HB5342sam001 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Sen. John J. Cullerton

Filed: 5/30/2012

09700HB5342sam001 LRB097 20175 HLH 70338 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 5342

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 5342 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 5. The Illinois Income Tax Act is amended by changing Sections 901 and 1501 and by adding Section 223 as follows:

(35 ILCS 5/223 new)

Sec. 223. Credit for qualified education expenses.

(a) For taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2012, and ending prior to December 31, 2017, each qualifying individual taxpayer is entitled to a credit against the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 in an amount equal to 2.5% of the qualified education expenses paid by the taxpayer to an eligible educational institution during the taxable year on behalf of a qualified student, but not to exceed $250 per qualifying individual taxpayer who files as married filing jointly, or $125 per taxpayer who files as an individual, married filing separately, widow, or head of household, in any taxable year.

(b) The credit may not be carried back. If the amount of the credit exceeds the tax liability for the year, the excess may be carried forward and applied to the tax liability of the 5 taxable years following the excess credit year. The tax credit shall be applied to the earliest year for which there is a tax liability. If there are credits for more than one year that are available to offset a liability, the earlier credit shall be applied first.

(c) For the purposes of this Section:

"Eligible educational institution" means any public or private university, community college, vocational school, or other postsecondary educational institution that is physically located in the State and is eligible to participate in a student loan program administered by the United States Department of Education.

"Qualified education expenses" means tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance at an eligible educational institution, as well as expenses for course-related books, supplies, and equipment if those expenses are incurred as part of the student's course of study.

"Qualifying individual" means an individual taxpayer who either (i) files as an individual, married filing separately, widow, or head of household, with a federal adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less; or (ii) files married filing jointly with a federal adjusted gross income that is $150,000 or less.

"Qualified student" means a person:

(1) who is a resident of this State and a citizen or permanent resident of the United States; and

(2) who enrolls or is enrolled in an eligible educational institution as an undergraduate student and has not received a baccalaureate degree.

(35 ILCS 5/901) (from Ch. 120, par. 9-901)

Sec. 901. Collection Authority.

(a) In general.

The Department shall collect the taxes imposed by this Act. The Department shall collect certified past due child support amounts under Section 2505-650 of the Department of Revenue Law (20 ILCS 2505/2505-650). Except as provided in subsections (c), (e), (f), and (g) of this Section, money collected pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act shall be paid into the General Revenue Fund in the State treasury; money collected pursuant to subsections (c) and (d) of Section 201 of this Act shall be paid into the Personal Property Tax Replacement Fund, a special fund in the State Treasury; and money collected under Section 2505-650 of the Department of Revenue Law (20 ILCS 2505/2505-650) shall be paid into the Child Support Enforcement Trust Fund, a special fund outside the State Treasury, or to the State Disbursement Unit established under Section 10-26 of the Illinois Public Aid Code, as directed by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

(b) Local Government Distributive Fund.

Beginning August 1, 1969, and continuing through June 30, 1994, the Treasurer shall transfer each month from the General Revenue Fund to a special fund in the State treasury, to be known as the "Local Government Distributive Fund", an amount equal to 1/12 of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act during the preceding month. Beginning July 1, 1994, and continuing through June 30, 1995, the Treasurer shall transfer each month from the General Revenue Fund to the Local Government Distributive Fund an amount equal to 1/11 of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act during the preceding month. Beginning July 1, 1995 and continuing through January 31, 2011, the Treasurer shall transfer each month from the General Revenue Fund to the Local Government Distributive Fund an amount equal to the net of (i) 1/10 of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of the Illinois Income Tax Act during the preceding month (ii) minus, beginning July 1, 2003 and ending June 30, 2004, $6,666,666, and beginning July 1, 2004, zero. Beginning February 1, 2011, and continuing through January 31, 2015, the Treasurer shall transfer each month from the General Revenue Fund to the Local Government Distributive Fund an amount equal to the sum of (i) 6% (10% of the ratio of the 3% individual income tax rate prior to 2011 to the 5% individual income tax rate after 2010) of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act upon individuals, trusts, and estates during the preceding month and (ii) 6.86% (10% of the ratio of the 4.8% corporate income tax rate prior to 2011 to the 7% corporate income tax rate after 2010) of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act upon corporations during the preceding month. Beginning February 1, 2015 and continuing through January 31, 2025, the Treasurer shall transfer each month from the General Revenue Fund to the Local Government Distributive Fund an amount equal to the sum of (i) 8% (10% of the ratio of the 3% individual income tax rate prior to 2011 to the 3.75% individual income tax rate after 2014) of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act upon individuals, trusts, and estates during the preceding month and (ii) 9.14% (10% of the ratio of the 4.8% corporate income tax rate prior to 2011 to the 5.25% corporate income tax rate after 2014) of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act upon corporations during the preceding month. Beginning February 1, 2025, the Treasurer shall transfer each month from the General Revenue Fund to the Local Government Distributive Fund an amount equal to the sum of (i) 9.23% (10% of the ratio of the 3% individual income tax rate prior to 2011 to the 3.25% individual income tax rate after 2024) of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act upon individuals, trusts, and estates during the preceding month and (ii) 10% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act upon corporations during the preceding month. Net revenue realized for a month shall be defined as the revenue from the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act which is deposited in the General Revenue Fund, the Education Assistance Fund, the Income Tax Surcharge Local Government Distributive Fund, the Fund for the Advancement of Education, and the Commitment to Human Services Fund during the month minus the amount paid out of the General Revenue Fund in State warrants during that same month as refunds to taxpayers for overpayment of liability under the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act.

(c) Deposits Into Income Tax Refund Fund.

(1) Beginning on January 1, 1989 and thereafter, the Department shall deposit a percentage of the amounts collected pursuant to subsections (a) and (b)(1), (2), and (3), of Section 201 of this Act into a fund in the State treasury known as the Income Tax Refund Fund. The Department shall deposit 6% of such amounts during the period beginning January 1, 1989 and ending on June 30, 1989. Beginning with State fiscal year 1990 and for each fiscal year thereafter, the percentage deposited into the Income Tax Refund Fund during a fiscal year shall be the Annual Percentage. For fiscal years 1999 through 2001, the Annual Percentage shall be 7.1%. For fiscal year 2003, the Annual Percentage shall be 8%. For fiscal year 2004, the Annual Percentage shall be 11.7%. Upon the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, the Annual Percentage shall be 10% for fiscal year 2005. For fiscal year 2006, the Annual Percentage shall be 9.75%. For fiscal year 2007, the Annual Percentage shall be 9.75%. For fiscal year 2008, the Annual Percentage shall be 7.75%. For fiscal year 2009, the Annual Percentage shall be 9.75%. For fiscal year 2010, the Annual Percentage shall be 9.75%. For fiscal year 2011, the Annual Percentage shall be 8.75%. For fiscal year 2012, the Annual Percentage shall be 8.75%. For all other fiscal years, the Annual Percentage shall be calculated as a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the amount of refunds approved for payment by the Department during the preceding fiscal year as a result of overpayment of tax liability under subsections (a) and (b)(1), (2), and (3) of Section 201 of this Act plus the amount of such refunds remaining approved but unpaid at the end of the preceding fiscal year, minus the amounts transferred into the Income Tax Refund Fund from the Tobacco Settlement Recovery Fund, and the denominator of which shall be the amounts which will be collected pursuant to subsections (a) and (b)(1), (2), and (3) of Section 201 of this Act during the preceding fiscal year; except that in State fiscal year 2002, the Annual Percentage shall in no event exceed 7.6%. The Director of Revenue shall certify the Annual Percentage to the Comptroller on the last business day of the fiscal year immediately preceding the fiscal year for which it is to be effective.

