Bill Text: CA SB352 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended

California Senate Bill 352 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Income taxes: withholding: real property sales.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2018-02-01 - Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [SB352 Detail]

Download: California-2017-SB352-Amended.html

Amended IN Senate April 18, 2017

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 352

Introduced by Senator Stone

February 14, 2017

An act to amend ~~Section 18662~~ Sections 18662 and 18668 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, relating to taxation.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 352, as amended, Stone. Income taxes: withholding: real property sales.

Existing law requires the transferee of a California real property interest, in specified circumstances, to withhold for income tax purposes 3¹/₃% of the sales price of the property when the property is acquired from either an individual, or a partnership or corporation without a permanent place of business, as specified. Existing law also allows, by election of the transferor, alternative withholding amounts that are not less than the amount of gain required to be recognized under income tax laws multiplied by the corporation tax rate, bank and financial corporate tax rate, the highest personal income tax rate, or the current “S” corporation tax rate plus the highest personal income tax rate, as applicable. Existing law imposes a penalty for a failure to withhold, as specified, and requires a real estate escrow person to provide written notification to the transferee, other than a transferee that is an intermediary or accommodator in a deferred exchange, of withholding requirements.

This bill would eliminate these withholding provisions for the disposition of a California real property interest that occurs on or after January 1, 2018, and would instead require the ~~transferee~~ transferee, including any intermediary or accomodator in a deferred exchange, of a California real property interest to withhold 3⅓% of the purchase price of the property if the property was either acquired from a person with a last known street address outside this state at the time of title transfer, or from a corporation if after the transfer that corporation has no permanent place of business in this state. The bill would also allow, by election of the transferor, alternative withholding amounts that are not less than the amount of gain required to be recognized under income tax laws multiplied by the corporation tax rate, bank and financial corporate tax rate, the highest personal income tax rate, or the current “S” corporation tax rate plus the highest personal income tax rate, as applicable. The bill would also require a real estate escrow person to provide the corresponding written notification to subject transferees.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 18662 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read:

18662.

(a) The Franchise Tax Board may, by regulation, require any person, in whatever capacity acting, including lessees or mortgagors of real or personal property, fiduciaries, employers, and any officer or department of the state, or any political subdivision or agency of the state, or any city organized under a freeholder’s charter, or any political body not a subdivision or agency of the state, having the control, receipt, custody, disposal, or payment of items of income specified in subdivision (b), to withhold an amount, determined by the Franchise Tax Board to reasonably represent the amount of tax due when the items of income are included with other income of the taxpayer, and to transmit the amount withheld to the Franchise Tax Board at the time as it may designate.

(b) The items of income referred to in subdivision (a) are interest, dividends, rents, prizes and winnings, premiums, annuities, emoluments, compensation for services, including bonuses, partnership income or gains, and other fixed or determinable annual or periodical gains, profits, and income.

(c) The Franchise Tax Board may authorize the tax under subdivision (a) to be deducted and withheld from the interest upon any securities the owners of which are not known to the withholding agent.

(d) Any person that fails to withhold from any payments any amounts required to be withheld by this section or fails to remit the taxes withheld is liable for the amount specified in Section 18668.

(e) (1) This paragraph and paragraph (2) apply to any disposition of a California real property interest that occurs before January 1, 2018, by:

(A) Any person, other than either of the following:

(i) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph and paragraph (2), a corporation, including an entity classified for tax purposes as a corporation under Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001).

(ii) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph and paragraph (2), a partnership, as determined in accordance with Subchapter K of Chapter 1 of Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code, including an entity classified as a partnership for tax purposes under Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001).

(B) A corporation or partnership, if that corporation or partnership immediately after the transfer of the title to the California real property has no permanent place of business in California. For purposes of this subdivision, a corporation or partnership has no permanent place of business in California if all of the following apply:

(i) It is not organized and existing under the laws of California.

(ii) It does not qualify with the office of the Secretary of State to transact business in California.

(iii) It does not maintain and staff a permanent office in California.

(2) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), in the case of any disposition of a California real property interest by a transferor described in paragraph (1), the transferee, including for this purpose any intermediary or accommodator in a deferred exchange, is required to withhold an amount equal to 3¹/₃ percent of the sales price of the California real property conveyed.

