ARTICLE 1.5. Water's-Edge Election [25110. - 25116.]

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC 1.5.

in effect

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 25110. Section 25110.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 25101, a qualified taxpayer, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), that is subject to the tax imposed under this part, may elect to determine its income derived from or attributable to sources within this state pursuant to a water’s-edge election in accordance with the provisions of this part, as modified by this article. A taxpayer, that makes a water’s-edge election on or after January 1, 2006, shall take into account that portion of its own income and apportionment factors and the income and apportionment factors of its affiliated entities to the extent provided below: (1) The entire income and apportionment factors of any of the following corporations: (A) Domestic international sales corporations, as described in Sections 991 to 994, inclusive, of the Internal Revenue Code and foreign sales corporations as described in Sections 921 to 927, inclusive, of the Internal Revenue Code. (B) Any corporation (other than a bank), regardless of the place where it is incorporated if the average of its property, payroll, and sales factors within the United States is 20 percent or more. (C) Corporations that are incorporated in the United States, excluding corporations making an election pursuant to Sections 931 to 936, inclusive, of the Internal Revenue Code. (D) Export trade corporations, as described in Sections 970 to 972, inclusive, of the Internal Revenue Code. (2) (A) With respect to a corporation that is not described in subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D) of paragraph (1), as provided in either one or both of the following clauses: (i) The income and apportionment factors of that corporation to the extent of its income derived from or attributable to sources within the United States and its factors assignable to a location within the United States in accordance with paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). Income of that corporation derived from or attributable to sources within the United States as determined by federal income tax laws shall be limited to, and determined from, the books of account maintained by the corporation with respect to its activities conducted within the United States. (ii) The income and apportionment factors of that corporation that is a “controlled foreign corporation,” as defined in Section 957 of the Internal Revenue Code, to the extent determined by multiplying the income and apportionment factors of that corporation without application of this subparagraph by a fraction not to exceed one, the numerator of which is the “Subpart F income” of that corporation for that taxable year and the denominator of which is the “earnings and profits” of that corporation for that taxable year. (B) For purposes of this paragraph, both of the following apply: (i) “Subpart F income” means “Subpart F income” as defined in Section 952 of the Internal Revenue Code. (ii) “Earnings and profits” means “earnings and profits” as described in Section 964 of the Internal Revenue Code. (3) The income and apportionment factors of the corporations described in this subdivision shall be taken into account only to the extent that they would have been taken into account had no election under this section been made. (4) The Franchise Tax Board shall prescribe regulations to coordinate implementation of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) to prevent multiple inclusion or exclusion of income and factors in situations where the same item of income is described in both clauses. (b) For purposes of this article and Section 24411, all of the following definitions apply: (1) An “affiliated corporation” means a corporation that is a member of a commonly controlled group as defined in Section 25105. (2) A “qualified taxpayer” means a corporation that does both of the following: (A) Files with the state tax return, on which the water’s-edge election is made, a consent to the taking of depositions, at the time and place most reasonably convenient to all parties, from key domestic corporate individuals and to the acceptance of subpoenas duces tecum requiring reasonable production of documents to the Franchise Tax Board, as provided in Section 19504, by the State Board of Equalization, as provided in Section 5005 of Title 18 of the California Code of Regulations, or by the courts of this state, as provided in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1985) of Title 3 of Part 4 of, and Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 2025.010) of Title 4 of Part 4 of, the Code of Civil Procedure. The consent relates to issues of jurisdiction and service and does not waive any defenses that a taxpayer may otherwise have. The consent shall remain in effect as long as the water’s-edge election is in effect, and shall be limited to providing that information necessary to review or adjust income or deductions in a manner authorized by Section 482, 861, Subpart F of Part III of Subchapter N, or similar provisions, of the Internal Revenue Code, together with the regulations adopted pursuant to those provisions, and for the conduct of an investigation with respect to any unitary business in which the taxpayer may be involved. (B) Agrees that, for purposes of this article, dividends received by any corporation whose income and apportionment factors are taken into account pursuant to subdivision (a) from either of the following are functionally related dividends and shall be presumed to be business income: (i) A corporation of which more than 50 percent of the voting stock is owned, directly