000 x 80%) from its sales factor denominator and, if applicable, from its numerator.
(f) Special rules for zeroes and negative numbers in factors. This paragraph applies the special rules in ss. 71.25 (6m) and 71.45 (3e), Stats., to combined group members as follows:
3. If the numerator of a member’s modified sales factor is a positive number and the denominator is a negative number or zero, all of the combined unitary income shall be apportioned to the member. The member’s separate company denominator has no effect on this determination. If this subdivision would result in apportioning all of the combined unitary income to more than one member, the combined unitary income shall be apportioned to the members having positive modified sales factor numerators in proportion to the amounts of their numerators.
Example: Combined Group XY consists of Member X and Member Y. In its taxable year 2009, Group XY has combined unitary income of $50,000. X and Y have the following apportionment factors:
The modified sales factor denominator, or sum of the separate company denominators, is ($5,000). The amount of combined unitary income that would be apportioned to X is $12,500 (= $50,000 x ($5,000 / $20,000)). The combined unitary income that would be apportioned to Y is $37,500 (= $50,000 x ($15,000 / $20,000)).
(g) Multiple factor formulas. If a combined group member is required under s. 71.25 (10), Stats., to use an apportionment formula prescribed in ss. Tax 2.46, 2.465, 2.47, 2.475, 2.48, 2.50, or 2.502, the member’s modified sales factor is computed as follows:
(8) Income computation for groups doing business solely in Wisconsin. For combined groups that are engaged in business solely in Wisconsin, and therefore not eligible to use apportionment, each member’s net income subject to combination is determined on a separate entity basis and then adjusted to reflect the member’s status as a combined group member. These incomes are added together to arrive at the combined unitary income. Therefore, if some combined group members have net income from the unitary business and others in the same group have net loss from the unitary business, the combined group’s tax liability is based on the total aggregate net income or loss of the unitary business. When each member computes its share of the combined unitary income, the provisions of sub. (6) apply, except that the modifications in pars. (a) to (d) are required:
(b) Capital gains and losses.
1. The net capital gain or loss, after applying any sharable net capital loss carryover, is first determined for the combined group as a whole in the manner described in sub. (6) (c) 1. to 3. If the result is a net capital gain for the group, the net capital gain is assigned to the members that would have a net capital gain from the unitary business if they were not members of the combined group, in proportion to the amount of that net capital gain. If the result is a net capital loss for the group, the net capital loss is assigned to the members that would have a net capital loss from the unitary business if they were not members of the combined group, in proportion to the amount of that net capital loss.
Note: See Example 2 under sub. (6) (c) 4. for an example of this assignment method.
(9) Net business losses. A combined group member may carry forward its net business loss as provided in ss. 71.26 (4) and 71.45 (4), Stats. A net business loss carryforward is an attribute of the separate corporation rather than of the combined group. However, s. 71.255 (6) (b) and (bm), Stats., provides that a combined group member may share all or a portion of its net business loss carryforward with the other members of its combined group if certain conditions are met. This subsection explains which net business loss carryforwards are sharable, how to compute the sharable amount, and how to apply the shared losses. The following rules apply:
(a) Sharable loss carryforwards. A combined group member may share its net business loss carryforward incurred in a taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2009 with other combined group members to the extent that all of the following conditions are met:
(b) Non-sharable loss carryforwards. A combined group member’s net business loss carryforward incurred in a taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2009 that cannot be shared with other combined group members includes amounts attributable to the following:
(c) Order of carryforwards. A combined group member shall apply net business loss carryforwards in the following order:
3. For loss carryforwards shared in a taxable year that begins after December 31, 2011, pre-2009 net business loss carryforwards under par. (dm).
Example: Combined Group EFG consists of Member E, Member F, and Member G. E has the following loss carryforwards:
In 2010, E’s share of combined unitary income plus its separate entity items equal $14,000. After using its carryforwards to offset this income, E has $4,000 of remaining net business loss carryforward (= ($10,000) + ($6,000) + ($2,000) + $14,000). Of this amount, a portion is a sharable carryforward that may be applied against F and G’s shares of combined unitary income in the manner described in par. (d). Since loss carryforwards are applied in the order incurred, the $10,000 carryforward from 2008 is used in its entirety, and $4,000 of the 2009 carryforward is used. The portion of E’s remaining carryforward from 2009 that is sharable is $3,000 (= $4,000 x [$6,000 / $8,000]) and the portion that is non-sharable is $1,000 (= 4,000 x [$2,000 / $8,000]).
