Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1)
For purposes of the property factor, the term "real and tangible personal
property" includes land, buildings, machinery, stocks of goods, equipment, and
other real and tangible personal property, but does not include coin or
currency.
(2) Property shall be
included in the property factor if it is actually used or is available for or
capable of being used during the tax period.
(a) Property held as reserves or standby
facilities or property held as a reserve source of materials shall be included
in the factor. For example, a plant temporarily idle or raw material reserves
not currently being processed are includible in the factor.
(b) Property or equipment under construction.
1. Property or equipment under construction
during the tax period (except inventoriable goods-in-process) shall be excluded
from the factor until such property is actually used for the production of
income.
2. If the property is
partially used for the production of income while under construction, the value
of the property to the extent used shall be included in the property
factor.
3. Construction companies
shall include property under construction in the property factor. Regardless of
the method of accounting used (percentage-of-completion or completed-contract
methods), the costs of construction-in-progress are included in the property
factor, to the extent the costs exceed progress billings.
(c) Property held for the production of
income shall remain in the property factor until its permanent withdrawal is
established by an identifiable event such as its sale or the lapse of five
years during which time the property was held for sale.
(d)
1. Any
amount of property which is directly related to an amount of gross receipts or
income which is deducted, subtracted, or otherwise excluded in determining
adjusted federal income is excluded from both the numerator and denominator of
the property factor.
2. Example:
The taxpayer owns an apartment building. The income from the rentals is
determined to be non-business income. The value of the apartment building is
excluded from the property factor.
(e) Tangible property in the possession of
customers is excluded from the property factor even though the taxpayer holds
legal title under conditional sales contracts or chattel mortgages.
(f) Satellites used in the communications
industry are in the denominator of the property factor. The numerator is based
upon the ratio of earth stations serviced. For example, if a particular
satellite that is owned by the taxpayer services earth stations located in Los
Angeles, Chicago, New York and Miami, 25 percent of the cost of the satellite
will be included in the numerator of the factor for this
state.
(3) Property in
Transit.
(a) Property in transit between
locations of the taxpayer to which it belongs shall be considered to be at the
destination for purposes of the property factor.
(b) Property in transit between a buyer and a
seller which is included in the denominator of the property factor in
accordance with regular accounting practices shall be included in the numerator
of the state of destination.
(4) Mobile property.
(a) The value of mobile or movable property
such as construction equipment, trucks, or leased electronic equipment which is
located within and without Florida during the tax period shall be determined
for the purposes of the numerator of the factor on the basis of total time
within Florida during the tax period.
(b) The value of vessels carrying passengers
to international waters where passengers cannot disembark from the vessel at
points other than the origination point (cruises to nowhere); fishing boats; or
party boats will be measured upon the port day method. The port day method
measures the ratio of days in port inside the state, including port days to
stock the boat and clean the boat, to total port days. Only the time that a
vessel is moored to a wharf or pier is considered in computing the days spent
in port.
(c) An automobile assigned
to a traveling employee shall be included in the numerator if the employee's
compensation is included in the numerator of the payroll factor or if the
automobile is licensed in Florida.
(d) Aircraft leasing companies.
1. Corporations leasing aircraft to airlines
that fly the aircraft into Florida must elect to measure property in Florida
using one of the following methods:
a. The
original cost of the leased aircraft multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of
which is the actual revenue miles in Florida for the aircraft leased and the
denominator of which is the actual revenue miles everywhere for the aircraft
leased; or
b. The original cost of
the leased aircraft multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is
lessee's revenue miles in Florida for their fleet of similar aircraft and the
denominator of which is the lessee's revenue miles everywhere for their fleet
of similar aircraft.
2.
The phrase "revenue miles" is defined by section
220.151(2),
F.S., and paragraph 12C-1.0151(2)(b),
F.A.C.
3. The method used (the
actual revenue miles for the aircraft or the fleet average of the lessee) must
be consistent with the method for determining the sales factor as described in
subparagraph 12C-1.0155(2)(d)
2., F.A.C. Once the valuation method is elected, the taxpayer must petition the
Department of Revenue to change the method of valuation for subsequent taxable
years. The taxpayer shall petition the Department for the change by filing, on
or before the due date for filing of the return for the taxable year, with
extension, either: a written request for a technical assistance advisement
under section 213.22, F.S., and Department of
Revenue chapter 12-11, F.A.C.; or a petition for a declaratory statement under
section 120.565,
F.S.
(5)
Valuation of Owned Property. Property owned by the taxpayer shall be valued at
its original cost.
(a) As a general rule
"original cost" is deemed to be the basis of the property for federal income
tax purposes (prior to any federal adjustments) at the time of acquisition by
the taxpayer and adjusted by subsequent capital additions or improvements
thereto and partial disposition thereof, by reason of sale, exchange, or
abandonment, etc. Depreciation is not taken into account in determining the
value of the property.