(2) Beginning on January 1, 1989 and thereafter, the Department shall deposit a percentage of the amounts collected pursuant to subsections (a) and (b)(6), (7), and (8), (c) and (d) of Section 201 of this Act into a fund in the State treasury known as the Income Tax Refund Fund. The Department shall deposit 18% of such amounts during the period beginning January 1, 1989 and ending on June 30, 1989. Beginning with State fiscal year 1990 and for each fiscal year thereafter, the percentage deposited into the Income Tax Refund Fund during a fiscal year shall be the Annual Percentage. For fiscal years 1999, 2000, and 2001, the Annual Percentage shall be 19%. For fiscal year 2003, the Annual Percentage shall be 27%. For fiscal year 2004, the Annual Percentage shall be 32%. Upon the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, the Annual Percentage shall be 24% for fiscal year 2005. For fiscal year 2006, the Annual Percentage shall be 20%. For fiscal year 2007, the Annual Percentage shall be 17.5%. For fiscal year 2008, the Annual Percentage shall be 15.5%. For fiscal year 2009, the Annual Percentage shall be 17.5%. For fiscal year 2010, the Annual Percentage shall be 17.5%. For fiscal year 2011, the Annual Percentage shall be 17.5%. For fiscal year 2012, the Annual Percentage shall be 17.5%. For all other fiscal years, the Annual Percentage shall be calculated as a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the amount of refunds approved for payment by the Department during the preceding fiscal year as a result of overpayment of tax liability under subsections (a) and (b)(6), (7), and (8), (c) and (d) of Section 201 of this Act plus the amount of such refunds remaining approved but unpaid at the end of the preceding fiscal year, and the denominator of which shall be the amounts which will be collected pursuant to subsections (a) and (b)(6), (7), and (8), (c) and (d) of Section 201 of this Act during the preceding fiscal year; except that in State fiscal year 2002, the Annual Percentage shall in no event exceed 23%. The Director of Revenue shall certify the Annual Percentage to the Comptroller on the last business day of the fiscal year immediately preceding the fiscal year for which it is to be effective.

(3) The Comptroller shall order transferred and the Treasurer shall transfer from the Tobacco Settlement Recovery Fund to the Income Tax Refund Fund (i) $35,000,000 in January, 2001, (ii) $35,000,000 in January, 2002, and (iii) $35,000,000 in January, 2003.

(d) Expenditures from Income Tax Refund Fund.

(1) Beginning January 1, 1989, money in the Income Tax Refund Fund shall be expended exclusively for the purpose of paying refunds resulting from overpayment of tax liability under Section 201 of this Act, for paying rebates under Section 208.1 in the event that the amounts in the Homeowners' Tax Relief Fund are insufficient for that purpose, and for making transfers pursuant to this subsection (d).

(2) The Director shall order payment of refunds resulting from overpayment of tax liability under Section 201 of this Act from the Income Tax Refund Fund only to the extent that amounts collected pursuant to Section 201 of this Act and transfers pursuant to this subsection (d) and item (3) of subsection (c) have been deposited and retained in the Fund.

(3) As soon as possible after the end of each fiscal year, the Director shall order transferred and the State Treasurer and State Comptroller shall transfer from the Income Tax Refund Fund to the Personal Property Tax Replacement Fund an amount, certified by the Director to the Comptroller, equal to the excess of the amount collected pursuant to subsections (c) and (d) of Section 201 of this Act deposited into the Income Tax Refund Fund during the fiscal year over the amount of refunds resulting from overpayment of tax liability under subsections (c) and (d) of Section 201 of this Act paid from the Income Tax Refund Fund during the fiscal year.

(4) As soon as possible after the end of each fiscal year, the Director shall order transferred and the State Treasurer and State Comptroller shall transfer from the Personal Property Tax Replacement Fund to the Income Tax Refund Fund an amount, certified by the Director to the Comptroller, equal to the excess of the amount of refunds resulting from overpayment of tax liability under subsections (c) and (d) of Section 201 of this Act paid from the Income Tax Refund Fund during the fiscal year over the amount collected pursuant to subsections (c) and (d) of Section 201 of this Act deposited into the Income Tax Refund Fund during the fiscal year.

(4.5) As soon as possible after the end of fiscal year 1999 and of each fiscal year thereafter, the Director shall order transferred and the State Treasurer and State Comptroller shall transfer from the Income Tax Refund Fund to the General Revenue Fund any surplus remaining in the Income Tax Refund Fund as of the end of such fiscal year; excluding for fiscal years 2000, 2001, and 2002 amounts attributable to transfers under item (3) of subsection (c) less refunds resulting from the earned income tax credit.

(5) This Act shall constitute an irrevocable and continuing appropriation from the Income Tax Refund Fund for the purpose of paying refunds upon the order of the Director in accordance with the provisions of this Section.

(e) Deposits into the Education Assistance Fund and the Income Tax Surcharge Local Government Distributive Fund.

On July 1, 1991, and thereafter, of the amounts collected pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act, minus deposits into the Income Tax Refund Fund, the Department shall deposit 7.3% into the Education Assistance Fund in the State Treasury. Beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly the Department shall deposit 100% of the proceeds collected as a result of the changes made to Section 1501 of this Act by this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly into the Education Assistance Fund. Beginning July 1, 1991, and continuing through January 31, 1993, of the amounts collected pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of the Illinois Income Tax Act, minus deposits into the Income Tax Refund Fund, the Department shall deposit 3.0% into the Income Tax Surcharge Local Government Distributive Fund in the State Treasury. Beginning February 1, 1993 and continuing through June 30, 1993, of the amounts collected pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of the Illinois Income Tax Act, minus deposits into the Income Tax Refund Fund, the Department shall deposit 4.4% into the Income Tax Surcharge Local Government Distributive Fund in the State Treasury. Beginning July 1, 1993, and continuing through June 30, 1994, of the amounts collected under subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act, minus deposits into the Income Tax Refund Fund, the Department shall deposit 1.475% into the Income Tax Surcharge Local Government Distributive Fund in the State Treasury.

(f) Deposits into the Fund for the Advancement of Education. Beginning February 1, 2015, the Department shall deposit the following portions of the revenue realized from the tax imposed upon individuals, trusts, and estates by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act during the preceding month, minus deposits into the Income Tax Refund Fund, into the Fund for the Advancement of Education:

(1) beginning February 1, 2015, and prior to February 1, 2025, 1/30; and

(2) beginning February 1, 2025, 1/26.

If the rate of tax imposed by subsection (a) and (b) of Section 201 is reduced pursuant to Section 201.5 of this Act, the Department shall not make the deposits required by this subsection (f) on or after the effective date of the reduction.

(g) Deposits into the Commitment to Human Services Fund. Beginning February 1, 2015, the Department shall deposit the following portions of the revenue realized from the tax imposed upon individuals, trusts, and estates by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act during the preceding month, minus deposits into the Income Tax Refund Fund, into the Commitment to Human Services Fund:

(1) beginning February 1, 2015, and prior to February 1, 2025, 1/30; and

(2) beginning February 1, 2025, 1/26.

If the rate of tax imposed by subsection (a) and (b) of Section 201 is reduced pursuant to Section 201.5 of this Act, the Department shall not make the deposits required by this subsection (g) on or after the effective date of the reduction.

(Source: P.A. 96-45, eff. 7-15-09; 96-328, eff. 8-11-09; 96-959, eff. 7-1-10; 96-1496, eff. 1-13-11; 97-72, eff. 7-1-11.)

(35 ILCS 5/1501) (from Ch. 120, par. 15-1501)

(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 97-636)

Sec. 1501. Definitions.

(a) In general. When used in this Act, where not otherwise distinctly expressed or manifestly incompatible with the intent thereof:

(1) Business income. The term "business income" means all income that may be treated as apportionable business income under the Constitution of the United States. Business income is net of the deductions allocable thereto. Such term does not include compensation or the deductions allocable thereto. For each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2003, a taxpayer may elect to treat all income other than compensation as business income. This election shall be made in accordance with rules adopted by the Department and, once made, shall be irrevocable.

