Bill Text: MI SB0003 | 2011-2012 | 96th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Income tax; credit; charitable contributions to an educational foundation; provide for. Amends sec. 261 of 1967 PA 281 (MCL 206.261).

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-01-19 - Referred To Committee On Finance [SB0003 Detail]

Download: Michigan-2011-SB0003-Introduced.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE BILL No. 3

 

 

January 19, 2011, Introduced by Senator PAPPAGEORGE and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1967 PA 281, entitled

 

"Income tax act of 1967,"

 

by amending section 261 (MCL 206.261), as amended by 2008 PA 207.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 261. (1) For the 1989 tax year and each tax year after

 

1989 and subject to the applicable limitations in this section, a

 

taxpayer may credit against the tax imposed by this act 50% of the

 

amount the taxpayer contributes during the tax year to an endowment

 

fund of a community foundation or for the 1992 tax year and each

 

tax year after 1992 and subject to the applicable limitations in

 

this section, a taxpayer may credit against the tax imposed by this

 

act 50% of the sum of the cash amount and, for the 2008 tax year

 

and each tax year after 2008, if the food items are contributed in

 

conjunction with a program in which a vendor makes a matching


 

contribution of similar items, the value of those food items the

 

taxpayer contributes during the tax year to a shelter for homeless

 

persons, food kitchen, food bank, or other entity located in this

 

state, the primary purpose of which is to provide overnight

 

accommodation, food, or meals to persons who are indigent if a

 

contribution to that entity is tax deductible for the donor under

 

the internal revenue code. In addition to the other contributions

 

for which a credit may be claimed under this section, for the 2011

 

tax year and each tax year after 2011 and subject to the applicable

 

limitations in this section, a taxpayer may credit against the tax

 

imposed by this act 50% of the total amount the taxpayer

 

contributes during the tax year to an endowment fund of an

 

education foundation or to a specific project organized by an

 

education foundation.

 

     (2) For a taxpayer other than a resident estate or trust, the

 

credit allowed by this section for a contribution to a community

 

foundation shall not exceed $100.00, or $200.00 for a husband and

 

wife filing a joint return for tax years before the 2000 tax year

 

and $100.00 or $200.00 for a husband and wife filing a joint return

 

for tax years after the 1999 tax year. For the 1992 tax year and

 

each tax year after 1992, a taxpayer may claim an additional credit

 

under this section not to exceed $100.00, or $200.00 for a husband

 

and wife filing a joint return, for total cash contributions made

 

and, for the 2008 tax year and each tax year after 2008, including

 

the value of food items contributed as described in subsection (1)

 

in the tax year to shelters for homeless persons, food kitchens,

 

food banks, and, except for community foundations, other entities


 

allowed under subsection (1). For a taxpayer other than a resident

 

estate or trust, for the 2011 tax year and each tax year after

 

2011, a taxpayer may claim an additional credit under this section

 

not to exceed $50.00, or $100.00 for a husband and wife filing a

 

joint return, for contributions to an endowment fund of an

 

education foundation or to a specific project organized by an

 

education foundation. For a resident estate or trust, the credit

 

allowed by this section for a contribution to a community

 

foundation shall not exceed 10% of the taxpayer's tax liability for

 

the tax year before claiming any credits allowed by this act or

 

$5,000.00, whichever is less. For the 1992 tax year and each tax

 

year after 1992, a resident estate or trust may claim an additional

 

credit under this section not to exceed 10% of the taxpayer's tax

 

liability for the tax year before claiming any credits allowed by

 

this act or $5,000.00, whichever is less, for total cash

 

contributions made and, for the 2008 tax year and each tax year

 

after 2008, including the value of food items contributed as

 

described in subsection (1) in the tax year to shelters for

 

homeless persons, food kitchens, food banks, and, except for

 

community foundations, other entities allowed under subsection (1).

 

For the 2011 tax year and each tax year after 2011, a resident

 

estate or trust may claim an additional credit under this section

 

not to exceed 5% of the taxpayer's tax liability for the tax year

 

before claiming any credits allowed by this act or $2,500.00,

 

whichever is less, for total contributions made to an endowment

 

fund of an education foundation or to a specific project organized

 

by an education foundation. For a resident estate or trust, the


 

amount used to calculate the credits under this section shall not

 

have been deducted in arriving at federal taxable income.

 

     (3) For the 2008 tax year and each tax year after 2008 and

 

subject to the applicable limitations in this section, when

 

calculating the amount of the credit allowed under this section a

 

taxpayer may include as a cash contribution an amount equal to the

 

value of food items contributed as described in subsection (1) in

 

the tax year to a shelter for homeless persons, food kitchen, food

 

bank, or other entity located in this state as described in

 

subsection (1).

 

     (4) The credits allowed under this section are nonrefundable

 

so that a taxpayer shall not claim under this section a total

 

credit amount that reduces the taxpayer's tax liability to less

 

than zero.

 

     (5) As used in this section: , "community

 

     (a) "Community foundation" means an organization that applies

 

for certification on or before May 15 of the tax year for which the

 

taxpayer is claiming the credit and that the department certifies

 

for that tax year as meeting all of the following requirements:

 

     (i) (a) Qualifies for exemption from federal income taxation

 

under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code.