(b) Any
taxpayer subject to the jurisdiction of a regulatory agency shall determine the
original cost of its property in accordance with the system of accounts
prescribed by the regulatory agency for such taxpayer.
(c) Example (1): The taxpayer acquired a
factory building in this state at a cost of $500, 000 and 18 months later
expended $100, 000 for major remodeling of the building. Taxpayer files its
return for the current taxable year on the calendar year basis. A depreciation
deduction in the amount of $22, 000 was claimed on the building for its return
for the current taxable year. The value of the building includible in the
numerator and denominator of the property factor is $600, 000 as the
depreciation deduction is not taken into account in determining the value of
the building for purposes of the factor.
(d) Example (2): During the current taxable
year, X Corporation merges into Y Corporation in a tax-free reorganization
under the Internal Revenue Code. At the time of the merger, X Corporation owns
a factory which X built five years earlier at a cost of $1, 000, 000. X has
been depreciating the factory at the rate of two percent per year, and its
basis in X's hand at the time of the merger if $900, 000. Since the property is
acquired by Y in a transaction in which, under the Internal Revenue Code, its
basis in Y's hands is the same as its basis in X's, Y includes the property in
Y's property factor at X's original cost, without adjustment for depreciation,
i.e., $1, 000, 000.
(e) If the
original cost of property is unascertainable, the property is included in the
factor at its fair market value as of the date of acquisition by the
taxpayer.
(f) Inventory of stock of
goods shall be included in the factor in accordance with the valuation method
used for federal income tax purposes.
(6) Valuation of Rented Property. Property
rented by the taxpayer is valued at eight times its net annual rental rate.
(a) The net annual rental rate for any item
of rented property is the annual rate paid by the taxpayer for such property,
less the aggregate annual subrental rates paid by subtenants of the taxpayer.
1. However, subrents are not deducted when
the subrents constitute business income because the property which produces the
subrents is used in the regular course of a trade or business of the taxpayer
when it is producing such income. Accordingly, there is no reduction in its
value.
2. If the subrents taken
into account in determining the net annual rental rate produce a negative or
clearly inaccurate value for any item of property, another method which will
properly reflect the value of rented property may be required by the Department
or requested by the taxpayer. In no case, however, shall such value be less
than an amount which bears the same ratio to the annual rental paid by the
taxpayer for such property as the fair market value of that portion of the
property used by the taxpayer bears to the total fair market value of the
rented property.
(b) If
property owned by others is used by the taxpayer at no charge or rented by the
taxpayer for a nominal rate, the net annual rental rate for such property shall
be determined on the basis of a reasonable market rental rate for such
property.
(c) Example (1): The
taxpayer rents a 20-story office building and uses the lower two stories for
its general corporation headquarters. The remaining 18 floors are subleased to
others. The rental of the eighteen floors is not incidental to but rather is
separate from the operation of the taxpayer's trade or business. The subrents
are to be deducted from the rent paid by the taxpayer.
(d) Example (2): The taxpayer rents a
10-story building at an annual rental rate of $1, 000, 000. Taxpayer occupies
two stories and sublets eight stories for $1, 000, 000 a year. The net annual
rental rate of the taxpayer must not be less than two-tenths of the taxpayer's
annual rental rate for the entire year or $200, 000.
(e)
1.
"Annual rental rate" is the amount paid as rental for property for a 12-month
period (i.e., the amount of the annual rent).
2. Where property is rented for less than a
12-month period, the rent paid for the actual period of rental shall constitute
the "annual rental rate" for the tax period. However, where a taxpayer has
rented property for a term of 12 or more months and the current tax period
covers a period of less than 12 months (due, for example, to a reorganization
or change of accounting period), the rent paid for the short tax period shall
be annualized. If the rental term is for less than 12 months, the rent shall
not be annualized beyond its term. When the rental term is on a month-to-month
basis, rent shall not be annualized because of the uncertain
duration.
3. Example (1): Taxpayer
A which ordinarily files its returns based on a calendar year is merged into
Taxpayer B on April 30. The net rent paid under a lease with 5 years remaining
is $2, 500 a month. The rent for the tax period January 1 to April 30 is $10,
000. After the rent is annualized, the net rent is $30, 000 ($2, 500 x
12).
4. Example (2): Same facts as
in Example (1) except that the lease would have terminated on August 31. In
this case the annualized net rent is $20, 000 ($2, 500 x
8).
(7) "Annual
rent" is the actual sum of money or other consideration payable, directly or
indirectly, by the taxpayer or for its benefit for the use of the property and
includes (A) any amount payable for the use of real or tangible personal
property, or any part thereof, whether designated as a fixed sum of money or as
a percentage of sales, profits, or otherwise; and (B) any amount payable as
additional rent or in lieu of rents, such as interest, taxes, insurance,
repairs, or any other items which are required to be paid by the terms of the
lease or other arrangement, not including amounts paid as service charges, such
as utilities, janitor services, etc. If a payment includes rent and other
charges unsegregated, the amount of rent shall be determined by consideration
of the relative values of the rent and the other items.