(B) If the transferor makes an election under this subparagraph, the transferee, including any intermediary or accommodator in a deferred exchange, is required to withhold an amount equal to an amount certified by the transferor in writing under penalty of perjury. The amount certified shall not be less than the gain required to be recognized under Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001) and Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001) on the disposition of the California real property multiplied by the rate specified in either Section 23151 or 23186, as applicable, for transferors that are corporations, or the highest rate specified in Section 17041 for transferors other than corporations. For purposes of applying the previous sentence, the following shall apply:

(i) The highest rate specified in Section 17041 is determined without regard to any other tax rate specified under Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001) irrespective of whether the applicable statute provides that tax shall be treated as if imposed under Section 17041.

(ii) For corporations that are “S” corporations subject to the modified tax rate specified in Section 23802, the rate shall be the sum of the rate specified in subdivision (b) of Section 23802 and the highest rate specified in Section 17041, as described in clause (i).

(C) (i) The written certification required by subparagraph (B) shall be in a form, as prescribed by the Franchise Tax Board. The form shall provide as follows:

“Title and escrow persons and exchange accommodators are not authorized to provide legal or accounting advice for purposes of determining withholding amounts. Transferors are strongly encouraged to consult with a competent tax professional for this purpose.”

(ii) The Franchise Tax Board shall make this form available electronically on its Internet Web site in a format that allows a transferor to complete and print the form. The Franchise Tax Board shall also provide electronic means to enable the transferor to estimate the amount of gain required to be recognized by the transferor in the transaction. Any form or worksheet, electronic or otherwise, developed for this purpose shall provide as follows:

(3) (A) (i) On or after January 1, 2018, in the case of any disposition of a California real property interest by a person (but not a partnership as determined in accordance with Subchapter K of Chapter 1 of Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code, or a corporation), when the return required to be filed with the Secretary of the Treasury under Section 6045(e) of the Internal Revenue Code indicates, or the authorization for the disbursement of the transaction’s funds instructs, that the funds be disbursed either to a transferor with a last known street address outside the boundaries of this state at the time of the transfer of the title to the California real property or to the financial intermediary of the transferor, the ~~transferee~~ transferee, including any intermediary or accomodator in a deferred exchange, shall be required to withhold an amount equal to 3⅓ percent of the sales price of the California real property conveyed.

(ii) If the transferor makes an election under this clause, the transferee, including any intermediary or accommodator in a deferred exchange, is required to withhold an amount equal to an amount certified by the transferor in writing under penalty of perjury, then the amount certified shall not be less than the gain required to be recognized under Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001) and Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001) on the disposition of the California real property multiplied by the rate specified in either Section 23151 or 23186, as applicable, for transferors that are corporations, or the highest rate specified in Section 17041 for transferors other than corporations. For purposes of applying the previous sentence, the following shall apply:
(I) The highest rate specified in Section 17041 is determined without regard to any other tax rate specified under Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001) irrespective of whether the applicable statute provides that tax shall be treated as if imposed under Section 17041.
(II) For corporations that are “S” corporations subject to the modified tax rate specified in Section 23802, the rate shall be the sum of the rate specified in subdivision (b) of Section 23802 and the highest rate specified in Section 17041, as described in subclause (I).
(iii) (I) The written certification required by clause (ii) shall be in a form, as prescribed by the Franchise Tax Board. The form shall provide as follows:
“Title and escrow persons and exchange accommodators are not authorized to provide legal or accounting advice for purposes of determining withholding amounts. Transferors are strongly encouraged to consult with a competent tax professional for this purpose.”
(II) The Franchise Tax Board shall make this form available electronically on its Internet Web site in a format that allows a transferor to complete and print the form. The Franchise Tax Board shall also provide electronic means to enable the transferor to estimate the amount of gain required to be recognized by the transferor in the transaction. Any form or worksheet, electronic or otherwise, developed for this purpose shall provide as follows:
“Title and escrow persons and exchange accommodators are not authorized to provide legal or accounting advice for purposes of determining withholding amounts. Transferors are strongly encouraged to consult with a competent tax professional for this purpose.”

(B) In the case of any disposition of a California real property interest by a corporation, the ~~transferee~~ transferee, including any intermediary or accomodator in a deferred exchange, shall be required to withhold an amount equal to 3⅓ percent of the sales price of the California real property conveyed, if the corporation immediately after the transfer of the title to the California real property has no permanent place of business in California. For purposes of this subdivision, a corporation has no permanent place of business in California if all of the following apply:

(i) It is not organized and existing under the laws of California.

(ii) ~~It is not qualified~~ It does not qualify with the office of the Secretary of State to transact business in California.

(iii) It does not maintain and staff a permanent office in California.

(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subdivision, all of the following shall apply:

(A) No transferee is required to withhold any amount under this subdivision unless the sales price of the California real property conveyed exceeds one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).

