Section 701.42.11. Research activities credit.

Effective for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 1985, taxpayers are allowed a credit equal to 6½ percent of the state’s apportioned share of qualified expenditures for increasing research activities. Effective for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 1991, the Iowa research activities credit will be computed on the basis of the qualifying expenditures for increasing research activities as allowable under Section 41 of the Internal Revenue Code in effect on January 1, 1999. The state’s apportioned share of the qualifying expenditures for increasing research activities is a percent equal to the ratio of qualified research expenditures in Iowa to the total qualified research expenditures. The Iowa research activities credit is made permanent for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 1991, even though there may no longer be a research activities credit for federal income tax purposes.

         42.11(1) Qualified expenditures in Iowa are:

            a.               Wages for qualified research services performed in Iowa.

            b.               Cost of supplies used in conducting qualified research in Iowa.

            c.               Rental or lease cost of personal property used in Iowa in conducting qualified research. Where personal property is used both within and without Iowa in conducting qualified research, the rental or lease cost must be prorated between Iowa and non-Iowa use by the ratio of days used in Iowa to total days used both within and without Iowa.

            d.               Sixty-five percent of contract expenses paid by a corporation to a qualified organization for basic research performed in Iowa.

         42.11(2) Total qualified expenditures are:

            a.               Wages paid for qualified research services performed everywhere.

            b.               Cost of supplies used in conducting qualified research everywhere.

            c.               Rental or lease cost of personal property used in conducting qualified research everywhere.

            d.               Sixty-five percent of contract expenses paid by a corporation to a qualified organization for basic research performed everywhere.

“Qualifying expenditures for increasing research activities” is the smallest of the amount by which the qualified research expenses for the taxable year exceed the base period research expenses or 50 percent of the qualified research expenses for the taxable year.

A taxpayer may claim on the taxpayer’s individual income tax return the pro rata share of the credit for qualifying research expenditures incurred in Iowa by a partnership, subchapter S corporation, or estate or trust. The portion of the credit claimed by the individual must be in the same ratio as the individual’s pro rata share of the earnings of the partnership, subchapter S corporation, or estate or trust.

Any research credit in excess of the individual’s tax liability, less the nonrefundable credits authorized in Iowa Code chapter 422, division II, may be refunded to the taxpayer or may be credited to the estimated tax of the taxpayer for the following year.

         42.11(3) Research activities credit for tax years beginning in 2000. Effective for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2000, the taxes imposed for individual income tax purposes will be reduced by a tax credit for increasing research activities in this state.

            a.               The credit equals the sum of the following:

             (1)             Six and one-half percent of the excess of qualified research expenses during the tax year over the base amount for the tax year based upon the state’s apportioned share of the qualifying expenditures for increasing research activities.

             (2)             Six and one-half percent of the basic research payments determined under Section 41(e)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code during the tax year based upon the state’s apportioned share of the qualifying expenditures for increasing research activities. The state’s apportioned share of the qualifying expenditures for increasing research activities is a percent equal to the ratio of qualified research expenditures in this state to total qualified research activities.

            b.               In lieu of the credit computed under paragraph 42.11(3)“a,” a taxpayer may elect to compute the credit amount for qualified research expenses incurred in this state in a manner consistent with the alternative incremental credit described in Section 41(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2000, but beginning before January 1, 2010. The taxpayer may make this election regardless of the method used by the taxpayer on the taxpayer’s federal income tax return. The election made under this paragraph is for the tax year, and the taxpayer may use another method or this same method for any subsequent tax year. For purposes of this alternative incremental research credit computation, the credit percentages applicable to qualified research expenses described in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) of Section 41(c)(4)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code are 1.65 percent, 2.20 percent, and 2.75 percent, respectively.

            c.               In lieu of the credit computed under paragraph 42.11(3)“a,” a taxpayer may elect to compute the credit amount for qualified research expenses incurred in this state in a manner consistent with the alternative simplified credit described in Section 41(c)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2010. The taxpayer may make this election regardless of the method used by the taxpayer on the taxpayer’s federal income tax return. The election made under this paragraph is for the tax year, and the taxpayer may use another method or this same method for any subsequent tax year.