(1.5) Captive real estate investment trust:

(A) The term "captive real estate investment trust" means a corporation, trust, or association:

(i) that is considered a real estate investment trust for the taxable year under Section 856 of the Internal Revenue Code;

(ii) the certificates of beneficial interest or shares of which are not regularly traded on an established securities market; and

(iii) of which more than 50% of the voting power or value of the beneficial interest or shares, at any time during the last half of the taxable year, is owned or controlled, directly, indirectly, or constructively, by a single corporation.

(B) The term "captive real estate investment trust" does not include:

(i) a real estate investment trust of which more than 50% of the voting power or value of the beneficial interest or shares is owned or controlled, directly, indirectly, or constructively, by:

(a) a real estate investment trust, other than a captive real estate investment trust;

(b) a person who is exempt from taxation under Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code, and who is not required to treat income received from the real estate investment trust as unrelated business taxable income under Section 512 of the Internal Revenue Code;

(c) a listed Australian property trust, if no more than 50% of the voting power or value of the beneficial interest or shares of that trust, at any time during the last half of the taxable year, is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by a single person;

(d) an entity organized as a trust, provided a listed Australian property trust described in subparagraph (c) owns or controls, directly or indirectly, or constructively, 75% or more of the voting power or value of the beneficial interests or shares of such entity; or

(e) an entity that is organized outside of the laws of the United States and that satisfies all of the following criteria:

(1) at least 75% of the entity's total asset value at the close of its taxable year is represented by real estate assets (as defined in Section 856(c)(5)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code, thereby including shares or certificates of beneficial interest in any real estate investment trust), cash and cash equivalents, and U.S. Government securities;

(2) the entity is not subject to tax on amounts that are distributed to its beneficial owners or is exempt from entity-level taxation;

(3) the entity distributes at least 85% of its taxable income (as computed in the jurisdiction in which it is organized) to the holders of its shares or certificates of beneficial interest on an annual basis;

(4) either (i) the shares or beneficial interests of the entity are regularly traded on an established securities market or (ii) not more than 10% of the voting power or value in the entity is held, directly, indirectly, or constructively, by a single entity or individual; and

(5) the entity is organized in a country that has entered into a tax treaty with the United States; or

(ii) during its first taxable year for which it elects to be treated as a real estate investment trust under Section 856(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code, a real estate investment trust the certificates of beneficial interest or shares of which are not regularly traded on an established securities market, but only if the certificates of beneficial interest or shares of the real estate investment trust are regularly traded on an established securities market prior to the earlier of the due date (including extensions) for filing its return under this Act for that first taxable year or the date it actually files that return.

(C) For the purposes of this subsection (1.5), the constructive ownership rules prescribed under Section 318(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, as modified by Section 856(d)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code, apply in determining the ownership of stock, assets, or net profits of any person.

(2) Commercial domicile. The term "commercial domicile" means the principal place from which the trade or business of the taxpayer is directed or managed.

(3) Compensation. The term "compensation" means wages, salaries, commissions and any other form of remuneration paid to employees for personal services.

(4) Corporation. The term "corporation" includes associations, joint-stock companies, insurance companies and cooperatives. Any entity, including a limited liability company formed under the Illinois Limited Liability Company Act, shall be treated as a corporation if it is so classified for federal income tax purposes.

(5) Department. The term "Department" means the Department of Revenue of this State.

(6) Director. The term "Director" means the Director of Revenue of this State.

(7) Fiduciary. The term "fiduciary" means a guardian, trustee, executor, administrator, receiver, or any person acting in any fiduciary capacity for any person.

(8) Financial organization.

(A) The term "financial organization" means any bank, bank holding company, trust company, savings bank, industrial bank, land bank, safe deposit company, private banker, savings and loan association, building and loan association, credit union, currency exchange, cooperative bank, small loan company, sales finance company, investment company, or any person which is owned by a bank or bank holding company. For the purpose of this Section a "person" will include only those persons which a bank holding company may acquire and hold an interest in, directly or indirectly, under the provisions of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841, et seq.), except where interests in any person must be disposed of within certain required time limits under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956.

(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the term "bank" includes (i) any entity that is regulated by the Comptroller of the Currency under the National Bank Act, or by the Federal Reserve Board, or by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and (ii) any federally or State chartered bank operating as a credit card bank.

(C) For purposes of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the term "sales finance company" has the meaning provided in the following item (i) or (ii):

(i) A person primarily engaged in one or more of the following businesses: the business of purchasing customer receivables, the business of making loans upon the security of customer receivables, the business of making loans for the express purpose of funding purchases of tangible personal property or services by the borrower, or the business of finance leasing. For purposes of this item (i), "customer receivable" means:

(a) a retail installment contract or retail charge agreement within the meaning of the Sales Finance Agency Act, the Retail Installment Sales Act, or the Motor Vehicle Retail Installment Sales Act;

(b) an installment, charge, credit, or similar contract or agreement arising from the sale of tangible personal property or services in a transaction involving a deferred payment price payable in one or more installments subsequent to the sale; or

(c) the outstanding balance of a contract or agreement described in provisions (a) or (b) of this item (i).

A customer receivable need not provide for payment of interest on deferred payments. A sales finance company may purchase a customer receivable from, or make a loan secured by a customer receivable to, the seller in the original transaction or to a person who purchased the customer receivable directly or indirectly from that seller.

(ii) A corporation meeting each of the following criteria:

(a) the corporation must be a member of an "affiliated group" within the meaning of Section 1504(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, determined without regard to Section 1504(b) of the Internal Revenue Code;

(b) more than 50% of the gross income of the corporation for the taxable year must be interest income derived from qualifying loans. A "qualifying loan" is a loan made to a member of the corporation's affiliated group that originates customer receivables (within the meaning of item (i)) or to whom customer receivables originated by a member of the affiliated group have been transferred, to the extent the average outstanding balance of loans from that corporation to members of its affiliated group during the taxable year do not exceed the limitation amount for that corporation. The "limitation amount" for a corporation is the average outstanding balances during the taxable year of customer receivables (within the meaning of item (i)) originated by all members of the affiliated group. If the average outstanding balances of the loans made by a corporation to members of its affiliated group exceed the limitation amount, the interest income of that corporation from qualifying loans shall be equal to its interest income from loans to members of its affiliated groups times a fraction equal to the limitation amount divided by the average outstanding balances of the loans made by that corporation to members of its affiliated group;

(c) the total of all shareholder's equity (including, without limitation, paid-in capital on common and preferred stock and retained earnings) of the corporation plus the total of all of its loans, advances, and other obligations payable or owed to members of its affiliated group may not exceed 20% of the total assets of the corporation at any time during the tax year; and

(d) more than 50% of all interest-bearing obligations of the affiliated group payable to persons outside the group determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles must be obligations of the corporation.

This amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly is declaratory of existing law.

(D) Subparagraphs (B) and (C) of this paragraph are declaratory of existing law and apply retroactively, for all tax years beginning on or before December 31, 1996, to all original returns, to all amended returns filed no later than 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1996, and to all notices issued on or before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1996 under subsection (a) of Section 903, subsection (a) of Section 904, subsection (e) of Section 909, or Section 912. A taxpayer that is a "financial organization" that engages in any transaction with an affiliate shall be a "financial organization" for all purposes of this Act.