(B) No transferee, other than an intermediary or an accommodator in a deferred exchange, is required to withhold any amount under this subdivision unless written notification of the withholding requirements of this subdivision has been provided by the real estate escrow person.

(C) (i) No transferee, trustee under a deed of trust, or mortgagee under a mortgage with a power of sale is required to withhold under this subdivision when the transferee has acquired California real property at a sale pursuant to a power of sale under a mortgage or deed of trust or a sale pursuant to a decree of foreclosure or has acquired the property by a deed in lieu of foreclosure.

(ii) No transferee is required to withhold under this subdivision when the transferor is a bank acting as trustee other than a trustee of a deed of trust.

(D) No transferee, including for this purpose any intermediary or accommodator in a deferred exchange, is required to withhold any amount under this subdivision if the transferee, in good faith and based on all the information of which he or she has knowledge, relies on a written certificate executed by the transferor, certifying, under penalty of perjury, one of the following:

(i) (I) The California real property being conveyed is the seller’s or decedent’s principal residence, within the meaning of Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(II) The last use of the property being conveyed was use by the transferor as the transferor’s principal residence within the meaning of Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(ii) (I) The California real property being conveyed is being exchanged, or will be exchanged, for property of like kind, within the meaning of Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code, but only to the extent of the amount of the gain not required to be recognized for California income or franchise tax purposes under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(II) Subclause (I) may not apply if an exchange does not qualify for nonrecognition treatment for California income or franchise tax purposes under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code, in whole or in part, due to the failure of the transaction to comply with the provisions of Section 1031(a)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, relating to the requirement that property be identified and that the exchange be completed not more than 180 days after the transfer of the exchanged property.

(III) In any case where clause (ii) applies, the transferee, including for this purpose any intermediary or accommodator in a deferred exchange, is required to notify the Franchise Tax Board in writing within 10 days of the expiration of the statutory periods specified in Section 1031(a)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and thereafter remit the applicable withholding amounts determined under this subdivision in accordance with paragraph (4).

(iii) The California real property has been compulsorily or involuntarily converted, within the meaning of Section 1033 of the Internal Revenue Code, and the transferor intends to acquire property similar or related in service or use so as to be eligible for nonrecognition of gain for California income tax purposes under Section 1033 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(iv) The transaction will result in either a net loss or a net gain not required to be recognized for California income or franchise tax purposes.

(v) The transferor is a corporation with a permanent place of business in California.

(E) (i) In the case of any transaction otherwise subject to this subdivision that qualifies as an “installment sale,” within the meaning of Section 453(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, for California income tax purposes, the provisions of this subdivision shall be separately applied to each principal payment to be made under the terms of the installment sale agreement between the parties.

(ii) For purposes of clause (i), subparagraph (A) of paragraph (4) does not apply to each individual payment to be received under the terms of the installment sale agreement.

(5) (A) Amounts withheld and payments made in accordance with this subdivision shall be reported and remitted to the Franchise Tax Board in the form and manner and at the time specified by the Franchise Tax Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing, funds withheld on individual transactions by real estate escrow persons may, at the option of the real estate escrow person, be remitted by the 20th day of the month following the close of escrow for the individual transaction, or may be remitted on a monthly basis in combination with other transactions closed during that month.

(B) The transferor shall submit a copy of the written certificate and supporting documentation for the reduced withholding specified in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) or subparagraph (D) of paragraph (4), executed by the transferor, to the Franchise Tax Board upon request.

(6) For purposes of this subdivision, “California real property interest” means an interest in real property located in California and defined in Section 897(c)(1)(A)(i) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(7) For purposes of this subdivision, “real estate escrow person” means any of the following persons involved in the real estate transaction:

(A) The person, including any attorney, escrow company, or title company, responsible for closing the transaction.

(B) If no person described in subparagraph (A) is responsible for closing the transaction, then any other person who receives and disburses the consideration or value for the interest or property conveyed.

(8) (A) Unless the real estate escrow person provides “assistance,” it shall be unlawful for any real estate escrow person to charge any customer for complying with the requirements of this subdivision.

(B) For purposes of this paragraph, “assistance” includes, but is not limited to, helping the parties clarify with the Franchise Tax Board the issue of whether withholding is required under this subdivision or, upon request of the parties, withholding an amount under this subdivision and remitting that amount to the Franchise Tax Board.

(C) For purposes of this paragraph, “assistance” does not include providing the written notification of the withholding requirements of this subdivision.

(D) In a case where the real estate escrow person provides “assistance” in complying with the withholding requirements of this subdivision, it shall be unlawful for the real estate escrow person to charge any customer a fee that exceeds forty-five dollars ($45).

