Cal. RTC § 17039 — California Code / Code rtc / Division 2 / Part 10 / Chapter 1 / Section 17039
Section 17039
Status: in_force

(a) Notwithstanding any provision in this part to the contrary, for the purposes of computing tax credits, the term “net tax” means the tax imposed under either Section 17041 or 17048 plus the tax imposed under Section 17504 (relating to lump-sum distributions) less the credits allowed by Section 17054 (relating to personal exemption credits) and any amount imposed under paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) and paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) of Section 17560. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the “net tax” shall not be less than the tax imposed under Section 17504 (relating to the separate tax on lump-sum distributions), if any. Credits shall be allowed against “net tax” in the following order:

(1) Credits that do not contain carryover or refundable provisions, except those described in paragraphs (4) and (5).

(2) Credits that contain carryover provisions but do not contain refundable provisions, except for those that are allowed to reduce “net tax” below the tentative minimum tax, as defined by Section 17062.

(3) Credits that contain both carryover and refundable provisions, except the credit described in paragraph (9).

(4) The minimum tax credit allowed by Section 17063 (relating to the alternative minimum tax).

(5) (A) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2002, and before January 1, 2022, credits that are allowed to reduce “net tax” below the tentative minimum tax, as defined by Section 17062.

(B) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2022, credits that are allowed to reduce “net tax” below the tentative minimum tax, as defined by Section 17062, except the credit described in paragraph (7) and the credit described in paragraph (9).

(6) Credits for taxes paid to other states allowed by Chapter 12 (commencing with Section 18001).

(7) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2022, the credit allowed by Section 17052.10 (relating to the elective tax under the Small Business Relief Act).

(8) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, the credit allowed by Section 17052.11 (relating to the elective tax under the Small Business Relief Act).

(9) Credits that contain refundable provisions but do not contain carryover provisions.

(10) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, the credit allowed by Section 17053.98.1.

(11) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, the credit allowed by Section 17039.5.

(12) The credits provided by Sections 17061 (relating to refunds pursuant to the Unemployment Insurance Code) and 19002 (relating to tax withholding).

(b) The order within each paragraph of subdivision (a) shall be determined by the Franchise Tax Board.

(c) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, no tax credit shall reduce the tax imposed under Section 17041 or 17048 plus the tax imposed under Section 17504 (relating to the separate tax on lump-sum distributions) below the tentative minimum tax, as defined by Section 17062, except the following credits:

(A) The credit allowed by former Section 17052.2 (relating to teacher retention tax credit, repealed on August 24, 2007).

(B) The credit allowed by former Section 17052.4 (relating to solar energy, repealed on December 1, 1989).

(C) The credit allowed by former Section 17052.5 (relating to solar energy, repealed on January 1, 1987).

(D) The credit allowed by former Section 17052.5 (relating to solar energy, repealed on December 1, 1994).

(E) The credit allowed by Section 17052.12 (relating to research expenses).

(F) The credit allowed by former Section 17052.13 (relating to sales and use tax credit, repealed on January 1, 1997).

(G) The credit allowed by former Section 17052.15 (relating to Los Angeles Revitalization Zone sales tax credit, repealed on December 1, 1998).

(H) The credit allowed by Section 17052.25 (relating to the adoption costs credit).

(I) The credit allowed by Section 17053.5 (relating to the renter’s credit).

(J) The credit allowed by former Section 17053.8 (relating to enterprise zone hiring credit, repealed on October 3, 1997).

(K) The credit allowed by former Section 17053.10 (relating to Los Angeles Revitalization Zone hiring credit, repealed on December 1, 1998).

(L) The credit allowed by former Section 17053.11 (relating to program area hiring credit, repealed on January 1, 1997).

(M) For each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 1994, the credit allowed by former Section 17053.17 (relating to Los Angeles Revitalization Zone hiring credit, repealed on December 1, 1998).

(N) The credit allowed by former Section 17053.33 (relating to targeted tax area sales or use tax credit, repealed on December 1, 2015).

(O) The credit allowed by former Section 17053.34 (relating to targeted tax area hiring credit, repealed on December 1, 2019).

(P) The credit allowed by former Section 17053.49 (relating to qualified property, repealed on January 1, 2004).

(Q) The credit allowed by former Section 17053.70 (relating to enterprise zone sales or use tax credit, repealed on December 1, 2015).

(R) The credit allowed by former Section 17053.74 (relating to enterprise zone hiring credit, repealed on December 1, 2019).

(S) The credit allowed by Section 17054 (relating to credits for personal exemption).

(T) The credit allowed by Section 17054.5 (relating to the credits for a qualified joint custody head of household and a qualified taxpayer with a dependent parent).

(U) The credit allowed by Section 17054.7 (relating to the credit for a senior head of household).

(V) The credit allowed by former Section 17057 (relating to clinical testing expenses, repealed on December 1, 1993).

(W) The credit allowed by Section 17058 (relating to low-income housing).