(E) For all tax years beginning on or before December 31, 1996, a taxpayer that falls within the definition of a "financial organization" under subparagraphs (B) or (C) of this paragraph, but who does not fall within the definition of a "financial organization" under the Proposed Regulations issued by the Department of Revenue on July 19, 1996, may irrevocably elect to apply the Proposed Regulations for all of those years as though the Proposed Regulations had been lawfully promulgated, adopted, and in effect for all of those years. For purposes of applying subparagraphs (B) or (C) of this paragraph to all of those years, the election allowed by this subparagraph applies only to the taxpayer making the election and to those members of the taxpayer's unitary business group who are ordinarily required to apportion business income under the same subsection of Section 304 of this Act as the taxpayer making the election. No election allowed by this subparagraph shall be made under a claim filed under subsection (d) of Section 909 more than 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1996.

(F) Finance Leases. For purposes of this subsection, a finance lease shall be treated as a loan or other extension of credit, rather than as a lease, regardless of how the transaction is characterized for any other purpose, including the purposes of any regulatory agency to which the lessor is subject. A finance lease is any transaction in the form of a lease in which the lessee is treated as the owner of the leased asset entitled to any deduction for depreciation allowed under Section 167 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(9) Fiscal year. The term "fiscal year" means an accounting period of 12 months ending on the last day of any month other than December.

(9.5) Fixed place of business. The term "fixed place of business" has the same meaning as that term is given in Section 864 of the Internal Revenue Code and the related Treasury regulations.

(10) Includes and including. The terms "includes" and "including" when used in a definition contained in this Act shall not be deemed to exclude other things otherwise within the meaning of the term defined.

(11) Internal Revenue Code. The term "Internal Revenue Code" means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or any successor law or laws relating to federal income taxes in effect for the taxable year.

(11.5) Investment partnership.

(A) The term "investment partnership" means any entity that is treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes that meets the following requirements:

(i) no less than 90% of the partnership's cost of its total assets consists of qualifying investment securities, deposits at banks or other financial institutions, and office space and equipment reasonably necessary to carry on its activities as an investment partnership;

(ii) no less than 90% of its gross income consists of interest, dividends, and gains from the sale or exchange of qualifying investment securities; and

(iii) the partnership is not a dealer in qualifying investment securities.

(B) For purposes of this paragraph (11.5), the term "qualifying investment securities" includes all of the following:

(i) common stock, including preferred or debt securities convertible into common stock, and preferred stock;

(ii) bonds, debentures, and other debt securities;

(iii) foreign and domestic currency deposits secured by federal, state, or local governmental agencies;

(iv) mortgage or asset-backed securities secured by federal, state, or local governmental agencies;

(v) repurchase agreements and loan participations;

(vi) foreign currency exchange contracts and forward and futures contracts on foreign currencies;

(vii) stock and bond index securities and futures contracts and other similar financial securities and futures contracts on those securities;

(viii) options for the purchase or sale of any of the securities, currencies, contracts, or financial instruments described in items (i) to (vii), inclusive;

(ix) regulated futures contracts;

(x) commodities (not described in Section 1221(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code) or futures, forwards, and options with respect to such commodities, provided, however, that any item of a physical commodity to which title is actually acquired in the partnership's capacity as a dealer in such commodity shall not be a qualifying investment security;

(xi) derivatives; and

(xii) a partnership interest in another partnership that is an investment partnership.

(12) Mathematical error. The term "mathematical error" includes the following types of errors, omissions, or defects in a return filed by a taxpayer which prevents acceptance of the return as filed for processing:

(A) arithmetic errors or incorrect computations on the return or supporting schedules;

(B) entries on the wrong lines;

(C) omission of required supporting forms or schedules or the omission of the information in whole or in part called for thereon; and

(D) an attempt to claim, exclude, deduct, or improperly report, in a manner directly contrary to the provisions of the Act and regulations thereunder any item of income, exemption, deduction, or credit.

(13) Nonbusiness income. The term "nonbusiness income" means all income other than business income or compensation.

(14) Nonresident. The term "nonresident" means a person who is not a resident.

(15) Paid, incurred and accrued. The terms "paid", "incurred" and "accrued" shall be construed according to the method of accounting upon the basis of which the person's base income is computed under this Act.

(16) Partnership and partner. The term "partnership" includes a syndicate, group, pool, joint venture or other unincorporated organization, through or by means of which any business, financial operation, or venture is carried on, and which is not, within the meaning of this Act, a trust or estate or a corporation; and the term "partner" includes a member in such syndicate, group, pool, joint venture or organization.

The term "partnership" includes any entity, including a limited liability company formed under the Illinois Limited Liability Company Act, classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.

The term "partnership" does not include a syndicate, group, pool, joint venture, or other unincorporated organization established for the sole purpose of playing the Illinois State Lottery.

(17) Part-year resident. The term "part-year resident" means an individual who became a resident during the taxable year or ceased to be a resident during the taxable year. Under Section 1501(a)(20)(A)(i) residence commences with presence in this State for other than a temporary or transitory purpose and ceases with absence from this State for other than a temporary or transitory purpose. Under Section 1501(a)(20)(A)(ii) residence commences with the establishment of domicile in this State and ceases with the establishment of domicile in another State.

(18) Person. The term "person" shall be construed to mean and include an individual, a trust, estate, partnership, association, firm, company, corporation, limited liability company, or fiduciary. For purposes of Section 1301 and 1302 of this Act, a "person" means (i) an individual, (ii) a corporation, (iii) an officer, agent, or employee of a corporation, (iv) a member, agent or employee of a partnership, or (v) a member, manager, employee, officer, director, or agent of a limited liability company who in such capacity commits an offense specified in Section 1301 and 1302.

(18A) Records. The term "records" includes all data maintained by the taxpayer, whether on paper, microfilm, microfiche, or any type of machine-sensible data compilation.

(19) Regulations. The term "regulations" includes rules promulgated and forms prescribed by the Department.

(20) Resident. The term "resident" means:

(A) an individual (i) who is in this State for other than a temporary or transitory purpose during the taxable year; or (ii) who is domiciled in this State but is absent from the State for a temporary or transitory purpose during the taxable year;

(B) The estate of a decedent who at his or her death was domiciled in this State;

(C) A trust created by a will of a decedent who at his death was domiciled in this State; and

(D) An irrevocable trust, the grantor of which was domiciled in this State at the time such trust became irrevocable. For purpose of this subparagraph, a trust shall be considered irrevocable to the extent that the grantor is not treated as the owner thereof under Sections 671 through 678 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(21) Sales. The term "sales" means all gross receipts of the taxpayer not allocated under Sections 301, 302 and 303.

(22) State. The term "state" when applied to a jurisdiction other than this State means any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any Territory or Possession of the United States, and any foreign country, or any political subdivision of any of the foregoing. For purposes of the foreign tax credit under Section 601, the term "state" means any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession of the United States, or any political subdivision of any of the foregoing, effective for tax years ending on or after December 31, 1989.

(23) Taxable year. The term "taxable year" means the calendar year, or the fiscal year ending during such calendar year, upon the basis of which the base income is computed under this Act. "Taxable year" means, in the case of a return made for a fractional part of a year under the provisions of this Act, the period for which such return is made.

(24) Taxpayer. The term "taxpayer" means any person subject to the tax imposed by this Act.

(25) International banking facility. The term international banking facility shall have the same meaning as is set forth in the Illinois Banking Act or as is set forth in the laws of the United States or regulations of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

(26) Income Tax Return Preparer.

(A) The term "income tax return preparer" means any person who prepares for compensation, or who employs one or more persons to prepare for compensation, any return of tax imposed by this Act or any claim for refund of tax imposed by this Act. The preparation of a substantial portion of a return or claim for refund shall be treated as the preparation of that return or claim for refund.