(9) For purposes of this subdivision, “sales price” means the sum of all of the following:

(A) The cash paid, or to be paid, but excluding for this purpose any stated or unstated interest or original issue discount, as determined under Sections 1271 to 1275, inclusive, of the Internal Revenue Code.

(B) The fair market value of other property transferred, or to be transferred.

(C) The outstanding amount of any liability assumed by the transferee or to which the California real property interest is subject immediately before and after the transfer.

(10) The Franchise Tax Board may prescribe, by forms, instructions, published notices, or regulations, any requirements necessary for the efficient administration of this subdivision relating to the treatment of “de minimis” amounts otherwise required under this section.

(f) Withholding is not required under this section with respect to wages, salaries, fees, or other compensation paid by a corporation for services performed in California for that corporation to a nonresident corporate director for director services, including attendance at a board of directors’ meeting.

(g) In the case of any payment described in subdivision (f), the person making the payment shall do each of the following:

(1) File a return with the Franchise Tax Board at the time and in the form and manner specified by the Franchise Tax Board.

(2) Provide the payee with a statement at the time and in the form and manner specified by the Franchise Tax Board.

(h) (1) The amendments to this section made by Chapter 488 of the Statutes of 2002 apply to dispositions of California real property interests that occur on or after January 1, 2003.

(2) In the case of any payments received on or after January 1, 2003, pursuant to an installment sale agreement relating to a disposition occurring before January 1, 2003, the amendments to this section made by Chapter 488 of the Statutes of 2002 do not apply to those payments.

(i) (1) The amendments made to this section by ~~the act adding this subdivision~~ Chapter 305 of the Statutes of 2008 shall apply to dispositions of California real property interests that occur on or after January 1, 2009.

(2) In the case of any payments received on or after January 1, 2009, pursuant to an installment sale agreement relating to a disposition occurring before January 1, 2009, the amendments made to this section by ~~the act adding this subdivision~~ Chapter 305 of the Statutes of 2008 do not apply to those payments.

SEC. 2.

Section 18668 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read:

18668.

(a) Every person required under this article to deduct and withhold any tax is hereby made liable for that tax, to the extent provided by this section. Any amount required to be deducted and paid to the Franchise Tax Board under this article shall be considered the tax of that person. Unless it is shown that the failure is due to reasonable cause, any person who fails to withhold from any payments any amount required to be withheld under this article or who fails to transmit the withheld amounts to the Franchise Tax Board on or before the due date required by regulations is liable for the amount actually withheld, or the amount of taxes due from the taxpayer to whom the payments are made, whichever is greater, but not in excess of the amount required to be withheld.

(b) If any amount required to be withheld under this article is not paid to the Franchise Tax Board on or before the due date required by regulations, interest shall be assessed at the adjusted annual rate established pursuant to Section 19521, computed from the due date to the date paid.

(c) Whenever any person has withheld any amount pursuant to this article, the amount so withheld shall be held to be a special fund in trust for the State of California.

(d) In lieu of the amount provided for in subdivision (a), unless it is shown that the failure to withhold is due to reasonable cause, whenever any transferee is required to withhold any amount pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 18662, the transferee is liable for the greater of the following amounts for failure to withhold only after the transferee, as specified, is notified in writing of the requirements under subdivision (e) of Section 18662:

(1) Five hundred dollars ($500).

(2) Ten percent of the amount required to be withheld under subdivision (e) of Section 18662.

(e) (1) Unless it is shown that the failure to notify is due to reasonable cause, the real estate escrow person is liable for the amount specified in subdivision (d), when written notification of the withholding requirements of subdivision (e) of Section 18662 is not provided to the transferee, other than a transferee that is an intermediary or accommodator in a deferred exchange, and the California real property disposition is subject to withholding under subdivision (e) of Section 18662.

(2) ~~The~~ (A) For dispositions of a California real property interest that occurs before January 1, 2018, the real estate escrow person shall provide written notification to the transferee (other than a transferee that is an intermediary or accommodator in a deferred exchange) in substantially the same form as follows:

“In accordance with Section 18662 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, a buyer may be required to withhold an amount equal to 3¹/₃ percent of the sales price or the amount that is specified in a written certificate executed by the transferor in the case of a disposition of California real property interest by either:

1. A seller who is an individual, trust, or estate or when the disbursement instructions authorize the proceeds to be sent to a financial intermediary of the seller, OR

2. A corporate or partnership seller that has no permanent place of business in California immediately after the transfer of title to the California real property.

