Compensation: means wages, salaries, commissions and any other form of remuneration paid to employees for personal services. See Tennessee Code 67-4-2004
Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
General partnership: means a partnership in which all partners, as defined by state law, are fully liable for the debts of, or the claims against, the partnership. See Tennessee Code 67-4-2004
Intangible property: means patents, patent applications, trade names, trademarks, service marks, franchise rights, copyrights, licenses, research, formulas, designs, patterns, processes, formats, and similar types of intangible assets. See Tennessee Code 67-4-2004
Intangible property: Property that has no intrinsic value, but is merely the evidence of value such as stock certificates, bonds, and promissory notes.
Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
Personal property: includes money, goods, chattels, things in action, and evidences of debt. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
Personal property: All property that is not real property.
Sales: means all gross receipts of the taxpayer not allocated under this part. See Tennessee Code 67-4-2004
Securities: means United States treasury securities, obligations of United States government agencies and corporations, obligations of state and political subdivisions, corporate stock and other securities, participations in securities backed by mortgages held by the United States or state government agencies, loan-backed securities and similar investments. See Tennessee Code 67-4-2004
State: means any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the United States and any foreign country or political subdivision thereof. See Tennessee Code 67-4-2004
taxpayer: means every corporation, subchapter S corporation, limited liability company, professional limited liability company, registered limited liability partnership, professional registered limited liability partnership, limited partnership, cooperative, joint-stock association, business trust, regulated investment company, REIT, state-chartered or national bank, or state-chartered or federally chartered savings and loan association. See Tennessee Code 67-4-2004
United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this part, for tax years beginning prior to July 1, 2016, all net earnings shall be apportioned to this state by multiplying the earnings by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the property factor plus the payroll factor plus twice the receipts factor, and the denominator of the fraction shall be four (4).(2) Except as otherwise provided in this part, for tax years beginning on or after July 1, 2016, all net earnings shall be apportioned to this state by multiplying the earnings by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the property factor plus the payroll factor plus three (3) times the receipts factor, and the denominator of the fraction shall be five (5).(3) Except as otherwise provided in this part, for tax years ending on or after December 31, 2023, but before December 31, 2024, net earnings must be apportioned to this state by multiplying the earnings by a fraction, the numerator of which is the property factor plus the payroll factor plus five (5) times the receipts factor, and the denominator of the fraction is seven (7).(4) Except as otherwise provided in this part, for tax years ending on or after December 31, 2024, but before December 31, 2025, net earnings must be apportioned to this state by multiplying the earnings by a fraction, the numerator of which is the property factor plus the payroll factor plus eleven (11) times the receipts factor, and the denominator of the fraction is thirteen (13).(5) Except as otherwise provided in this part, for tax years ending on or after December 31, 2025, net earnings must be apportioned to this state by multiplying the earnings by the receipts factor only.(6) If the application of subdivision (a)(3), (a)(4), or (a)(5) to a tax year results in a lower apportionment ratio than under the application of the apportionment method in subdivision (a)(2) as it applied to tax years ending before December 31, 2023, then a taxpayer may annually elect to apply the apportionment method in subdivision (a)(2) as it applied to tax years ending before December 31, 2023; provided, however, the election must result in a higher apportionment ratio for the tax year, and the taxpayer must have net earnings, rather than a net loss, for that tax year as computed under § 67-4-2006.(7) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a)(3) – (a)(6), for tax years ending on or after December 31, 2023, net earnings for a “qualified member” of a “qualified group,” as those terms are defined in subsection (j), must be apportioned to this state by multiplying he earnings by a fraction, the numerator of which is the property factor plus the payroll factor plus three (3) times the receipts factor, and the denominator of the fraction is five (5).(b) The property factor is a fraction, the numerator of which is the average value of the taxpayer’s real and tangible personal property owned or rented and used in this state during the tax period, and the denominator of which is the average value of all the taxpayer’s real and tangible personal property owned or rented and used during the tax period. For this purpose, “property” includes a taxpayer’s ownership share of the real or tangible property owned or rented by any general partnership, or entity treated as a general partnership for federal income tax purposes, in which such taxpayer has an ownership interest. A return being filed by a limited liability company that has a general partnership as its single member shall include in its property factor only the real and tangible property owned or used by the limited liability company. “Property” also includes a taxpayer’s ownership share of the real or tangible property owned or rented by any limited partnership, subchapter S corporation, limited liability company or other entity treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, in which the taxpayer has an ownership interest, directly or indirectly through one (1) or more such entities, and that is not doing business in Tennessee and, therefore, is not subject to Tennessee excise tax. The cost value or rental value of such property shall be determined from the books and records of the entity in which the taxpayer has an interest and such property shall be valued in accordance with subsection (c).(c)(1)Property owned by the taxpayer is valued at its original cost. Property rented by the taxpayer is valued at eight (8) times the net annual rental rate. Net annual rental rate is the annual rental rate paid by the taxpayer less any annual rental rate received by the taxpayer from subrentals. A lessee’s payments to a lessor, or on such lessor’s behalf, as part of rent, or in lieu of rent, shall be included as rent in the property factor of the apportionment formula provided by this section. Except with respect to tangible personal property, for purposes of this subsection (c), payments, such as interest, taxes, insurance, repairs or other items, shall be treated as rent paid by the lessee, if they would have been paid by the lessor if the leasecontract or other agreement had not specifically provided that they be paid by the lessee.