2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes › Title 54 - Taxation › Section 54:10A-5.24 - Taxpayer credit for certain research activities.

54:10A-5.24 Taxpayer credit for certain research activities.
1. a. A taxpayer shall be allowed a credit, subject to the provisions of subsection b. of this section, against the tax imposed pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-5), in an amount equal to
(1) 10% of the excess of the qualified research expenses for the privilege period over the base amount; and
(2) 10% of the basic research payments for the privilege period determined in accordance with section 41 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.41. Provided
however, that the terms "qualified research expenses," "base amount," "qualified organization base amount period," "basic research" and any other terms determined by the Director of the Division of Taxation to affect the calculation of the credit shall include only expenditures for research conducted in this State. For privilege periods beginning on and after January 1, 2018, amounts paid or incurred by the taxpayer in carrying on any trade or business of the taxpayer during the privilege period, including as contributions, to an energy research consortium for energy research shall also qualify as a basic research payment for purposes of this subsection.
b. No credit shall be allowed under section 42 of P.L.1987, c.102 (C.54:10A-5.3), or under the "Manufacturing Equipment and Employment Investment Tax Credit Act," P.L.1993, c.171 (C.54:10A-5.16 et al.), or under P.L.1993, c.170 (C.54:10A-5.4 et seq.), for property or expenditures for which a credit is allowed, or which are includable in the calculation of a credit allowed, under this section.
The order of priority of the application of the credit allowed pursuant to this section and any other credits allowed by law shall be as prescribed by the director. Credits allowable pursuant to this section shall be applied in the order of the privilege periods for which the credits were allowed.
For privilege periods beginning before January 1, 2012, the amount of the credits applied under this section against the tax imposed pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1945, c.162, for the privilege period shall not exceed 50% of the tax liability otherwise due and shall not reduce the tax liability to an amount less than the statutory minimum provided in subsection (e) of section 5 of P.L.1945, c.162.
For privilege periods beginning on or after January 1, 2012, the amount of the credits applied under this section against the tax imposed pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1945, c.162, for the privilege period shall not reduce the tax liability to an amount less than the statutory minimum provided in subsection (e) of section 5 of P.L.1945, c.162.
For privilege periods beginning on or after January 1, 2018, the credit taken under this section shall not be refundable.
The amount of credit otherwise allowable under this section which cannot be applied for the privilege period due to the limitations of this subsection may be carried over, if necessary, to the seven privilege periods following a credit's privilege period.
c. No provision terminating section 41 of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.41, shall apply.
d. For privilege periods beginning on and after January 1, 2020, the portion of qualified research expenses and qualified payments of a taxpayer that is a qualified small business within the meaning of section 41(h)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. s.41) that were disallowed for the section 41(h) tax credit because the taxpayer made an election pursuant to sections 41(h) and 3111(f) of the federal Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. s.41 and s.3111) to take the 3111(f) credit in lieu of the 41(h) credit, shall be allowed for the purposes of calculating the New Jersey credit provided for by this section.
L.1993, c.175, s.1; 1993, c.175, s.1; amended 2011, c.83, s.1; 2018, c.48, s.6; 2020, c.118, s.10.