15-31-150. Credit for research expenses and research payments. (1) (a) There is a credit against taxes otherwise due under this chapter for increases in qualified research expense and basic research payments for research conducted in Montana. Except as provided in this section, the credit must be determined in accordance with section 41 of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 41, as that section read on July 1, 1996, or as subsequently amended.
     (b) For purposes of the credit, the:
     (i) applicable percentage specified in 26 U.S.C. 41(a) is 5%;
     (ii) election of the alternative incremental credit allowed under 26 U.S.C. 41(c)(4) does not apply;
     (iii) special rules in 26 U.S.C. 41(g) do not apply; and
     (iv) termination date provided for in 26 U.S.C. 41(h) does not apply.
     (2) The credit allowed under this section for a tax year may not exceed the tax liability under chapter 30 or 31. A credit may not be refunded if a taxpayer has tax liability less than the amount of the credit.
     (3) The credit allowed under this section may be used as a carryback against taxes imposed under chapter 30 or 31 for the 2 preceding tax years and may be used as a carryforward against taxes imposed by chapter 30 or 31 for the 15 succeeding tax years. The entire amount of the credit not used in the year earned must be carried first to the earliest tax year in which the credit may be applied and then to each succeeding tax year.
     (4) A taxpayer may not claim a current year credit under this section after December 31, 2010. However, any unused credit may be carried back or forward as provided in subsection (3).
     (5) A corporation, an individual, a small business corporation, a partnership, a limited liability partnership, or a limited liability company qualifies for the credit under this section. If the credit is claimed by a small business corporation, a partnership, a limited liability partnership, or a limited liability company, the credit must be attributed to the individual shareholders, partners, members, or managers in the same proportion used to report income or loss for state tax purposes. The allocations in 26 U.S.C. 41(f) do not apply to this section.
     (6) For purposes of calculating the credit, the following definitions apply:
     (a) "Gross receipts" means:
     (i) for a corporation that has income from business activity that is taxable only within the state, all gross sales less returns of the corporation for the tax year; and
     (ii) for a corporation that has income from business activity that is taxable both within and outside of the state, only the gross sales less returns of the corporation apportioned to Montana for the tax year.
     (b) "Qualified research" has the meaning provided in 26 U.S.C. 41(d), but is limited to research conducted in Montana.
     (c) "Qualified research expenses" has the meaning provided in 26 U.S.C. 41(b), but includes only the sum of amounts paid or incurred by the taxpayer for research conducted in Montana.
     (d) "Supplies" has the meaning provided in 26 U.S.C. 42(b)(2)(C), but includes only those supplies used in the conduct of qualified research in Montana.
     (e) "Wages" has the meaning provided in 39-51-201 and includes only those wages paid or incurred for an employee for qualified services performed by the employee in Montana. For a self-employed individual and an owner-employee, the term includes the income, as defined in 26 U.S.C. 401(c)(2), of the employee.
     (7) The department shall adopt rules, prepare forms, maintain records, and perform other duties necessary to implement this section. In adopting rules to implement this section, the department shall conform the rules to regulations prescribed by the secretary of the treasury under 26 U.S.C. 41 except to the extent that the regulations need to be modified to conform to this section.

     History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 444, L. 1999.