For purposes of this alternative simplified research credit computation, the credit percentages applicable to qualified research expenses described in Section 41(c)(5)(A) and clause (ii) of Section 41(c)(5)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code are 4.55 percent and 1.95 percent, respectively.

            d.               For purposes of this subrule, the terms “base amount,” “basic research payment,” and “qualified research expense” mean the same as defined for the federal credit for increasing research activities under Section 41 of the Internal Revenue Code, except that, for purposes of the alternative incremental credit described in paragraph 42.11(3)“b” and the alternative simplified credit described in paragraph 42.11(3)“c,” such amounts are limited to research activities conducted within this state. For purposes of this subrule, “Internal Revenue Code” means the Internal Revenue Code in effect on January 1, 2014.

            e.               An individual may claim a research activities credit incurred by a partnership, S corporation, limited liability company, estate, or trust electing to have the income of the business entity taxed to the individual. The amount claimed by an individual from the business entity shall be based upon the pro rata share of the individual’s earnings from a partnership, S corporation, estate or trust. Any research credit in excess of the individual’s tax liability, less the nonrefundable credits authorized in Iowa Code chapter 422, division II, may be refunded to the individual or may be credited to the individual’s tax liability for the following tax year.

            f.                An eligible business approved under the new jobs and income program prior to July 1, 2005, is eligible for an additional research activities credit as described in 701—subrule 52.7(4). An eligible business approved under the enterprise zone program is eligible for an additional research activities credit as described in 701—subrules 52.7(5) and 52.7(6).

            g.               Tax years ending on or after July 1, 2005, but before July 1, 2009. For eligible businesses approved under the enterprise zone program and the high quality job creation program, research activities allowable for the Iowa research activities credit include expenses related to the development and deployment of innovative renewable energy generation components manufactured or assembled in Iowa. These expenses are not eligible for the federal credit for increasing research activities. These innovative renewable energy generation components do not include components with more than 200 megawatts in installed effective nameplate capacity. The research activities credit related to renewable energy generation components under the enterprise zone program and the high quality job creation program shall not exceed $1 million in the aggregate.

These expenses are available only for the additional research activities credit set forth in subrule 42.11(3), paragraph “f,” for businesses in enterprise zones and the additional research activities credit set forth in subrule 42.29(1) for businesses approved under the high quality job creation program. These expenses are not available for the research activities credit set forth in subrule 42.11(3), paragraphs “a,” “b” and “c.”

            h.               Tax years ending on or after July 1, 2009. For eligible businesses approved under the enterprise zone program prior to July 1, 2014, research activities allowable for the Iowa research activities credit include expenses related to the development and deployment of innovative renewable energy generation components manufactured or assembled in Iowa; such expenses related to the development and deployment of innovative renewable energy generation components are not eligible for the federal credit for increasing research activities. The enterprise zone program was repealed on July 1, 2014. However, any research activities credit earned by businesses approved under the enterprise zone program prior to July 1, 2014, remains valid and can be claimed on tax returns filed after July 1, 2014.

             (1)             For purposes of this paragraph, innovative renewable energy generation components do not include components with more than 200 megawatts in installed effective nameplate capacity.

             (2)             The research activities credit related to renewable energy generation components under the enterprise zone program and the high quality jobs program described in subrule 42.42(1) shall not exceed $2 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2010, and $1 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011.

             (3)             These expenses related to the development and deployment of innovative renewable energy generation components are applicable only to the additional research activities credit set forth in subrule 42.11(3), paragraph “f,” for businesses in enterprise zones and the additional research activities credit set forth in subrule 42.42(1) for businesses approved under the high quality jobs program, and are not applicable to the research activities credit set forth in subrule 42.11(3), paragraphs “a,” “b” and “c.”

         42.11(4) Reporting of research activities credit claims. Beginning with research activities credit claims filed on or after July 1, 2009, the department shall issue an annual report to the general assembly of all research activities credit claims in excess of $500,000. The report, which is due by February 15 of each year, will contain the name of each claimant and the amount of the research activities credit for all claims filed during the previous calendar year in excess of $500,000.

This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code sections 15.335 and 422.10 as amended by 2014 Iowa Acts, House File 2435.

[ARC 8702B, IAB 4/21/10, effective 5/26/10; ARC 9104B, IAB 9/22/10, effective 10/27/10; ARC 9820B, IAB 11/2/11, effective 12/7/11; ARC 0337C, IAB 9/19/12, effective 10/24/12; ARC 1101C, IAB 10/16/13, effective 11/20/13; ARC 1545C, IAB 7/23/14, effective 8/27/14; ARC 1744C, IAB 11/26/14, effective 12/31/14]