or indirectly, by members of the unitary group and which is engaged in the same general line of business. (ii) Any corporation that is either a significant source of supply for the unitary business or a significant purchaser of the output of the unitary business, or that sells a significant part of its output or obtains a significant part of its raw materials or input from the unitary business. “Significant,” as used in this subparagraph, means an amount of 15 percent or more of either input or output. All other dividends shall be classified as business or nonbusiness income without regard to this subparagraph. (3) The definitions and locations of property, payroll, and sales shall be determined under the laws and regulations that set forth the apportionment formulas used by the individual states to assign net income subject to taxes on, or measured by, net income in that state. If a state does not impose a tax on, or measured by, net income or does not have laws or regulations with respect to the assignment of property, payroll, and sales, the laws and regulations provided in Article 2 (commencing with Section 25120) shall apply. Sales shall be considered to be made to a state only if the corporation making the sale may otherwise be subject to a tax on, or measured by, net income under the Constitution or laws of the United States, and shall not include sales made to a corporation whose income and apportionment factors are taken into account pursuant to subdivision (a) in determining the amount of income of the taxpayer derived from or attributable to sources within this state. (4) “The United States” means the 50 states of the United States and the District of Columbia. (c) All references in this part to income determined pursuant to Section 25101 shall also mean income determined pursuant to this section.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 25111. Section 25111.

(a) For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2003, the making of a water’s-edge election as provided for in Section 25110 shall be made by contract with the Franchise Tax Board in the original return for a year and shall be effective only if every taxpayer that is a member of the water’s-edge group and which is subject to tax under this part makes the election. A single taxpayer that is engaged in more than one business activity subject to allocation and apportionment as provided in Article 2 (commencing with Section 25120) of Chapter 17 may make a separate election for each business. The form and manner of making the water’s-edge election shall be prescribed by the Franchise Tax Board. Each contract making a water’s-edge election shall be for an initial term of 84 months, except as provided in subdivision (b). Each contract shall provide that on the anniversary date of the contract or any other annual date specified by the contract a year shall be added automatically to the initial term unless notice of nonrenewal is given as provided in subdivision (d). An affiliated corporation that is a member of the water’s-edge group and subsequently becomes subject to tax under this part or is a nonelecting taxpayer that is subsequently proved to be a member of the water’s-edge group pursuant to a Franchise Tax Board audit determination, as evidenced by a notice of deficiency proposed to be assessed or a notice of tax change, shall be deemed to have elected. No water’s-edge election shall be made for a taxable year beginning prior to January 1, 1988. (b) A water’s-edge election may be terminated by a taxpayer prior to the end of the 84-month period if either of the following occurs: (1) The taxpayer is acquired directly or indirectly by a nonelecting entity which alone or together with those affiliates included in its combined report is larger than the taxpayer as measured by equity capital. (2) With the permission of the Franchise Tax Board. (c) In granting a change of election, the Franchise Tax Board shall impose any conditions that are necessary to prevent the avoidance of tax or to clearly reflect income for the period the election was, or was purported to be, in effect. These conditions may include a requirement that income, including dividends paid from income earned while a water’s-edge election was in effect, which would have been included in determining the income of the taxpayer from sources within and without this state pursuant to Section 25101 but for the water’s-edge election shall be included in income in the year in which the election is changed. (d) If the taxpayer desires in any year not to renew the election, the taxpayer shall serve written notice of nonrenewal upon the board at least 90 days in advance of the annual renewal date. Unless that written notice is provided to the board, the election shall be considered renewed as provided in subdivision (a). (e) If the taxpayer serves notice of intent in any year not to renew the existing water’s-edge election, that existing election shall remain in effect for the balance of the period remaining since the original election or the last renewal of the election, as the case may be. (f) To the extent that a taxpayer would have been required to file on a water’s-edge basis in its first taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2003, pursuant to a water’s-edge election made in a prior year under this section, the terms of this section no longer apply and that election shall be deemed to have been made under the terms of Section 25113. However, the commencement date of the election made in a prior year under this section shall continue to be treated as the commencement date of the water’s-edge election period for purposes of applying the provisions of Section 25113.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 25111.1. Section 25111.1.