(B) A person is not an income tax return preparer if all he or she does is

(i) furnish typing, reproducing, or other mechanical assistance;

(ii) prepare returns or claims for refunds for the employer by whom he or she is regularly and continuously employed;

(iii) prepare as a fiduciary returns or claims for refunds for any person; or

(iv) prepare claims for refunds for a taxpayer in response to any notice of deficiency issued to that taxpayer or in response to any waiver of restriction after the commencement of an audit of that taxpayer or of another taxpayer if a determination in the audit of the other taxpayer directly or indirectly affects the tax liability of the taxpayer whose claims he or she is preparing.

(27) Unitary business group.

(A) The term "unitary business group" means a group of persons related through common ownership whose business activities are integrated with, dependent upon and contribute to each other. The group will not include those members whose business activity outside the United States is 80% or more of any such member's total business activity; for purposes of this paragraph and clause (a)(3)(B)(ii) of Section 304, business activity within the United States shall be measured by means of the factors ordinarily applicable under subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), or (h) of Section 304 except that, in the case of members ordinarily required to apportion business income by means of the 3 factor formula of property, payroll and sales specified in subsection (a) of Section 304, including the formula as weighted in subsection (h) of Section 304, such members shall not use the sales factor in the computation and the results of the property and payroll factor computations of subsection (a) of Section 304 shall be divided by 2 (by one if either the property or payroll factor has a denominator of zero). The computation required by the preceding sentence shall, in each case, involve the division of the member's property, payroll, or revenue miles in the United States, insurance premiums on property or risk in the United States, or financial organization business income from sources within the United States, as the case may be, by the respective worldwide figures for such items. Common ownership in the case of corporations is the direct or indirect control or ownership of more than 50% of the outstanding voting stock of the persons carrying on unitary business activity. Unitary business activity can ordinarily be illustrated where the activities of the members are: (1) in the same general line (such as manufacturing, wholesaling, retailing of tangible personal property, insurance, transportation or finance); or (2) are steps in a vertically structured enterprise or process (such as the steps involved in the production of natural resources, which might include exploration, mining, refining, and marketing); and, in either instance, the members are functionally integrated through the exercise of strong centralized management (where, for example, authority over such matters as purchasing, financing, tax compliance, product line, personnel, marketing and capital investment is not left to each member).

(B) In no event, shall any unitary business group include members which are ordinarily required to apportion business income under different subsections of Section 304 except that for tax years ending on or after December 31, 1987 this prohibition shall not apply to a holding company that would otherwise be a member of a unitary business group with taxpayers that apportion business income under any of subsections (b), (c), or (d) of Section 304. If a unitary business group would, but for the preceding sentence, include members that are ordinarily required to apportion business income under different subsections of Section 304, then for each subsection of Section 304 for which there are two or more members, there shall be a separate unitary business group composed of such members. For purposes of the preceding two sentences, a member is "ordinarily required to apportion business income" under a particular subsection of Section 304 if it would be required to use the apportionment method prescribed by such subsection except for the fact that it derives business income solely from Illinois. As used in this paragraph, the phrase "United States" means only the 50 states and the District of Columbia, and but does not include any territory or possession of the United States, but, for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2012, does include or any area over which the United States has asserted jurisdiction or claimed exclusive rights with respect to the exploration for or exploitation of natural resources.

(C) Holding companies.

(i) For purposes of this subparagraph, a "holding company" is a corporation (other than a corporation that is a financial organization under paragraph (8) of this subsection (a) of Section 1501 because it is a bank holding company under the provisions of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841, et seq.) or because it is owned by a bank or a bank holding company) that owns a controlling interest in one or more other taxpayers ("controlled taxpayers"); that, during the period that includes the taxable year and the 2 immediately preceding taxable years or, if the corporation was formed during the current or immediately preceding taxable year, the taxable years in which the corporation has been in existence, derived substantially all its gross income from dividends, interest, rents, royalties, fees or other charges received from controlled taxpayers for the provision of services, and gains on the sale or other disposition of interests in controlled taxpayers or in property leased or licensed to controlled taxpayers or used by the taxpayer in providing services to controlled taxpayers; and that incurs no substantial expenses other than expenses (including interest and other costs of borrowing) incurred in connection with the acquisition and holding of interests in controlled taxpayers and in the provision of services to controlled taxpayers or in the leasing or licensing of property to controlled taxpayers.

(ii) The income of a holding company which is a member of more than one unitary business group shall be included in each unitary business group of which it is a member on a pro rata basis, by including in each unitary business group that portion of the base income of the holding company that bears the same proportion to the total base income of the holding company as the gross receipts of the unitary business group bears to the combined gross receipts of all unitary business groups (in both cases without regard to the holding company) or on any other reasonable basis, consistently applied.

(iii) A holding company shall apportion its business income under the subsection of Section 304 used by the other members of its unitary business group. The apportionment factors of a holding company which would be a member of more than one unitary business group shall be included with the apportionment factors of each unitary business group of which it is a member on a pro rata basis using the same method used in clause (ii).

(iv) The provisions of this subparagraph (C) are intended to clarify existing law.

(D) If including the base income and factors of a holding company in more than one unitary business group under subparagraph (C) does not fairly reflect the degree of integration between the holding company and one or more of the unitary business groups, the dependence of the holding company and one or more of the unitary business groups upon each other, or the contributions between the holding company and one or more of the unitary business groups, the holding company may petition the Director, under the procedures provided under Section 304(f), for permission to include all base income and factors of the holding company only with members of a unitary business group apportioning their business income under one subsection of subsections (a), (b), (c), or (d) of Section 304. If the petition is granted, the holding company shall be included in a unitary business group only with persons apportioning their business income under the selected subsection of Section 304 until the Director grants a petition of the holding company either to be included in more than one unitary business group under subparagraph (C) or to include its base income and factors only with members of a unitary business group apportioning their business income under a different subsection of Section 304.

(E) If the unitary business group members' accounting periods differ, the common parent's accounting period or, if there is no common parent, the accounting period of the member that is expected to have, on a recurring basis, the greatest Illinois income tax liability must be used to determine whether to use the apportionment method provided in subsection (a) or subsection (h) of Section 304. The prohibition against membership in a unitary business group for taxpayers ordinarily required to apportion income under different subsections of Section 304 does not apply to taxpayers required to apportion income under subsection (a) and subsection (h) of Section 304. The provisions of this amendatory Act of 1998 apply to tax years ending on or after December 31, 1998.

(28) Subchapter S corporation. The term "Subchapter S corporation" means a corporation for which there is in effect an election under Section 1362 of the Internal Revenue Code, or for which there is a federal election to opt out of the provisions of the Subchapter S Revision Act of 1982 and have applied instead the prior federal Subchapter S rules as in effect on July 1, 1982.

(30) Foreign person. The term "foreign person" means any person who is a nonresident alien individual and any nonindividual entity, regardless of where created or organized, whose business activity outside the United States is 80% or more of the entity's total business activity.

(b) Other definitions.

(1) Words denoting number, gender, and so forth, when used in this Act, where not otherwise distinctly expressed or manifestly incompatible with the intent thereof:

(A) Words importing the singular include and apply to several persons, parties or things;

(B) Words importing the plural include the singular; and

(C) Words importing the masculine gender include the feminine as well.

(2) "Company" or "association" as including successors and assigns. The word "company" or "association", when used in reference to a corporation, shall be deemed to embrace the words "successors and assigns of such company or association", and in like manner as if these last-named words, or words of similar import, were expressed.

(3) Other terms. Any term used in any Section of this Act with respect to the application of, or in connection with, the provisions of any other Section of this Act shall have the same meaning as in such other Section.

(Source: P.A. 96-641, eff. 8-24-09; 97-507, eff. 8-23-11.)

(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 97-636)

Sec. 1501. Definitions.

(a) In general. When used in this Act, where not otherwise distinctly expressed or manifestly incompatible with the intent thereof:

(1) Business income. The term "business income" means all income that may be treated as apportionable business income under the Constitution of the United States. Business income is net of the deductions allocable thereto. Such term does not include compensation or the deductions allocable thereto. For each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2003, a taxpayer may elect to treat all income other than compensation as business income. This election shall be made in accordance with rules adopted by the Department and, once made, shall be irrevocable.