(a) Example (1): A taxpayer, pursuant to the
terms of a lease, pays the lessor $12, 000 a year rent plus taxes in the amount
of $2, 000 and interest on a mortgage in the amount of $1, 000. The annual rent
is $15, 000.
(b) Example (2): A
taxpayer stores part of its inventory in a public warehouse. The total charge
for the year was $1, 000 of which $700 was for the use of storage space and
$300 for inventory insurance, handling and shipping charges, and C.O.D.
collection. The annual rent is $700.
(c) Example (3): A taxpayer, pursuant to the
terms of a lease, pays a lessor $1, 000 per month as a base rental and at the
end of the year pays the lessor one percent of its gross sales of $400, 000.
The annual rent is $16, 000 ($12, 000 plus one percent of $400, 000 or $4,
000).
(d) Rent paid in advance that
is not an allowable deduction in the year of payment is not included in the
property factor in that year. For example, if the first and last month's rent
of a five-year lease were paid during the first month, the last month's rent
would not be capitalized into the property factor until the fifth year, when it
would be deductible.
(e) Items that
are considered day-to-day expenses of the business are not included in the
property factor. For example, daily "rents" for hotel rooms or motel rooms or
the daily rental for use of an automobile are not included in the property
factor. However, if these items are rented for more than 30 days, the rent is
capitalized into the property factor.
(f) Rentals paid for the use of circuits in
satellites in outer space will be capitalized as rents.
(g) Software rentals will be capitalized as
rents if they are determined to be tangible personal property. Canned programs
will be considered to be tangible personal property. It is important to
distinguish between computer rentals and fees paid for computer services, which
are not capitalized as rents. The rental of computer hardware is
capitalized.
(8)
Leasehold improvements shall, for the purposes of the property factor, be
treated as property owned by the taxpayer regardless of whether the taxpayer is
entitled to remove the improvements or the improvements revert to the lessor
upon expiration of the lease. Hence, the original cost of leasehold
improvements shall be included in the factor.
(9) A portion of a partnership's real and
tangible personal property, both owned or rented and used during the tax year
in the regular course of such trade or business, is included in the denominator
of a taxpayer's property factor to the extent of the taxpayer's interest in the
partnership. The value of such property located in Florida is also included in
the numerator of the property factor. The value of property that is rented or
leased by the taxpayer to the partnership or vice versa is, with respect to the
taxpayer, excluded from the property factor of the partnership or eliminated to
the extent of the taxpayer's interest in the partnership in order to avoid
duplication. For purposes of inclusion in the Florida property factor,
partnership property is allocated to each partner based on their interest in
the partnership, or as designated in the partnership agreement.
(10)
(a)
Property factor for financial organizations. For tax years beginning after
December 31, 1986, the property factor used by a financial organization also
includes intangible personal property, except goodwill, which is owned and used
in the business. The term "financial organization" as defined in section
220.15(6),
F.S., includes brokerage companies.
(b) Secured loans. Where the loan is secured
by multiple liens upon real or tangible personal property, part of which is
within the state and part of which is without the state, the amount of the loan
which is included in the numerator of the factor is based on a fraction, the
numerator of which is the value of the secured property in Florida, and the
denominator of which is the value of the secured property everywhere. The
"value of the secured property" will be the fair market value of the property
at the time of the loan.
(11) Averaging Property Values.
(a) As a general rule, the average value of
property owned by the taxpayer shall be determined by averaging the values at
the beginning and end of the tax period.
(b) However, the Department is authorized to
require or allow averaging by monthly values if such method of averaging is
required to properly reflect the average value of the taxpayer's property for
the tax period.
1. Averaging by monthly values
will be applied if substantial fluctuations in the values of the property exist
during the tax period or where property is acquired after the beginning of the
tax period or disposed of before the end of the tax period.
2. Example: The monthly value of the
taxpayer's property was as follows:
January
|
$2, 000
|
February
|
2, 000
|
March
|
3, 000
|
April
|
3, 500
|
May
|
4, 500
|
June
|
10, 000
|
July
|
15, 000
|
August
|
17, 000
|
September
|
23, 000
|
October
|
25, 000
|
November
|
13, 000
|
December
|
2, 000
|
Total
|
$120, 000
|
The average value of the taxpayer's property includible in
the property factor for the income year is determined as follows:
$120, 000/12 = $10, 000
(c) Averaging with respect to rented property
is achieved automatically by the method of determining the net annual rental
rate of such property as set forth in subsection
(7).
Rulemaking Authority
213.06(1),
220.51 FS. Law Implemented
220.15,
220.152,
220.44
FS.
New 5-17-94, Amended
3-18-96.