Treasury is reviewing the recently enacted tax law changes, including the new Marijuana Wholesale Tax. Developing clear and accurate information for tax stakeholders is our top priority. This guidance will be posted to our website in the coming weeks.
Nexus & Apportionment 13. If a CIT taxpayer owns an interest in a flow-through entity how does that taxpayer calculate its apportionment factor?
If a taxpayer has a direct (or indirect through 1 or more other flow-through entities) ownership or beneficial interest in a flow-through entity and the taxpayer is not unitary with that flow-through entity, the taxpayer's business income that is directly attributable to the business activity of the flow-through entity is apportioned to Michigan using the flow-through entity's sales factor. MCL 206.661(2).
However, if a taxpayer is unitary with a flow-through entity, the taxpayer must include in its sales factor used for apportionment the taxpayer's proportionate share of the flow-through entity's Michigan and total sales. MCL 206.661(2), 206.663(1).
A taxpayer is unitary for apportionment purposes with a flow-through entity if that taxpayer:
- Owns or controls, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the ownership interest with voting rights or ownership interests that confer comparable rights to voting rights of the flow-through entity, and
- The taxpayer has business activities or operations with the flow-through entity that (1) result in a flow of value between or among persons in the group, or (2) are integrated with, are dependent upon, or contribute to each other. [MCL 206.663(1).]
If a taxpayer is unitary for apportionment purposes with a flow-through entity, the taxpayer must include in the numerator of its sales factor an amount equal to the flow-through entity's total sales in Michigan multiplied by the taxpayer's percentage of ownership of that flow-through entity. In the denominator of its sales factor, the taxpayer would include an amount equal to the flow-through entity's total sales everywhere multiplied by the taxpayer's percentage of ownership of that flow-through entity. Sales between a taxpayer and a flow-through entity unitary with that taxpayer must, to the extent of the taxpayer's interest in the flow-through entity, be eliminated in calculating the sales factor. Sales between a flow-through entity unitary with a taxpayer and another flow-through entity unitary with that same taxpayer must, to the extent of the taxpayer's interest in the selling flow-through entity be eliminated when calculating the apportionment sales factor. MCL 206.663(2).