(1.5) Captive real estate investment trust:

(A) The term "captive real estate investment trust" means a corporation, trust, or association:

(i) that is considered a real estate investment trust for the taxable year under Section 856 of the Internal Revenue Code;

(ii) the certificates of beneficial interest or shares of which are not regularly traded on an established securities market; and

(iii) of which more than 50% of the voting power or value of the beneficial interest or shares, at any time during the last half of the taxable year, is owned or controlled, directly, indirectly, or constructively, by a single corporation.

(B) The term "captive real estate investment trust" does not include:

(i) a real estate investment trust of which more than 50% of the voting power or value of the beneficial interest or shares is owned or controlled, directly, indirectly, or constructively, by:

(a) a real estate investment trust, other than a captive real estate investment trust;

(b) a person who is exempt from taxation under Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code, and who is not required to treat income received from the real estate investment trust as unrelated business taxable income under Section 512 of the Internal Revenue Code;

(c) a listed Australian property trust, if no more than 50% of the voting power or value of the beneficial interest or shares of that trust, at any time during the last half of the taxable year, is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by a single person;

(d) an entity organized as a trust, provided a listed Australian property trust described in subparagraph (c) owns or controls, directly or indirectly, or constructively, 75% or more of the voting power or value of the beneficial interests or shares of such entity; or

(e) an entity that is organized outside of the laws of the United States and that satisfies all of the following criteria:

(1) at least 75% of the entity's total asset value at the close of its taxable year is represented by real estate assets (as defined in Section 856(c)(5)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code, thereby including shares or certificates of beneficial interest in any real estate investment trust), cash and cash equivalents, and U.S. Government securities;

(2) the entity is not subject to tax on amounts that are distributed to its beneficial owners or is exempt from entity-level taxation;

(3) the entity distributes at least 85% of its taxable income (as computed in the jurisdiction in which it is organized) to the holders of its shares or certificates of beneficial interest on an annual basis;

(4) either (i) the shares or beneficial interests of the entity are regularly traded on an established securities market or (ii) not more than 10% of the voting power or value in the entity is held, directly, indirectly, or constructively, by a single entity or individual; and

(5) the entity is organized in a country that has entered into a tax treaty with the United States; or

(ii) during its first taxable year for which it elects to be treated as a real estate investment trust under Section 856(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code, a real estate investment trust the certificates of beneficial interest or shares of which are not regularly traded on an established securities market, but only if the certificates of beneficial interest or shares of the real estate investment trust are regularly traded on an established securities market prior to the earlier of the due date (including extensions) for filing its return under this Act for that first taxable year or the date it actually files that return.

(C) For the purposes of this subsection (1.5), the constructive ownership rules prescribed under Section 318(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, as modified by Section 856(d)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code, apply in determining the ownership of stock, assets, or net profits of any person.

(2) Commercial domicile. The term "commercial domicile" means the principal place from which the trade or business of the taxpayer is directed or managed.

(3) Compensation. The term "compensation" means wages, salaries, commissions and any other form of remuneration paid to employees for personal services.

(4) Corporation. The term "corporation" includes associations, joint-stock companies, insurance companies and cooperatives. Any entity, including a limited liability company formed under the Illinois Limited Liability Company Act, shall be treated as a corporation if it is so classified for federal income tax purposes.

(5) Department. The term "Department" means the Department of Revenue of this State.

(6) Director. The term "Director" means the Director of Revenue of this State.

(7) Fiduciary. The term "fiduciary" means a guardian, trustee, executor, administrator, receiver, or any person acting in any fiduciary capacity for any person.

(8) Financial organization.

(A) The term "financial organization" means any bank, bank holding company, trust company, savings bank, industrial bank, land bank, safe deposit company, private banker, savings and loan association, building and loan association, credit union, currency exchange, cooperative bank, small loan company, sales finance company, investment company, or any person which is owned by a bank or bank holding company. For the purpose of this Section a "person" will include only those persons which a bank holding company may acquire and hold an interest in, directly or indirectly, under the provisions of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841, et seq.), except where interests in any person must be disposed of within certain required time limits under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956.

(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the term "bank" includes (i) any entity that is regulated by the Comptroller of the Currency under the National Bank Act, or by the Federal Reserve Board, or by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and (ii) any federally or State chartered bank operating as a credit card bank.

(C) For purposes of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the term "sales finance company" has the meaning provided in the following item (i) or (ii):

(i) A person primarily engaged in one or more of the following businesses: the business of purchasing customer receivables, the business of making loans upon the security of customer receivables, the business of making loans for the express purpose of funding purchases of tangible personal property or services by the borrower, or the business of finance leasing. For purposes of this item (i), "customer receivable" means:

(a) a retail installment contract or retail charge agreement within the meaning of the Sales Finance Agency Act, the Retail Installment Sales Act, or the Motor Vehicle Retail Installment Sales Act;

(b) an installment, charge, credit, or similar contract or agreement arising from the sale of tangible personal property or services in a transaction involving a deferred payment price payable in one or more installments subsequent to the sale; or

(c) the outstanding balance of a contract or agreement described in provisions (a) or (b) of this item (i).

A customer receivable need not provide for payment of interest on deferred payments. A sales finance company may purchase a customer receivable from, or make a loan secured by a customer receivable to, the seller in the original transaction or to a person who purchased the customer receivable directly or indirectly from that seller.

(ii) A corporation meeting each of the following criteria:

(a) the corporation must be a member of an "affiliated group" within the meaning of Section 1504(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, determined without regard to Section 1504(b) of the Internal Revenue Code;

(b) more than 50% of the gross income of the corporation for the taxable year must be interest income derived from qualifying loans. A "qualifying loan" is a loan made to a member of the corporation's affiliated group that originates customer receivables (within the meaning of item (i)) or to whom customer receivables originated by a member of the affiliated group have been transferred, to the extent the average outstanding balance of loans from that corporation to members of its affiliated group during the taxable year do not exceed the limitation amount for that corporation. The "limitation amount" for a corporation is the average outstanding balances during the taxable year of customer receivables (within the meaning of item (i)) originated by all members of the affiliated group. If the average outstanding balances of the loans made by a corporation to members of its affiliated group exceed the limitation amount, the interest income of that corporation from qualifying loans shall be equal to its interest income from loans to members of its affiliated groups times a fraction equal to the limitation amount divided by the average outstanding balances of the loans made by that corporation to members of its affiliated group;

(c) the total of all shareholder's equity (including, without limitation, paid-in capital on common and preferred stock and retained earnings) of the corporation plus the total of all of its loans, advances, and other obligations payable or owed to members of its affiliated group may not exceed 20% of the total assets of the corporation at any time during the tax year; and

(d) more than 50% of all interest-bearing obligations of the affiliated group payable to persons outside the group determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles must be obligations of the corporation.

This amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly is declaratory of existing law.

(D) Subparagraphs (B) and (C) of this paragraph are declaratory of existing law and apply retroactively, for all tax years beginning on or before December 31, 1996, to all original returns, to all amended returns filed no later than 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1996, and to all notices issued on or before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1996 under subsection (a) of Section 903, subsection (a) of Section 904, subsection (e) of Section 909, or Section 912. A taxpayer that is a "financial organization" that engages in any transaction with an affiliate shall be a "financial organization" for all purposes of this Act.