 

     (ii) (b) Supports a broad range of charitable activities within

 

the specific geographic area of this state that it serves, such as

 

a municipality or county.

 

     (iii) (c) Maintains an ongoing program to attract new endowment

 

funds by seeking gifts and bequests from a wide range of potential

 

donors in the community or area served.


 

     (iv) (d) Is publicly supported as defined by the regulations of

 

the United States department of treasury, 26 CFR 1.170A-9(e)(10).

 

To maintain certification, the community foundation shall submit

 

documentation to the department annually that demonstrates

 

compliance with this subdivision.

 

     (v) (e) Is not a supporting organization as an organization is

 

described in section 509(a)(3) of the internal revenue code and the

 

regulations of the United States department of treasury, 26 CFR

 

1.509(a)-4 and 1.509(a)-5.

 

     (vi) (f) Meets the requirements for treatment as a single

 

entity contained in the regulations of the United States department

 

of treasury, 26 CFR 1.170A-9(e)(11).

 

     (vii) (g) Except as provided in subsection (7), is incorporated

 

or established as a trust at least 6 months before the beginning of

 

the tax year for which the credit under this section is claimed and

 

that has an endowment value of at least $100,000.00 before the

 

expiration of 18 months after the community foundation is

 

incorporated or established.

 

     (viii) (h) Has an independent governing body representing the

 

general public's interest and that is not appointed by a single

 

outside entity.

 

     (ix) (i) Provides evidence to the department that the community

 

foundation has, before the expiration of 6 months after the

 

community foundation is incorporated or established, and maintains

 

continually during the tax year for which the credit under this

 

section is claimed, at least 1 part-time or full-time employee.

 

     (x) (j) For community foundations that have an endowment value


 

of $1,000,000.00 or more only, the community foundation is subject

 

to an annual independent financial audit and provides copies of

 

that audit to the department not more than 3 months after the

 

completion of the audit. For community foundations that have an

 

endowment value of less than $1,000,000.00, the community

 

foundation is subject to an annual review and an audit every third

 

year.

 

     (xi) (k) In addition to all other criteria listed in this

 

subsection for a community foundation that is incorporated or

 

established after June 22, 2000, operates in a county of this state

 

that was not served by a community foundation when the community

 

foundation was incorporated or established or operates as a

 

geographic component of an existing certified community foundation.

 

     (b) "Education foundation" means an organization that applies

 

for certification on or before April 1 of the tax year for which

 

the taxpayer is claiming the credit, that annually submits

 

documentation to the department that demonstrates continued

 

compliance with this subdivision, and that the department certifies

 

for that tax year as meeting all of the following requirements:

 

     (i) Qualifies for exemption from federal income taxation under

 

section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code.

 

     (ii) Maintains an ongoing program to attract new endowment

 

funds by seeking gifts and bequests from a wide range of potential

 

donors in the community or area served.

 

     (iii) All funds, gifts, and bequests are exclusively dedicated

 

to providing assistance to students and teachers in the schools of

 

this state including school districts, public school academies, and


 

schools described under 1921 PA 302, MCL 388.551 to 388.558, for

 

nonessential supplies and assistance.

 

     (iv) Is publicly supported as defined by the regulations of the

 

United States department of treasury, 26 CFR 1.170A-9(e)(10).

 

     (v) Meets the requirements for treatment as a single entity

 

contained in the regulations of the United States department of

 

treasury, 26 CFR 1.170A-9(e)(11).

 

     (vi) Is incorporated or established as a trust at least 6

 

months before the beginning of the tax year for which the credit is

 

claimed.

 

     (vii) Has an independent governing body representing the

 

general public's interest and that is not appointed by a single

 

outside entity.

 

     (viii) Is subject to a program review each year and an

 

independent financial audit every 3 years and provides copies of

 

the reviews and audits to the department not more than 3 months

 

after the review or audit is completed.

 

     (6) An entity other than a community foundation may request

 

that the department determine if a contribution to that entity

 

qualifies for the credit under this section. The department shall

 

make a determination and respond to a request no later than 30 days

 

after the department receives the request.

 

     (7) A taxpayer may claim a credit under this section for

 

contributions to a community foundation made before the expiration

 

of the 18-month period after a community foundation was

 

incorporated or established during which the community foundation

 

must build an endowment value of $100,000.00 as provided in


 

subsection (5)(g) (5)(a)(vii). If the community foundation does not

 

reach the required $100,000.00 endowment value during that 18-month

 

period, contributions to the community foundation made after the

 

date on which the 18-month period expires shall not be used to

 

calculate a credit under this section. At any time after the

 

expiration of the 18-month period under subsection (5)(g) (5)(a)(vii)

 

that the community foundation has an endowment value of

 

$100,000.00, the community foundation may apply to the department

 

for certification under this section.

 

     (8) On or before July 1 of each year, the department shall

 

report to the house committee on tax policy and the senate finance

 

committee the total amount of tax credits claimed under this

 

section and under section 38c of the former single business tax

 

act, 1975 PA 228, or section 425 of the Michigan business tax act,

 

2007 PA 36, MCL 208.1425, for the immediately preceding tax year.

feedback