(a) For any taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 1994, consideration for water’s-edge contracts in existence as of that date is no longer provided for by law. Contracts entered into for taxable years beginning prior to January 1, 1994, are rescinded for any periods remaining on those contracts commencing on the first day of the taxpayer’s first taxable year that begins on or after January 1, 1994. Any fiscal year taxpayer whose contract is in effect as of December 31, 1993, shall continue to be bound by that contract until the close of its taxable year after January 1, 1994, and before December 31, 1994. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), and except for the purposes of Section 25115, all taxpayers that are members of a water’s-edge group consisting of taxpayers with different taxable years shall continue to be bound by the contract in effect as of December 31, 1993, until the taxable year beginning prior to January 1, 1994, and ending in 1994 for each of the taxpayer members of the water’s-edge group has ended.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 25112. Section 25112.

(a) If a taxpayer electing to file under Section 25110 fails to supply any information described in subdivision (b), the taxpayer shall pay a penalty of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each taxable year with respect to which the failure occurs. (b) A taxpayer electing to file pursuant to Section 25110 shall do all of the following: (1) Retain and make available to the Franchise Tax Board, upon request, the documents and information, including any questionnaires completed and submitted to the Internal Revenue Service or qualified states, that are necessary to audit issues involving attribution of income to the United States or foreign jurisdictions under Sections 482, 861, 863, 902, and 904, and Subpart F of Part III of Subchapter N, or similar sections of the Internal Revenue Code. (2) Identify, upon request, principal officers or employees who have substantial knowledge of, and access to, documents and records that discuss pricing policies, profit centers, cost centers, and the methods of allocating income and expense among these centers. The information shall include the employees’ titles and addresses. (3) Retain and make available, upon request, all documents and correspondence ordinarily available to a corporation included in the water’s-edge election that are submitted to, or obtained from, the Internal Revenue Service, foreign countries or their territories or possessions, and competent authority pertaining to ruling requests, rulings, settlement resolutions, and competing claims involving jurisdictional assignment and sourcing of income that affect the assignment of income to the United States. The documents shall include all ruling requests and rulings on reorganizations involving foreign incorporation of branches, all ruling requests and rulings on changing a corporation’s jurisdictional incorporation, and all documents that are ordinarily available to a corporation included in the water’s-edge election that pertain to the determination of foreign tax liability, including examination reports issued by foreign taxing administrations. If the documents have been translated, the translations shall be furnished. (4) Retain and make available, upon request, information filed with the Internal Revenue Service to comply with Sections 6038, 6038A, 6038B, 6038C, and 6041 of the Internal Revenue Code. (5) Upon request, prepare and make available for each corporation organized or created under the laws of the United States or a political subdivision thereof, of which 50 percent or more of its voting stock is directly or indirectly owned or controlled, the information that would be included in the forms described in paragraph (4) if those forms were required for United States corporations. (6) Retain and make available, upon request, all state tax returns filed by each corporation included under subdivision (a) in each state, including the District of Columbia. (7) Comply with reasonable requests for information necessary to determine or verify its net income, apportionment factors, or the geographic source of that income pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code. (8) For purposes of this subdivision, information for any year shall be retained for that period of time in which the taxpayer’s income or franchise tax liability to this state may be subject to adjustment, including all periods in which additional income or franchise taxes may be assessed or during which an appeal is pending before the State Board of Equalization or a lawsuit is pending in the courts of this state or the United States with respect to California franchise or income tax. (c) If the failure continues for more than 90 days after the date on which the Franchise Tax Board mails notice of that failure to the taxpayer, the taxpayer shall pay a penalty (in addition to the amount required under subdivision (a)) of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each 30-day period (or fraction thereof) during which the failure continues after the expiration of the 90-day period. The increase in any penalty under this subdivision shall not exceed twenty-four thousand dollars ($24,000). (d) If the taxpayer fails to comply substantially with any formal document request arising out of the examination of the tax treatment of any item (hereafter in this section referred to as the “examined item”) before the 90th day after the date of the mailing of the request, any court having jurisdiction of a civil proceeding in which the tax treatment of the examined item is an issue may, upon motion by the Franchise