In 2012, E has the following loss carryforwards:
In addition, in 2012 E received a pre-2009 net business loss carryforward of $3,000 ($60,000 x 5%) from Member F. E’s share of combined unitary income plus its separate entity items for 2012 equal $16,000. After using its carryforwards to offset this income, E has $1,000 of remaining net business loss carryforward (= ($3,000) + ($1,000) + ($4,000) + ($6,000) + ($3,000) + $16,000). Since the loss carryforwards are first applied to the net business loss carryforwards incurred in 2009 and after, the $4,000 carryforward from 2009 and the $10,000 carryforward from 2011 are used in their entirety. The remaining $2,000 of loss carryforwards are applied to the pre-2009 net business loss carryforward. The remaining pre-2009 net business loss carryforward is $1,000.
(d) Method of sharing. The amount of net business loss carryforward under par. (c) 2. eligible for sharing shall be computed and assigned as follows:
4. Any remaining sharable amount remains an attribute of the corporation that originally incurred the loss. The aggregate sharable amount used under subd. 3. shall be considered used proportionately from the sharable net business loss carryforwards of the corporations which contributed to the aggregate sharable amount.
Example: Combined Group ABCD consists of Member A, Member B, Member C, and Member D. The corporations have the following net business loss carryforwards and net income amounts in 2010:
Assume all of A and B’s net business loss carryforwards are sharable. The aggregate sharable amount is $40,000 (= $24,000 + $16,000). This amount may be allocated to C and D based upon their respective shares of combined unitary income after applying any losses from separate entity items. C’s adjusted share of combined unitary income is $20,000 (its $1,000 carryforward is considered used against its $3,000 net income from separate entity items before its share of combined unitary income) and D’s adjusted share of combined unitary income is $5,000 (= $20,000 - $15,000). The aggregate sharable amount exceeds the sum of C and D’s adjusted shares of the combined unitary income, which is $25,000 (= $20,000 + $5,000). Thus, C and D’s adjusted shares of combined unitary income are fully offset by the aggregate sharable amount.
After the aggregate sharable amount is applied, the remaining aggregate sharable amount is $15,000 (= $40,000 - $25,000). Since the remaining sharable amount remains an attribute of the corporation that originally incurred the loss, at the end of 2010, A would have $9,000 (= $15,000 x ($24,000 / $40,000)) in remaining net business loss carryforward, and B would have $6,000 (= $15,000 x ($16,000 / $40,000)) in remaining net business loss carryforward.
(dm) Pre-2009 net business loss carryforwards.
1. For a combined group member’s first taxable year beginning after December 31, 2011, the member may, after using the pre-2009 net business loss carryforward to offset its own income for the taxable year, and after using sharable losses to offset its own income for the taxable year, use 5 percent of the pre-2009 net business loss carryforward to offset the income of all other members of the combined group for the taxable year and for each of the 19 subsequent taxable years.
Example: Member A of Wisconsin Combined Group ABC has pre-2009 net business loss carryforwards of $100 million as of December 31, 2008. A’s share of the combined group’s income is $2 million in 2009, $3 million in 2010, and $5 million in 2011. A’s one-time calculation of the annual 5% sharable amount is $4.5 million, computed as follows: [$100 million pre-2009 net business loss carryforward less the taxable income offset by the net business loss carryforward ($2 million in 2009, $3 million in 2010, and $5 million in 2011) multiplied by 5 percent].