(E) For all tax years beginning on or before December 31, 1996, a taxpayer that falls within the definition of a "financial organization" under subparagraphs (B) or (C) of this paragraph, but who does not fall within the definition of a "financial organization" under the Proposed Regulations issued by the Department of Revenue on July 19, 1996, may irrevocably elect to apply the Proposed Regulations for all of those years as though the Proposed Regulations had been lawfully promulgated, adopted, and in effect for all of those years. For purposes of applying subparagraphs (B) or (C) of this paragraph to all of those years, the election allowed by this subparagraph applies only to the taxpayer making the election and to those members of the taxpayer's unitary business group who are ordinarily required to apportion business income under the same subsection of Section 304 of this Act as the taxpayer making the election. No election allowed by this subparagraph shall be made under a claim filed under subsection (d) of Section 909 more than 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1996.

(F) Finance Leases. For purposes of this subsection, a finance lease shall be treated as a loan or other extension of credit, rather than as a lease, regardless of how the transaction is characterized for any other purpose, including the purposes of any regulatory agency to which the lessor is subject. A finance lease is any transaction in the form of a lease in which the lessee is treated as the owner of the leased asset entitled to any deduction for depreciation allowed under Section 167 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(9) Fiscal year. The term "fiscal year" means an accounting period of 12 months ending on the last day of any month other than December.

(9.5) Fixed place of business. The term "fixed place of business" has the same meaning as that term is given in Section 864 of the Internal Revenue Code and the related Treasury regulations.

(10) Includes and including. The terms "includes" and "including" when used in a definition contained in this Act shall not be deemed to exclude other things otherwise within the meaning of the term defined.

(11) Internal Revenue Code. The term "Internal Revenue Code" means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or any successor law or laws relating to federal income taxes in effect for the taxable year.

(11.5) Investment partnership.

(A) The term "investment partnership" means any entity that is treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes that meets the following requirements:

(i) no less than 90% of the partnership's cost of its total assets consists of qualifying investment securities, deposits at banks or other financial institutions, and office space and equipment reasonably necessary to carry on its activities as an investment partnership;

(ii) no less than 90% of its gross income consists of interest, dividends, and gains from the sale or exchange of qualifying investment securities; and

(iii) the partnership is not a dealer in qualifying investment securities.

(B) For purposes of this paragraph (11.5), the term "qualifying investment securities" includes all of the following:

(i) common stock, including preferred or debt securities convertible into common stock, and preferred stock;

(ii) bonds, debentures, and other debt securities;

(iii) foreign and domestic currency deposits secured by federal, state, or local governmental agencies;

(iv) mortgage or asset-backed securities secured by federal, state, or local governmental agencies;

(v) repurchase agreements and loan participations;

(vi) foreign currency exchange contracts and forward and futures contracts on foreign currencies;

(vii) stock and bond index securities and futures contracts and other similar financial securities and futures contracts on those securities;

(viii) options for the purchase or sale of any of the securities, currencies, contracts, or financial instruments described in items (i) to (vii), inclusive;

(ix) regulated futures contracts;

(x) commodities (not described in Section 1221(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code) or futures, forwards, and options with respect to such commodities, provided, however, that any item of a physical commodity to which title is actually acquired in the partnership's capacity as a dealer in such commodity shall not be a qualifying investment security;

(xi) derivatives; and

(xii) a partnership interest in another partnership that is an investment partnership.

(12) Mathematical error. The term "mathematical error" includes the following types of errors, omissions, or defects in a return filed by a taxpayer which prevents acceptance of the return as filed for processing:

(A) arithmetic errors or incorrect computations on the return or supporting schedules;

(B) entries on the wrong lines;

(C) omission of required supporting forms or schedules or the omission of the information in whole or in part called for thereon; and

(D) an attempt to claim, exclude, deduct, or improperly report, in a manner directly contrary to the provisions of the Act and regulations thereunder any item of income, exemption, deduction, or credit.

(13) Nonbusiness income. The term "nonbusiness income" means all income other than business income or compensation.

(14) Nonresident. The term "nonresident" means a person who is not a resident.

(15) Paid, incurred and accrued. The terms "paid", "incurred" and "accrued" shall be construed according to the method of accounting upon the basis of which the person's base income is computed under this Act.

(16) Partnership and partner. The term "partnership" includes a syndicate, group, pool, joint venture or other unincorporated organization, through or by means of which any business, financial operation, or venture is carried on, and which is not, within the meaning of this Act, a trust or estate or a corporation; and the term "partner" includes a member in such syndicate, group, pool, joint venture or organization.

The term "partnership" includes any entity, including a limited liability company formed under the Illinois Limited Liability Company Act, classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.

The term "partnership" does not include a syndicate, group, pool, joint venture, or other unincorporated organization established for the sole purpose of playing the Illinois State Lottery.

(17) Part-year resident. The term "part-year resident" means an individual who became a resident during the taxable year or ceased to be a resident during the taxable year. Under Section 1501(a)(20)(A)(i) residence commences with presence in this State for other than a temporary or transitory purpose and ceases with absence from this State for other than a temporary or transitory purpose. Under Section 1501(a)(20)(A)(ii) residence commences with the establishment of domicile in this State and ceases with the establishment of domicile in another State.

(18) Person. The term "person" shall be construed to mean and include an individual, a trust, estate, partnership, association, firm, company, corporation, limited liability company, or fiduciary. For purposes of Section 1301 and 1302 of this Act, a "person" means (i) an individual, (ii) a corporation, (iii) an officer, agent, or employee of a corporation, (iv) a member, agent or employee of a partnership, or (v) a member, manager, employee, officer, director, or agent of a limited liability company who in such capacity commits an offense specified in Section 1301 and 1302.

(18A) Records. The term "records" includes all data maintained by the taxpayer, whether on paper, microfilm, microfiche, or any type of machine-sensible data compilation.

(19) Regulations. The term "regulations" includes rules promulgated and forms prescribed by the Department.

(20) Resident. The term "resident" means:

(A) an individual (i) who is in this State for other than a temporary or transitory purpose during the taxable year; or (ii) who is domiciled in this State but is absent from the State for a temporary or transitory purpose during the taxable year;

(B) The estate of a decedent who at his or her death was domiciled in this State;

(C) A trust created by a will of a decedent who at his death was domiciled in this State; and

(D) An irrevocable trust, the grantor of which was domiciled in this State at the time such trust became irrevocable. For purpose of this subparagraph, a trust shall be considered irrevocable to the extent that the grantor is not treated as the owner thereof under Sections 671 through 678 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(21) Sales. The term "sales" means all gross receipts of the taxpayer not allocated under Sections 301, 302 and 303.

(22) State. The term "state" when applied to a jurisdiction other than this State means any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any Territory or Possession of the United States, and any foreign country, or any political subdivision of any of the foregoing. For purposes of the foreign tax credit under Section 601, the term "state" means any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession of the United States, or any political subdivision of any of the foregoing, effective for tax years ending on or after December 31, 1989.

(23) Taxable year. The term "taxable year" means the calendar year, or the fiscal year ending during such calendar year, upon the basis of which the base income is computed under this Act. "Taxable year" means, in the case of a return made for a fractional part of a year under the provisions of this Act, the period for which such return is made.

(24) Taxpayer. The term "taxpayer" means any person subject to the tax imposed by this Act.

(25) International banking facility. The term international banking facility shall have the same meaning as is set forth in the Illinois Banking Act or as is set forth in the laws of the United States or regulations of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

(26) Income Tax Return Preparer.

(A) The term "income tax return preparer" means any person who prepares for compensation, or who employs one or more persons to prepare for compensation, any return of tax imposed by this Act or any claim for refund of tax imposed by this Act. The preparation of a substantial portion of a return or claim for refund shall be treated as the preparation of that return or claim for refund.

