AN ACT

RELATING TO TAXATION; AMENDING A SECTION OF THE CORPORATE INCOME AND FRANCHISE TAX ACT TO CHANGE CERTAIN PREREQUISITES FOR FILING ESTIMATED TAX PAYMENTS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 7-2A-9.1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1986, Chapter 5, Section 1, as amended) is amended to read:

"7-2A-9.1. ESTIMATED TAX DUE--PAYMENT OF ESTIMATED TAX‑-PENALTY--EXEMPTION.--

A. Every taxpayer shall pay estimated corporate income tax to the state of New Mexico during its taxable year if its tax after applicable credits is five thousand dollars ($5,000) or more in the current taxable year. A taxpayer to which this section applies shall calculate estimated tax by one of the following methods:

(1) estimating the amount of tax due, net of any credits, for the current taxable year, provided that the estimated amount is at least eighty percent of the amount determined to be due for the taxable year;

(2) using as the estimate an amount equal to one hundred percent of the tax due for the previous taxable year, if the previous taxable year was a full twelve-month year;

(3) using as the estimate an amount equal to one hundred ten percent of the tax due for the taxable year immediately preceding the previous taxable year, if the taxable year immediately preceding the previous taxable year was a full twelve-month year and the return for the previous taxable year has not been filed and the extended due date for filing that return has not occurred at the time the first installment is due for the taxable year; or

(4) estimating the amount of tax due, net of any credits, for each fiscal quarter of the current taxable year, provided that the estimated amount is at least eighty percent of the amount determined to be due for that quarter.

B. If Subsection A of this section applies, the amount of estimated tax shall be paid in installments as provided in this subsection. Twenty-five percent of the estimated tax calculated under Paragraph (1), (2) or (3) of Subsection A of this section or one hundred percent of the estimated tax calculated under Paragraph (4) of Subsection A of this section is due on or before the following dates: the fifteenth day of the sixth month of the taxable year, the fifteenth day of the ninth month of the taxable year and the fifteenth day of the twelfth month of the taxable year. Application of this subsection to a taxable year that is a fractional part of a year shall be determined by regulation of the secretary.

C. Every taxpayer to which Subsection A of this section applies that fails to pay the estimated tax when due or that makes estimated tax payments during the taxable year that are less than the lesser of eighty percent of the income tax imposed on the taxpayer under the Corporate Income and Franchise Tax Act or the amount required by Paragraph (2), (3) or (4) of Subsection A of this section shall be subject to the interest and penalty provisions of Sections 7-1-67 and 7-1-69 NMSA 1978 on the underpayment.

D. For purposes of this section, the amount of underpayment shall be the excess of the amount of the installment that would be required to be paid if the estimated tax were equal to eighty percent of the tax shown on the return for the taxable year or the amount required by Paragraph (2), (3) or (4) of Subsection A of this section or, if no return was filed, eighty percent of the tax for the taxable year for which the estimated tax is due less the amount, if any, of the installment paid on or before the last date prescribed for payment.

E. For purposes of this section, the period of

underpayment shall run from the date the installment was required to be paid to whichever of the following dates is earlier:

(1) the fifteenth day of the third month following the end of the taxable year; or

(2) with respect to any portion of the underpayment, the date on which such portion is paid. For the purposes of this paragraph, a payment of estimated tax on any installment date shall be applied as a payment of any previous underpayment only to the extent such payment exceeds the amount of the installment determined under Subsection D of this section due on such installment date."

Section 2. APPLICABILITY.--The provisions of this act apply to taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2003.

HB 762

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