Tax Board, prohibit the introduction by the taxpayer of documentation covered by that request. (e) For purposes of this section, the time in which information is to be furnished (and the beginning of the 90-day period after notice by the Franchise Tax Board) shall be treated as beginning not earlier than the last day on which reasonable cause existed for failure to furnish the information. (f) This section shall not apply with respect to any requested documentation if the taxpayer establishes that the failure to provide the documentation, as requested by the Franchise Tax Board, is due to reasonable cause. For purposes of subdivision (d), the fact that a foreign jurisdiction would impose a civil or criminal penalty on the taxpayer (or any other person) for disclosing the requested documentation is not reasonable cause unless, after in-camera review of the documentation, the court finds otherwise. (g) For purposes of this section, the term “formal document request” means any request (made after the normal request procedures have failed to produce the requested documentation) for the production of documentation that is mailed by registered or certified mail to the taxpayer at its last known address and that sets forth all of the following: (1) The time and place for the production of the documentation. (2) A statement of the reason the documentation previously produced (if any) is not sufficient. (3) A description of the documentation being sought. (4) The consequences to the taxpayer of the failure to produce the documentation described in this section. (h) Notwithstanding any other law or rule of law, any taxpayer to whom a formal document request is mailed may begin a proceeding to quash that request not later than the 90th day after the date the request was mailed. In that proceeding, the Franchise Tax Board may seek to compel compliance with the request. (i) The superior courts of the State of California for the Counties of Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Diego, and for the City and County of San Francisco shall have jurisdiction to hear any proceeding brought under subdivision (h). An order denying the petition shall be deemed a final order that may be appealed. The running of the 90-day period referred to in subdivision (c) shall be suspended during any period during which a proceeding brought under subdivision (h) is pending. (j) For purposes of this section, “documentation” means any documentation which may be relevant or material to the tax treatment of the examined item. (k) The Franchise Tax Board, and any court having jurisdiction over a proceeding under subdivision (g), may extend the 90-day period referred to in subdivision (b). ( l ) If any corporation takes any action as provided in subdivision (h), the running of any period of limitations under Sections 19057 to 19067, inclusive (relating to the assessment and collection of tax), or under Section 19704 (relating to criminal prosecutions) with respect to that corporation shall be suspended for the period during which the proceedings under subdivision (h) and appeals thereto are pending.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 25113. Section 25113.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (f), for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2003, the election provided for in Section 25110 shall be made on an original, timely filed return for the year of the election. The election will be considered valid if both of the following conditions are satisfied: (1) The tax is computed in a manner consistent with a water’s-edge election. (2) A written notification of election is filed with the return on a form prescribed by the Franchise Tax Board. Pursuant to regulations promulgated under this section, the Franchise Tax Board may accept the filing of other objective evidence that supports the conclusion that a water’s-edge election was intended in lieu of notification on the designated form. (b) Except as otherwise provided, a water’s-edge election shall be effective only if made by every member of the self-assessed combined reporting group that is subject to taxation under this part. (1) An election made on a group return of a self-assessed combined reporting group shall constitute an election by each taxpayer member included in that group return, unless one of those taxpayers files a separate return in which no election is made and paragraph (2) does not apply. (2) A taxpayer that fails to make an election on its own timely filed original return shall be deemed to have elected if either of the following applies: (A) It has a parent corporation that is an electing taxpayer that included the income and apportionment factors of the nonelecting taxpayer in the self-assessed combined reporting group reflected in the electing parent’s timely filed original return, including a group return. (B) The income and apportionment factors of the nonelecting taxpayer are reflected in the self-assessed combined reporting group of a timely filed original return of an electing taxpayer, and the notification of election filed by the electing taxpayer pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) is signed by an officer or other authorized agent of either a parent corporation of the nonelecting taxpayer or another corporation with authority to bind the nonelecting taxpayer to an election. (3) For purposes of this subdivision, a “parent corporation” of the taxpayer is a corporation that owns or constructively owns stock possessing more than 50 percent of the voting power of the taxpayer as determined under subdivisions (e) and (f) of Section 25105. (4) If a corporation that is a member of a combined reporting group is not