Health-Chem Corp. v. State Tax Commission

132 Misc. 2d 941, 506 N.Y.S.2d 269, 1986 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2810
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedAugust 19, 1986
StatusPublished

This text of 132 Misc. 2d 941 (Health-Chem Corp. v. State Tax Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Health-Chem Corp. v. State Tax Commission, 132 Misc. 2d 941, 506 N.Y.S.2d 269, 1986 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2810 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1986).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

John G. Connor, J.

The essential facts are not in dispute. Petitioner is a Dela[942]*942ware corporation authorized to do business in this State. For its fiscal years ending June 30, 1977 and June 30, 1978 petitioner reported a net operating loss on its corporate franchise taxes. Those losses were carried back to petitioner’s fiscal years which ended in 1974 through 1976. The carry back of losses correspondingly entitled petitioner to a tax refund for the fiscal years ending in 1974 through 1976. Respondent paid the corporate tax refunds claimed by petitioner. The amounts of those refunds are not in dispute here.

At issue here is the amount of interest paid by respondent on the refunds. Essentially, respondent contends that interest on the refunds is due only for an 18-month period commencing on the close of the year in which the tax loss carried back was incurred. Petitioner argues that it is entitled to interest on the refunds for the period commencing on the close of the tax year in which the loss to be carried back was incurred, and running until a date no earlier than 30 days before the refunds corresponding to the carried-back losses are paid (Tax Law § 1088 [a]). By its own computations, petitioner contends that it is entitled to an additional $56,565.14 in interest on the refunds recovered. Resolution of the issue depends on the construction of various provisions of the State Tax Law and respondent’s regulations. Petitioner sought administratively to obtain a refund of the additional interest that it claims is due. By letter dated June 22, 1983, the State Department of Taxation and Finance denied petitioner’s request for additional interest. That determination was affirmed by respondent in a decision dated November 7, 1985. The instant proceeding ensued.

Before addressing the particular aspects of the State statutes at issue here, a brief overview of the pertinent Federal tax code provisions dealing with net operating loss carry-backs is helpful. The State statutes at issue require a basic background as to the operation of the Federal Internal Revenue Code carry-back provisions.

26 USC § 172 (b) is the operative provision permitting taxpayers to carry back net operating losses. 26 USC § 6511 (a) generally provides a Statute of Limitations of three years for the filing of a refund claim from the date the return was filed, or two years from the date the tax was paid, whichever period is longer. In regard to net operating loss carry-backs, 26 USC § 6511 (d) (2) (A) provides that "in lieu of the 3-year period of limitation prescribed in subsection (a) [26 USC § 6511 (a)], the [943]*943period shall be that period which ends 3 years after the time prescribed by law for filing the return (including extensions thereof) for the taxable year of the net operating loss”. In other words, under 26 USC § 6511, a taxpayer has three years after the statutory date for filing each of the tax returns for the fiscal years in which a net operating loss is incurred to claim a refund due by the application of the net operating loss carry-backs to prior tax years.

Notwithstanding the Statute of Limitations of 26 USC § 6511, the Internal Revenue Code provides a benefit to corporate taxpayers which claim net operating loss carry-backs. 26 USC § 6411 basically enables the taxpayer to utilize an expedited refund process, referred to as a tentative carry-back adjustment, within one year following the close of the tax year in which the net operating loss is incurred. If the taxpayer utilizes this procedure, the Internal Revenue Service has 90 days within which to review the taxpayer’s tentative carry-back adjustment application (26 USC § 6411 [b]). Absent any errors, the taxpayer either receives a refund resulting from the tentative carry-back adjustment, or is credited with that amount against any taxes then owed by the taxpayer. It is important to note that the 26 USC § 6411 "quick refund” procedure is optional rather than mandatory. Although the quick refund procedure has obvious immediate benefits, the taxpayer who does not utilize it is still entitled to file an amended return and refund application to reflect a net operating loss carry-back within the three-year limitations period of 26 USC § 6511 discussed supra. Also, any tentative carry-back adjustment (quick refund) obtained by the taxpayer under 26 USC § 6411 is still subject to a complete review by the Internal Revenue Service within the same three-year limitation period of 26 USC § 6511, and may result in a deficiency claim against the taxpayer if the original 26 USC § 6411 tentative carry-back adjustment was overstated (see, 5 Rabkin and Johnson, Federal Income, Gift and Estate Taxation §§ 73.09, 73.10 [1]; § 76.01 [1]).

Tax Law § 208 (9) (f) generally permits a corporate taxpayer to carry back a net operating loss to previous tax years on State franchise taxes as is permitted under the Federal Internal Revenue Code as to corporate income taxes. As respondents seem to correctly state, Tax Law § 208 (9) (f), standing alone, would not entitle petitioner to claim a net operating loss carry-back. Petitioner, as a member of an affiliated group of corporations, files a consolidated return for Federal tax [944]*944purposes. Hence, petitioner could not, as a single taxpayer, claim a net operating loss carry-back for Federal tax purposes.

For State tax purposes, however, petitioner is required to file an individual franchise tax return separate from any of its affiliates with which it files a consolidated Federal tax return. Since the language of Tax Law § 208 (9) (f) permits a net operating loss carry-back as allowed under 26 USC § 172 (b), petitioner would apparently be unable to take the carry-back for State tax purposes simply because of its differing filing status for Federal and State tax purposes. As respondent points out, the State Department of Taxation and Finance promulgated the regulation codified at 20 NYCRR 3-8.1 (a) to remedy this inequity created by Tax Law § 208 (9) (f) when a taxpayer, such as petitioner, files a consolidated Federal tax return, but on individual State tax return. 20 NYCRR 3-8.1 (a), in pertinent part, provides: "A corporation which reports as part of a consolidated group for Federal income tax purposes but on a separate basis for purposes of article 9-A computes its net operating loss and its net operating loss deduction as if it were filing on a separate basis for Federal income tax purposes.” It is respondent’s application of this regulation in conjunction with the Tax Law provisions governing the payment of interest on refunds due from net operating loss carry-backs which is at issue here.

Tax Law § 211 (3) requires that any taxpayer reporting for State franchise tax purposes notify respondent of any recomputation of its Federal taxes within 90 days after the final determination of the change. As to any Federal allowance of a tentative net operating loss carry-back adjustment pursuant to 26 USC § 6411 as discussed supra, Tax Law § 211 (3) has a specific requirement for reporting that change to respondent. In pertinent part, Tax Law § 211 (3) provides: "The allowance of a tentative carryback adjustment based upon a net operating loss carryback * * * pursuant to section sixty-four hundred eleven of the internal revenue code of nineteen hundred fifty-four, as amended, shall be treated as a final determination for the purposes of this subdivision.

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Related

Net operating loss deduction
26 U.S.C. § 172(b)
§ 371
26 U.S.C. § 371

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
132 Misc. 2d 941, 506 N.Y.S.2d 269, 1986 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2810, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/health-chem-corp-v-state-tax-commission-nysupct-1986.