(X) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, the credit allowed by Section 17059.2 (relating to GO-Biz California Competes Credit).

(Y) The credit allowed by Section 17061 (relating to refunds pursuant to the Unemployment Insurance Code).

(Z) Credits for taxes paid to other states allowed by Chapter 12 (commencing with Section 18001).

(AA) The credit allowed by Section 19002 (relating to tax withholding).

(AB) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, the credit allowed by former Section 17053.86 (relating to the College Access Tax Credit Fund, repealed on December 1, 2017).

(AC) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2017, the credit allowed by Section 17053.87 (relating to the College Access Tax Credit Fund).

(AD) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2021, the credit allowed by Section 17052.10 (relating to the elective tax under the Small Business Relief Act).

(AE) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2020, the credit allowed by Section 17053.98 (relating to the California Motion Picture and Television Production Credit).

(AF) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, the credit allowed by Section 17053.98.1 (relating to the California Motion Picture and Television Production Credit).

(AG) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, the credit allowed by Section 17039.5.

(AH) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, the credit allowed by Section 17052.11 (relating to the elective tax under the Small Business Relief Act).

(AI) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and before January 1, 2036, the credit allowed by Section 17053.40 (relating to eligible transmission projects).

(2) Any credit that is partially or totally denied under paragraph (1) shall be allowed to be carried over and applied to the net tax in succeeding taxable years, if the provisions relating to that credit include a provision to allow a carryover when that credit exceeds the net tax.

(d) Unless otherwise provided, any remaining carryover of a credit allowed by a section that has been repealed or made inoperative shall continue to be allowed to be carried over under the provisions of that section as it read immediately before being repealed or becoming inoperative.

(e) (1) Unless otherwise provided, if two or more taxpayers (other than spouses) share in costs that would be eligible for a tax credit allowed under this part, each taxpayer shall be eligible to receive the tax credit in proportion to the taxpayer’s respective share of the costs paid or incurred.

(2) In the case of a partnership, the credit shall be allocated among the partners pursuant to a written partnership agreement in accordance with Section 704 of the Internal Revenue Code, relating to partner’s distributive share.

(3) In the case of spouses who file separate returns, the credit may be taken by either or equally divided between them.

(f) Unless otherwise provided, in the case of a partnership, any credit allowed by this part shall be computed at the partnership level, and any limitation on the expenses qualifying for the credit or limitation upon the amount of the credit shall be applied to the partnership and to each partner.

(g) (1) With respect to any taxpayer that directly or indirectly owns an interest in a business entity that is disregarded for tax purposes pursuant to Section 23038 and any regulations thereunder, the amount of any credit or credit carryforward allowable for any taxable year attributable to the disregarded business entity shall be limited in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3).

(2) The amount of any credit otherwise allowed under this part, including any credit carryover from prior years, that may be applied to reduce the taxpayer’s “net tax,” as defined in subdivision (a), for the taxable year shall be limited to an amount equal to the excess of the taxpayer’s regular tax (as defined in Section 17062), determined by including income attributable to the disregarded business entity that generated the credit or credit carryover, over the taxpayer’s regular tax (as defined in Section 17062), determined by excluding the income attributable to that disregarded business entity. A credit shall not be allowed if the taxpayer’s regular tax (as defined in Section 17062), determined by including the income attributable to the disregarded business entity, is less than the taxpayer’s regular tax (as defined in Section 17062), determined by excluding the income attributable to the disregarded business entity.

(3) If the amount of a credit allowed pursuant to the section establishing the credit exceeds the amount allowable under this subdivision in any taxable year, the excess amount may be carried over to subsequent taxable years pursuant to subdivisions (c) and (d).

(h) (1) Unless otherwise specifically provided, in the case of a taxpayer that is a partner or shareholder of an eligible pass-thru entity described in paragraph (2), any credit passed through to the taxpayer in the taxpayer’s first taxable year beginning on or after the date the credit is no longer operative may be claimed by the taxpayer in that taxable year, notwithstanding the repeal of the statute authorizing the credit before the close of that taxable year.

(2) For purposes of this subdivision, “eligible pass-thru entity” means any partnership or “S” corporation that files its return on a fiscal year basis pursuant to Section 18566, and that is entitled to a credit pursuant to this part for the taxable year that begins during the last year the credit is operative.

(3) This subdivision applies to credits that become inoperative on or after January 1, 2002.

(i) The amendments made to this section by Chapter 3 of the Statutes of 2022 shall apply as follows:

(1) The amendments to subdivisions (a), (e), and (h) shall be operative for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2022.

(2) The amendments to subdivision (c) shall be operative for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2021.

(j) The amendments made to this section by Chapter 56 of the Statutes of 2023 shall apply as follows:

(1) The amendments to paragraphs (3), (5), and (9) of subdivision (a) shall be operative for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025.

(2) The amendments to subparagraph (AE) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) shall be operative for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2020.

(3) The amendments to subparagraph (AF) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) shall be operative for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025.