itself subject to taxation under this part in the year for which the water’s-edge election is made, but subsequently becomes subject to taxation under this part, that corporation shall be deemed to have elected with the other taxpayer members of the combined reporting group. (5) If a unitary corporation not incorporated in the United States that is not itself subject to taxation under this part in the year for which the valid water’s-edge election is made, but subsequently becomes subject to taxation under this part solely due to subdivision (b) of Section 23101 in a taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2021, that corporation shall be deemed to have elected with the other members of the unitary combined reporting group. (6) A taxpayer that is engaged in more than one apportioning trade or business as defined in paragraph (6) of subdivision (d) of Section 25128 may make a separate election for each apportioning trade or business. (c) A water’s-edge election shall remain in effect or be terminated in accordance with this subdivision. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, if one or more electing taxpayer members of a combined reporting group later become disaffiliated or otherwise cease to be included in the combined reporting group, the water’s-edge election shall remain in effect as to both the departing taxpayer members and any remaining taxpayer members. (2) If an electing taxpayer and a nonelecting taxpayer become members of a new unitary affiliate group, the nonelecting taxpayer shall be deemed to have elected if the value of the total business assets of the electing taxpayer, and its component unitary group, if any, is larger than the value of the total business assets of the nonelecting taxpayer, and its component unitary group, if any. Otherwise, the water’s-edge election shall be automatically terminated at the time the electing members become part of the combined report. For purposes of applying paragraphs (9) and (10), the commencement date of the deemed election shall be the same as the commencement date of the electing taxpayers. (3) If taxpayers filing under water’s-edge elections with different commencement dates become members of a new unitary affiliate group, the earliest election date shall be deemed to apply to all electing taxpayers if the total business assets of the earlier electing taxpayer, and its component unitary group, if any, is larger than the value of the total business assets of the later electing taxpayer, and its component unitary group, if any. Otherwise, the later election commencement date shall apply to all electing taxpayers. (4) (A) If a taxpayer with an election that has been terminated under paragraph (9) or (10) becomes a member of a new unitary affiliate group that includes another electing or nonelecting taxpayer not affected by those paragraphs, any water’s-edge election of the other taxpayer member, if applicable, shall terminate, and any restrictions on making a new water’s-edge election, relating to an election terminated under those paragraphs, shall apply to all taxpayer members of the new unitary affiliate group if the total business assets of the taxpayer with the terminated election, and its component unitary group, if any, is larger than the other taxpayer, and its component unitary group, if any. Otherwise, paragraph (2) shall apply, if applicable. If paragraph (2) does not apply, all taxpayer members of the new unitary affiliate group will be treated as nonelecting taxpayers that are not subject to any restrictions on making a new water’s-edge election. (B) If two nonelecting taxpayers with different termination dates under paragraph (9) or (10) become members of a new unitary affiliate group, the earliest termination date shall be deemed to apply to all nonelecting taxpayers, as well as any restrictions on making a new water’s-edge election relating to that termination, if the total business assets of the earlier terminating taxpayer, and its component unitary group, if any, is larger than the value of the total business assets of the later terminating taxpayer, and its component unitary group, if any. Otherwise, the later termination date, and the related restrictions on making a new water’s-edge election, shall apply to all taxpayer members of the new unitary affiliate group. (5) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), if one or more electing taxpayers did not report their income and apportionment factors as members of a combined reporting group with one or more nonelecting taxpayers, and, pursuant to a Franchise Tax Board audit determination, the nonelecting taxpayers, are properly in the same combined reporting group as the electing taxpayers, the water’s-edge election of the electing taxpayers shall remain in effect and the nonelecting taxpayers shall be deemed to have made a water’s-edge election. The commencement date of the deemed water’s-edge election shall be the same as the commencement date of the electing taxpayers. (B) Subparagraph (A) may not apply if the value of total business assets of the electing taxpayers does not exceed the value of total business assets of the nonelecting taxpayers. In that event, the water’s-edge election of each electing taxpayer is terminated as of the date the nonelecting taxpayers are, pursuant to the audit determination described in subparagraph (A), properly included in the same combined reporting group as the electing taxpayers. (C) For purposes of applying the business asset test of this paragraph, the term “business assets” shall have the same meaning as subparagraph (A) of paragraph (6), except that the business assets of other members of the unitary affiliate group that