In 2012 Member A’s share of the combined group’s Wisconsin income is $1 million. Member A first applies its pre-2009 net business loss carry-forward against its $1 million share of the combined group’s Wisconsin income. The remaining members of the group may use the $4.5 million sharable loss to offset the remaining group income on a proportionate basis. Assuming the combined group has enough income in 2012 to fully use the entire $4.5 million in pre-2009 net business loss carryforward, the pre-2009 net business loss carryforward available in 2013 is $84.5 million ($90 million total sharable loss less $1 million of Member A’s income offset by the net business loss carry-forward, less $4.5 million sharable loss utilized by the corporation in 2012). If Member A’s share of the combined group’s income is $0 for all the remaining years of the pre-2009 carry-forward, and the remaining members of the combined group were eligible to share the full $4.5 million net business loss carry-forward each year, the sharable pre-2009 net business loss available in 2031 will be $3.5 million ($4.5 million annual sharable loss computed in 2012 less $1 million loss used by Member A in 2012).
2. Except as provided in par. (g), relating to insurance companies, the sharable pre-2009 net business loss carryforward under subd. 1. shall be assigned to each combined group member in proportion to its share of combined unitary income as computed in subs. (6) to (8), net of any losses from separate entity items or loss carryforwards already applied. An amount may not be assigned to a combined group member whose share of combined unitary income is zero or less. Any remaining sharable amount becomes part of the combined group’s pre-2009 net business loss carryforward that may be shared by all combined group members in subsequent years.
Example: Member D of Combined Group DEF has a pre-2009 net business loss carry-forward of $2 million as of January 1, 2012. The 5% sharable amount allowed to members E and F in each year for taxable years 2012 through 2031 is $100,000 ($2 million net business loss carryforward multiplied by 5%). Member E’s proportional share of the $100,000 sharable net business loss in 2012 is $30,000. After using all other allowable losses, Member E has $20,000 in income remaining to offset against its share of the pre-2009 net business loss carryforward. The remaining $10,000 net business loss carryforward not used by Member E in 2012 becomes part of the combined group’s pre-2009 net business loss carryforward that may be shared by all combined group members in 2013 and is in addition to the 5% net business loss carryforward previously computed. As a result, the net business loss carryforward available in 2013 is $110,000 ($100,000 combined group yearly sharable loss plus Member E’s $10,000 proportional share of the $100,000 loss in 2012 that was not fully utilized by Member E in 2012).
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of ss. 71.26 (4) (a) and 71.45 (4) (a), Stats., under ss. 71.26 (4) (b) and 71.45 (4) (b), Stats., any unused pre-2009 net business loss carryforward under subd. 1. may be offset against the income of the members of the combined group for the 20 taxable years that begin after December 31, 2011.
Example: As of December 31, 2008, Member G of Combined Group GHI has a loss carryforward of $30,000 that is in the 14th year of the 15 year carryforward period under s. 71.26 (4) (a), Stats. Member G does not have any income to offset the $30,000 loss carryforward in its taxable years beginning in 2009, 2010, or 2011. For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2012, Member G is allowed to use the $30,000 pre-2009 net business loss carryforward to offset any of its own income first, then offset its proportional share of Combined Group GHI’s income, and finally, any remaining loss may be shared proportionately among the other members of Combined Group GHI. Under s. 71.26 (4) (b), Stats., Member G’s pre-2009 net business loss carryforward of $30,000 begins a new carryforward period of 20 years from its taxable year beginning in 2012.
(e) Departing combined group members. Except as provided in subds. 1. and 2., if a corporation leaves a combined group or is no longer eligible to be a combined group member, the corporation’s remaining net business loss carryforward may not be shared with any other combined groups but shall be available only to that corporation. The following exceptions apply:
(g) Special rules for insurance companies. Under s. 71.45 (4), Stats., the net business loss of an insurance company cannot include the dividends received deduction provided in s. 71.26 (3) (j), Stats. Further, an insurance company may not use net business loss carryforwards in cases where its franchise or income tax liability is limited by two percent of its gross premiums as provided in s. 71.46 (3), Stats. Therefore, the following rules apply:
(h) Elections.
(i) Applicability of Internal Revenue Code.
(10) Credits. A credit is an attribute of the separate corporation rather than of the combined group, and credits are computed for each corporation separately. However, s. 71.255 (6) (c), Stats., provides that a combined group member may share all or a portion of its research credits with the other members of the combined group. For purposes of this subsection, the term “research credit” means only the research expense credit under ss. 71.28 (4) or 71.47 (4), Stats., and the research facilities credit under ss. 71.28 (5) or 71.47 (5), Stats. This subsection explains how credits are computed and applied as well as the special rules that apply to research credits.
