Overview of the Bank and Corporation Tax in California

Out of the 48 states, California is the one to taxtaxed on shareholders PIT returns, pay a reduced tax
corporate profits. Whereas, the bank and corporationrate of 1.5 percent.
tax of California remains the third largest source of. In cases of loss, there is a right to carry forward a
General Fund revenues of the state. The raise inpercentage of the net operating losses or NOL during
1999-00 amounted to about $6.1 billion or 9 percent ofthe year, in order to reduce taxable profits in
the total. All corporations that earn income derivedsubsequent years.
from the sources in California are allied to BCT. But,. They provide a wide range of exclusions, deductions,
insurance companies and nonprofit corporations likeincome exemptions, as well as tax credits.
churches and charitable organizations are exempted,Relationship to Federal Law
since they do pay a gross premium tax.The Federal Corporate Tax Law provides more
Somewhere around half million corporations file BCTbeneficent depreciation allowances, does not duty an
returns in California, but only 60 percent from thementity-level tax on Subchapter S corporations and
actually report profit and only those pay taxes to BCT.allows 100 percent of NOL to be carried forward.
Whereas, the rest of them result in loss and areTaxation of S Corporations
subjected to pay only the minimum tax of the state.Businesses that obtain the restricted liability benefits of
Profit recovering firms are further distributed amonga corporation are termed as S corporations and are
the different industry sectors. Manufacturing firms aretaxed like a partnership.
subjected to pay almost one-third of all BCT taxes.. They pay a reduced corporate income tax rate of 1.5
The corporate franchise tax, corporate income taxpercent.
and bank tax are three different types of taxes. They cant go for alternative minimum tax, but need to
described by BCT. In order to do business in California,choose the same minimum tax requirement like other
most businesses in the state are liable to paycorporations do.
corporate income tax, while those businesses that doTaxing National and International Corporations
not have adequate presence or activity in the stateIn terms of calculating taxable profits, for the corporate
also need to pay this tax as a part of franchise tax.businesses in California, the process is very simple. In
Financial institutions and banks pay the bank tax.such cases, California profits coordinate the difference
BCT includes three components and is mainlywithin receipts and permissible deductions. The
calculated on income, with the franchise tax dominatingbusinesses that file under BCT are California-based
the accounts for over 98 percent of BCT revenues.corporations. But 75 percent of corporate income is
Key Features of BCTaccumulated from multi-state and multinational
. Depending on the profit, a basic tax rate of 8.84corporations.
percent and a minimum of $800 tax during the twoComparisons to Other States
years of operation of the firm need to be paid.As compared to other states the basic BCT rate of
Whereas, a higher rate of 10.84 percent is applied toCalifornia which is 8.84% is relatively high. This BCT
banks and financial institutions, in order to exempt themburden is a bit above average as compared to the
from certain local levies.U.S, 0.7 percent versus 0.5 percent.
. Similar to the personal income tax or PMT,The BCT Future
corporations are also subjected to an AlternativeThe growth of BCT has occurred substantially in these
Minimum Tax or AMT. But, the tax is applied at arecent two years. The NOL that generated previously,
slightly lower rate of 6.64 percent.but not yet claimed also affect the future BCT growth.
. The corporations whose income flows-through and is