are not taxpayers shall not be taken into account. (D) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), nonelecting taxpayers may not be deemed to have made a water’s-edge election if the Franchise Tax Board audit determination described in subparagraph (A) is withdrawn or otherwise overturned. (6) For purposes of paragraphs (2) to (5), inclusive, the following shall apply: (A) “Business assets” are assets, including intangible assets, other than stock of a member of the unitary affiliate group, which are used in the conduct of the business of the unitary affiliate group or would produce business income to the unitary affiliate group, if an election were not in place, if the assets were sold. Business assets shall be valued at net book value. (B) The phrase “unitary affiliate group” refers to all of those corporations that would constitute a unitary group if a water’s-edge election were not made. (C) The phrase “new unitary affiliate group” refers to a unitary affiliate group that is created by a new affiliation of two or more corporations, or by the addition of one or more new members to an existing unitary affiliate group. (D) The phrase “component unitary group” means that portion of a group of corporations that have become members of a new unitary affiliate group that were members of their own respective unitary affiliate group prior to entering the new unitary affiliate group, disregarding any corporations that did not become part of the new unitary group. (7) In the application of paragraphs (2) to (4), inclusive, a series of acquisitions as steps of a single transaction shall be aggregated as a single change of membership. (8) In the event of a merger or consolidation, the water’s-edge status and election commencement date or termination date of the surviving corporation shall be consistent with the result that would have been obtained under paragraphs (2) to (4), inclusive, if the surviving corporation had acquired the stock of the transferor corporation. (9) A water’s-edge election may be terminated without the consent of the Franchise Tax Board after it has been in effect for at least 84 months. The termination shall be made on an original, timely filed return for the first year in which the water’s-edge election is to be terminated. To be effective, the termination shall be made by every taxpayer that is a member of the water’s-edge group in the same manner as the election provided under subdivisions (a) and (b). (10) A water’s-edge election may be terminated before the 84-month period described in paragraph (9) has elapsed, but only with the consent of the Franchise Tax Board. A request for termination shall be made at the time and in the manner specified by the Franchise Tax Board. (A) The request may be granted for good cause. For purposes of this section, good cause shall have the same meaning as specified in Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-75(c). (B) The Franchise Tax Board shall consent to a termination requested by all members of a water’s-edge group, if the purpose of the request is to permit the state to contract with an expatriate corporation, or its subsidiary, pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 10286 of the Public Contract Code. A water’s-edge election terminated pursuant to this subparagraph shall, however, be effective for the year in which the expatriate corporation, or its subsidiary, enters into the contract with the state. (11) Except for deemed elections as provided in paragraphs (2), (4), and (5), if a water’s-edge election is terminated under paragraph (9) or (10), another election may not be made under this section for any taxable year that begins within the 84-month period following the last day of the election period that was terminated. The Franchise Tax Board may waive the application of this prohibition period for good cause. (12) A water’s-edge election shall remain in effect until terminated. (d) For purposes of this section, the following shall apply: (1) A “combined reporting group” means those corporations whose income and apportionment factors are properly considered pursuant to this chapter in computing the income of the individual taxpayer that is derived from or attributable to sources within this state, taking into account a valid water’s-edge election. (2) A “group return” refers to the single return which taxpayer members of a combined reporting group may elect by contract to file, in the form and manner prescribed by the Franchise Tax Board, in lieu of filing their own respective returns. (3) A “self-assessed combined reporting group” means that group of corporations whose income and apportionment factors are reflected in a combined report prepared pursuant to this chapter in a timely filed return, taking into account the effects of a purported water’s-edge election, whether or not the membership of the corporations in that combined report was correctly determined. (e) The Franchise Tax Board may prescribe any regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this section. (f) To the extent that a taxpayer would have been required to file on a water’s-edge basis in its first taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2003, pursuant to a water’s-edge election made in a prior year under Section 25111, the terms of Section 25111 may not apply and the election shall be deemed to have been made under the terms of this section. However, the commencement date of the election made in a prior year under Section 25111 shall continue to be treated as the commencement date of the water’s-edge election period for purposes of applying this section.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 25114. Section 25114.