The buyer may become subject to penalty for failure to withhold an amount equal to the greater of 10 percent of the amount required to be withheld or five hundred dollars ($500).

However, notwithstanding any other provision included in the California statutes referenced above, no buyer will be required to withhold any amount or be subject to penalty for failure to withhold if:

1. The sales price of the California real property conveyed does not exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), OR

2. The seller executes a written certificate, under the penalty of perjury, certifying that the seller is a corporation or a partnership with a permanent place of business in California, OR

3. The seller, who is an individual, trust, estate, partnership, or a corporation without a permanent place of business in California executes a written certificate, under the penalty of perjury, of any of the following:

A. The California real property being conveyed is the seller’s or decedent’s principal residence, within the meaning of Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code.

B. The last use of the property being conveyed was use by the transferor as the transferor’s principal residence within the meaning of Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code.

C. The California real property being conveyed is or will be exchanged for property of like kind, within the meaning of Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code, but only to the extent of the amount of gain not required to be recognized for California income tax purposes under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code.

D. The California real property has been compulsorily or involuntarily converted, within the meaning of Section 1033 of the Internal Revenue Code, and that the seller intends to acquire property similar or related in service or use so as to be eligible for nonrecognition of gain for California income tax purposes under Section 1033 of the Internal Revenue Code.

E. The California real property transaction will result in a loss or a net gain not required to be recognized for California income tax purposes.

The seller is subject to penalty for knowingly filing a fraudulent certificate for the purpose of avoiding the withholding requirement.”

(B) For dispositions of a California real property interest that occurs on or after January 1, 2018, the real estate escrow person shall provide written notification to the transferee, other than a transferee that is an intermediary or accommodator in a deferred exchange, in substantially the same form as follows:
“In accordance with Section 18662 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, a buyer may be required to withhold an amount equal to 3¹/₃ percent of the sales price or the amount that is specified in a written certificate executed by the transferor in the case of a disposition of California real property interest by either:
1. A seller who is an individual, trust, or estate or when the disbursement instructions authorize the proceeds to be sent to a financial intermediary of the seller, OR
2. A corporate seller that has no permanent place of business in California immediately after the transfer of title to the California real property.
The buyer may become subject to penalty for failure to withhold an amount equal to the greater of 10 percent of the amount required to be withheld or five hundred dollars ($500).
However, notwithstanding any other provision included in the California statutes referenced above, no buyer will be required to withhold any amount or be subject to penalty for failure to withhold if:
1. The sales price of the California real property conveyed does not exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), OR
2. The seller executes a written certificate, under the penalty of perjury, certifying that the seller is a corporation with a permanent place of business in California, OR
3. The seller, who is an individual, trust, estate, or a corporation without a permanent place of business in California executes a written certificate, under the penalty of perjury, of any of the following:
A. The California real property being conveyed is the seller’s or decedent’s principal residence, within the meaning of Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code.
B. The last use of the property being conveyed was use by the transferor as the transferor’s principal residence within the meaning of Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code.
C. The California real property being conveyed is or will be exchanged for property of like kind, within the meaning of Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code, but only to the extent of the amount of gain not required to be recognized for California income tax purposes under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code.
D. The California real property has been compulsorily or involuntarily converted, within the meaning of Section 1033 of the Internal Revenue Code, and that the seller intends to acquire property similar or related in service or use so as to be eligible for nonrecognition of gain for California income tax purposes under Section 1033 of the Internal Revenue Code.
E. The California real property transaction will result in a loss or a net gain not required to be recognized for California income tax purposes.
The seller is subject to penalty for knowingly filing a fraudulent certificate for the purpose of avoiding the withholding requirement.”

(3) The real estate escrow person is not liable under this subdivision if the tax due as a result of the disposition of California real property is paid by the original or extended due date of the transferor’s return for the taxable year in which the disposition occurred.

(4) The real estate escrow person or transferee is not liable under paragraph (1) or subdivision (d), if the failure to withhold is the result of his or her reliance, based on good faith and on all the information of which he or she has knowledge, upon a written certificate executed by the transferor under penalty of perjury pursuant to subparagraph (D) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (e) of Section 18662.

(5) Any transferor who for the purpose of avoiding the withholding requirements of subdivision (e) of Section 18662 knowingly executes a false certificate pursuant to that section is liable for twice the amount specified in subdivision (d).

(f) The amount of tax required to be deducted, withheld, and remitted under this article shall be assessed, collected, and paid upon notice and demand. Article 3 (commencing with Section 19031), relating to deficiency assessments, shall not apply with respect to the assessment or collection of any amount due under this article.