(c) Sharing of research credits. If a combined group member computes a research credit, or has a carryforward of a research credit, the member may share a portion or all of the credit with the other members. For purposes of determining the sharable amount, the provisions of sub. (9) (e) and (f) apply to available research credits in the same manner as they apply to net business loss carryforwards. Research credit carryforwards incurred in taxable years beginning before January 1, 2009 are sharable to the extent the corporation with the credits would have been a member of the combined group had s. 71.255, Stats., been in effect and required combined reporting in those years. The method of sharing these credits is as follows:
4. Any remaining sharable amount remains an attribute of the corporation that originally generated the credit. The aggregate sharable amount used under subd. 3. shall be considered used proportionately from the sharable research credits of the corporations which contributed to the aggregate sharable amount.
Example: Combined Group FGH consists of Member F, Member G, and Member H. F, G, and H have the following amounts in 2010:
Assume all of the research expense credit carryforward is sharable. The aggregate sharable amount is $25,000 (= $15,000 + $10,000). This amount may be assigned to H to the extent of its tax liability from its share of the combined unitary income after applying its own credits. After H applies its own credits, the remaining tax liability from combined unitary income is $5,000 (= ($17,000) + $2,000 + $20,000; its $17,000 economic development credit is applied against tax liability from separate entity items before tax liability from combined unitary items). Since this amount is less than the aggregate sharable amount, the entire remainder of H’s tax liability from combined unitary income ($5,000) is offset by the aggregate sharable amount.
After the aggregate sharable amount is applied, the remaining aggregate sharable amount is $20,000 (= $25,000 - $5,000). Since the remaining sharable amount remains an attribute of the corporation that originally generated the credit, at the end of 2010, F would have $12,000 (= $20,000 x ($15,000 / $25,000)) in remaining research credit carryforward, and G would have $8,000 (= $20,000 x ($10,000 / $25,000)) in remaining research credit carryforward.
(d) Exception for funded research. If a combined group member incurs expenses that are otherwise qualified research expenses under section 41(d) of the Internal Revenue Code but for the fact that the research is funded by another combined group member, the expenses shall be considered qualified research expenses of the combined group member performing the research, and the reimbursement from the combined group member funding the research may not be considered a qualified research expense of the funding member. Regardless of where the funding member is located, the research must be performed in this state to qualify for the research credit for Wisconsin purposes.
Example: Combined Group AB consists of Member A and Member B. In Year 1, B performs research that would be “qualified research” under section 41(d) of the Internal Revenue Code, except for the fact that A and B have entered into a contract where A provides funding for all of B’s research at a markup of 10%. Neither A nor B perform any other research. During Year 1, A paid B $220,000 for research services, all of which would be “qualified research” for B if the research were not funded by A. On AB’s Year 1 combined return, B may include $200,000 of qualified research expenses (= $220,000 - $20,000 markup) in its computation of the research credit. However, A may not compute any research credit. Since A and B are members of the same combined group, the funding arrangement between A and B is ignored for purposes of computing the research credit.
(e) Applicability of Internal Revenue Code. The provisions of sub. (9) (i), as they relate to net business loss carryforwards, also apply to carryforwards of credits under this subsection.
Note: Section Tax 2.61 interprets s. 71.255, Stats.
Cross Reference: See s. Tax 2.60 for definitions that relate to this section.
History: EmR1001: emerg. cr. eff. 1-15-10; CR 09-064: cr. Register April 2010 No. 652, eff. 5-1-10; CR 12-006: am. (9) (intro.), (a) (intro.), 1., (b) (intro.), r. (9) (b) 1., r. and recr. (9) (c) Register July 2012 No. 679, eff. 8-1-12; CR 13-078: am. (7) (a) 4., (b) 4., (g) (intro.), 1. Register April 2014 No. 700, eff. 5-1-14; CR 16-046: am. (9) (c) 3. (Example) Register January 2018 No. 745, eff. 2-1-18; CR 19-141: am. (4) (b) 1., 4., (6) (a) 3., r. and recr. (7) (h) Register September 2020 No. 777, eff. 10-1-20; correction in (6) (a) 3. made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register September 2020 No. 777.