(B) A person is not an income tax return preparer if all he or she does is

(i) furnish typing, reproducing, or other mechanical assistance;

(ii) prepare returns or claims for refunds for the employer by whom he or she is regularly and continuously employed;

(iii) prepare as a fiduciary returns or claims for refunds for any person; or

(iv) prepare claims for refunds for a taxpayer in response to any notice of deficiency issued to that taxpayer or in response to any waiver of restriction after the commencement of an audit of that taxpayer or of another taxpayer if a determination in the audit of the other taxpayer directly or indirectly affects the tax liability of the taxpayer whose claims he or she is preparing.

(27) Unitary business group.

(A) The term "unitary business group" means a group of persons related through common ownership whose business activities are integrated with, dependent upon and contribute to each other. The group will not include those members whose business activity outside the United States is 80% or more of any such member's total business activity; for purposes of this paragraph and clause (a)(3)(B)(ii) of Section 304, business activity within the United States shall be measured by means of the factors ordinarily applicable under subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), or (h) of Section 304 except that, in the case of members ordinarily required to apportion business income by means of the 3 factor formula of property, payroll and sales specified in subsection (a) of Section 304, including the formula as weighted in subsection (h) of Section 304, such members shall not use the sales factor in the computation and the results of the property and payroll factor computations of subsection (a) of Section 304 shall be divided by 2 (by one if either the property or payroll factor has a denominator of zero). The computation required by the preceding sentence shall, in each case, involve the division of the member's property, payroll, or revenue miles in the United States, insurance premiums on property or risk in the United States, or financial organization business income from sources within the United States, as the case may be, by the respective worldwide figures for such items. Common ownership in the case of corporations is the direct or indirect control or ownership of more than 50% of the outstanding voting stock of the persons carrying on unitary business activity. Unitary business activity can ordinarily be illustrated where the activities of the members are: (1) in the same general line (such as manufacturing, wholesaling, retailing of tangible personal property, insurance, transportation or finance); or (2) are steps in a vertically structured enterprise or process (such as the steps involved in the production of natural resources, which might include exploration, mining, refining, and marketing); and, in either instance, the members are functionally integrated through the exercise of strong centralized management (where, for example, authority over such matters as purchasing, financing, tax compliance, product line, personnel, marketing and capital investment is not left to each member).

(B) In no event, shall any unitary business group include members which are ordinarily required to apportion business income under different subsections of Section 304 except that for tax years ending on or after December 31, 1987 this prohibition shall not apply to a holding company that would otherwise be a member of a unitary business group with taxpayers that apportion business income under any of subsections (b), (c), (c-1), or (d) of Section 304. If a unitary business group would, but for the preceding sentence, include members that are ordinarily required to apportion business income under different subsections of Section 304, then for each subsection of Section 304 for which there are two or more members, there shall be a separate unitary business group composed of such members. For purposes of the preceding two sentences, a member is "ordinarily required to apportion business income" under a particular subsection of Section 304 if it would be required to use the apportionment method prescribed by such subsection except for the fact that it derives business income solely from Illinois. As used in this paragraph, the phrase "United States" means only the 50 states and the District of Columbia, and but does not include any territory or possession of the United States, but, for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2012, does include or any area over which the United States has asserted jurisdiction or claimed exclusive rights with respect to the exploration for or exploitation of natural resources.

(C) Holding companies.

(i) For purposes of this subparagraph, a "holding company" is a corporation (other than a corporation that is a financial organization under paragraph (8) of this subsection (a) of Section 1501 because it is a bank holding company under the provisions of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841, et seq.) or because it is owned by a bank or a bank holding company) that owns a controlling interest in one or more other taxpayers ("controlled taxpayers"); that, during the period that includes the taxable year and the 2 immediately preceding taxable years or, if the corporation was formed during the current or immediately preceding taxable year, the taxable years in which the corporation has been in existence, derived substantially all its gross income from dividends, interest, rents, royalties, fees or other charges received from controlled taxpayers for the provision of services, and gains on the sale or other disposition of interests in controlled taxpayers or in property leased or licensed to controlled taxpayers or used by the taxpayer in providing services to controlled taxpayers; and that incurs no substantial expenses other than expenses (including interest and other costs of borrowing) incurred in connection with the acquisition and holding of interests in controlled taxpayers and in the provision of services to controlled taxpayers or in the leasing or licensing of property to controlled taxpayers.

(ii) The income of a holding company which is a member of more than one unitary business group shall be included in each unitary business group of which it is a member on a pro rata basis, by including in each unitary business group that portion of the base income of the holding company that bears the same proportion to the total base income of the holding company as the gross receipts of the unitary business group bears to the combined gross receipts of all unitary business groups (in both cases without regard to the holding company) or on any other reasonable basis, consistently applied.

(iii) A holding company shall apportion its business income under the subsection of Section 304 used by the other members of its unitary business group. The apportionment factors of a holding company which would be a member of more than one unitary business group shall be included with the apportionment factors of each unitary business group of which it is a member on a pro rata basis using the same method used in clause (ii).

(iv) The provisions of this subparagraph (C) are intended to clarify existing law.

(D) If including the base income and factors of a holding company in more than one unitary business group under subparagraph (C) does not fairly reflect the degree of integration between the holding company and one or more of the unitary business groups, the dependence of the holding company and one or more of the unitary business groups upon each other, or the contributions between the holding company and one or more of the unitary business groups, the holding company may petition the Director, under the procedures provided under Section 304(f), for permission to include all base income and factors of the holding company only with members of a unitary business group apportioning their business income under one subsection of subsections (a), (b), (c), or (d) of Section 304. If the petition is granted, the holding company shall be included in a unitary business group only with persons apportioning their business income under the selected subsection of Section 304 until the Director grants a petition of the holding company either to be included in more than one unitary business group under subparagraph (C) or to include its base income and factors only with members of a unitary business group apportioning their business income under a different subsection of Section 304.

(E) If the unitary business group members' accounting periods differ, the common parent's accounting period or, if there is no common parent, the accounting period of the member that is expected to have, on a recurring basis, the greatest Illinois income tax liability must be used to determine whether to use the apportionment method provided in subsection (a) or subsection (h) of Section 304. The prohibition against membership in a unitary business group for taxpayers ordinarily required to apportion income under different subsections of Section 304 does not apply to taxpayers required to apportion income under subsection (a) and subsection (h) of Section 304. The provisions of this amendatory Act of 1998 apply to tax years ending on or after December 31, 1998.

(28) Subchapter S corporation. The term "Subchapter S corporation" means a corporation for which there is in effect an election under Section 1362 of the Internal Revenue Code, or for which there is a federal election to opt out of the provisions of the Subchapter S Revision Act of 1982 and have applied instead the prior federal Subchapter S rules as in effect on July 1, 1982.

(30) Foreign person. The term "foreign person" means any person who is a nonresident alien individual and any nonindividual entity, regardless of where created or organized, whose business activity outside the United States is 80% or more of the entity's total business activity.

(b) Other definitions.

(1) Words denoting number, gender, and so forth, when used in this Act, where not otherwise distinctly expressed or manifestly incompatible with the intent thereof:

(A) Words importing the singular include and apply to several persons, parties or things;

(B) Words importing the plural include the singular; and

(C) Words importing the masculine gender include the feminine as well.

(2) "Company" or "association" as including successors and assigns. The word "company" or "association", when used in reference to a corporation, shall be deemed to embrace the words "successors and assigns of such company or association", and in like manner as if these last-named words, or words of similar import, were expressed.

(3) Other terms. Any term used in any Section of this Act with respect to the application of, or in connection with, the provisions of any other Section of this Act shall have the same meaning as in such other Section.

(Source: P.A. 96-641, eff. 8-24-09; 97-507, eff. 8-23-11; 97-636, eff. 6-1-12.)

Section 95. No acceleration or delay. Where this Act makes changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by text that is not yet or no longer in effect (for example, a Section represented by multiple versions), the use of that text does not accelerate or delay the taking effect of (i) the changes made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived from any other Public Act.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.".