(a) The Franchise Tax Board, for purposes of administering the provisions of this article, shall examine all returns filed by taxpayers subject to these provisions. (b) (1) In any case of two or more organizations, trades, or businesses, whether or not organized in the United States and whether or not affiliated, owned or controlled directly or indirectly by the same interests, the Franchise Tax Board may distribute, apportion, or allocate gross income, deductions, credits, or allowances between or among these organizations, trades, or businesses, if the board determines that the distribution, apportionment, or allocation is necessary in order to prevent evasion of taxes or clearly to reflect the income of any of these organizations, trades, or businesses. In the case of any transfer, or license, of intangible property, within the meaning of Section 936(h)(3)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code, the income with respect to that transfer or license shall be commensurate with the income attributable to the intangible property. (2) In making distributions, apportionments, and allocations under this section, the Franchise Tax Board shall generally follow the rules, regulations, and procedures of the Internal Revenue Service in making audits under Section 482 of the Internal Revenue Code. Any of these rules, regulations, and procedures adopted by the Franchise Tax Board shall not be subject to review by the Office of Administrative Law. (3) If the Internal Revenue Service has conducted a detailed audit pursuant to Section 482 of the Internal Revenue Code or Subchapter N of Chapter 1 of Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code and has made adjustments pursuant to those provisions, it shall be presumed, to the extent that the provisions relate to the determination of the amount of income and factors required to be taken into account pursuant to Section 25110, that no further adjustments are necessary for this state’s purposes. If the Internal Revenue Service has conducted a detailed audit pursuant to Section 482 of the Internal Revenue Code or Subchapter N of Chapter 1 of Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code and has made or proposed no adjustments to the transactions examined, it shall be presumed, to the extent that the provisions relate to the determination of the amount of income and factors required to be taken into account pursuant to Section 25110, that no adjustment is necessary for this state’s purposes. These presumptions apply to all Internal Revenue Service audit determinations, including determinations made by the Appeals and Competent Authority. These presumptions shall be overcome if the Franchise Tax Board or the taxpayer demonstrates that an adjustment or a failure to make an adjustment was erroneous, if it demonstrates that the results of such an adjustment would produce a minimal tax change for federal purposes because of correlative or offsetting adjustments or for other reasons, or if substantially the same federal tax result was obtained under other sections of the Internal Revenue Code. No inference shall be drawn from an Internal Revenue Service failure to audit international transactions pursuant to Section 482 of the Internal Revenue Code or Subchapter N of Chapter 1 of Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code and it shall not be presumed that any of those transactions were correctly reported. (c) The amendments made to this section by the act adding this subdivision shall apply to examinations commenced by the Franchise Tax Board on or after the effective date of that act. An examination will be considered commenced when a taxpayer is first contacted by the Franchise Tax Board concerning any examination with respect to the taxpayer’s return.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 25116. Section 25116.

Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 23051.5, when provisions of this article refer to provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that do not otherwise apply for purposes of Part 10.2 (commencing with Section 18401) or this part, the term “Internal Revenue Code” means Title 26 of the United States Code, including all amendments thereto, as in effect for federal purposes for the taxable period, except as otherwise specifically provided in this article.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026