(2) For purposes of this section, the value of owned or leased mobile or movable property located both inside and outside of the state of Tennessee during a tax period shall be determined on the basis of the total percentage of time such property is inside the state during the tax period; provided, that the value of an automobile or truck assigned to a traveling employee shall be considered in Tennessee, if the employee’s compensation is assigned to Tennessee for purposes of the taxpayer’s apportionment formula payroll factor, or if such vehicle is licensed in Tennessee.(d) The average value of property shall be determined by averaging the values at the beginning and ending of the tax period; but the commissioner may require the averaging of monthly values during the tax period, if reasonably required to reflect properly the average value of the taxpayer’s property.(e) The payroll factor is a fraction, the numerator of which is the total amount paid in this state during the tax period by the taxpayer for compensation, and the denominator of which is the total compensation paid everywhere during the tax period. For this purpose, “compensation” includes a taxpayer’s ownership share of the compensation of any general partnership, or entity treated as a general partnership for federal income tax purposes, in which such taxpayer has an ownership interest. A return being filed by a limited liability company that has a general partnership as its single member shall include in its payroll factor only the compensation attributed to the limited liability company. “Compensation” also includes a taxpayer’s share of any specific compensation of any limited partnership, subchapter S corporation, limited liability company or other entity treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, in which the taxpayer has an ownership interest, directly or indirectly through one (1) or more such entities, and which is not doing business in Tennessee and thus is not subject to Tennessee excise tax.(f)Compensation is paid in this state, if:
(1) The individual’s service is performed entirely inside the state;(2) The individual’s service is performed both inside and outside the state, but the service performed outside the state is incidental to the individual’s service inside the state; or(3) Some of the service is performed in the state; and
(A) The base of operations or, if there is no base of operations, the place from which the service is directed or controlled is in the state; or(B) The base of operations or the place from which the service is directed or controlled is not in any state in which some part of the service is performed, but the individual’s residence is in this state.(g) The receipts factor is a fraction, the numerator of which is the total receipts of the taxpayer in this state during the tax period, and the denominator of which is the total receipts of the taxpayer everywhere during the tax period. For this purpose, “gross receipts” includes a taxpayer’s ownership share of the gross receipts of any general partnership, or entity treated as a general partnership for federal income tax purposes, in which such taxpayer has an ownership interest. A return being filed by a limited liability company that has a general partnership as its single member shall include in its receipts factor only the gross receipts attributed to the limited liability company. “Gross receipts” also includes a taxpayer’s ownership share of gross receipts of any limited partnership, subchapter S corporation, limited liability company, or other entity treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, in which the taxpayer has an ownership interest, directly or indirectly through one (1) or more such entities, and that is not doing business in Tennessee and thus is not subject to Tennessee excise tax.(h)Sales of tangible personal property are in this state, if:
(1) The property is delivered or shipped to a purchaser, other than the United States government, inside this state regardless of the F.O.B. point or other conditions of the sale; or(2) The property is shipped from an office, store, warehouse, factory or other place of storage in this state and the purchaser is the United States government.(i)(1) Sales, other than sales of tangible personal property, are in this state if the taxpayer’s market for the sale is in this state. The taxpayer’s market for a sale is in this state:
(A) In the case of sale, rental, lease, or license of real property, if and to the extent the property is located in this state;(B) In the case of rental, lease, or license of tangible personal property, if and to the extent the property is located in this state;(C) In the case of sale of a service, if and to the extent the service is delivered to a location in this state;(D) In the case of intangible property:
(i) That is rented, leased, or licensed, if and to the extent the intangible property is used in this state; provided, that intangible property utilized in marketing a good or service to a consumer is considered used in this state if that good or service is purchased by a consumer who is in this state; and(ii) That is sold, if and to the extent the property is used in this state; provided, that:
(a) A contract right, government license, or similar intangible property that authorizes the holder to conduct a business activity in a specific geographic area is considered used in this state if the geographic area includes all or part of this state;(b) Receipts from intangible property sales that are contingent on the productivity, use, or disposition of the intangible property shall be treated as receipts from the rental, lease, or licensing of such intangible property under subdivision (i)(1)(D)(i); and(c) All other receipts from a sale of intangible property shall be excluded from the numerator and denominator of the receipts factor.(2) If the state or states of assignment under subdivision (i)(1) cannot be determined, the state or states of assignment shall be reasonably approximated.(3) If the state of assignment cannot be determined under subdivision (i)(1) or reasonably approximated under subdivision (i)(2), such sale shall be excluded from the numerator and denominator of the sales factor.(4) If the application of this subsection (i) to a tax year results in a lower apportionment factor than under the application of the apportionment method in subsection (i) as it was in effect prior to January 1, 2016, then a taxpayer may annually elect to apply the apportionment method in subsection (i) as in effect prior to January 1, 2016; provided, however, the election must result in a higher apportionment factor for the tax year, and the taxpayer must have net earnings, rather than a net loss, for that tax year as computed under § 67-4-2006.(j)(1) For any qualified member of a qualified group, total receipts in this state shall equal the receipts from all sales of tangible personal property that are in this state as determined under subsection (h), plus the arithmetical average of the receipts from all sales other than sales of tangible personal property that are in this state as determined under each of the following alternative methods:
(A) All sales that are in this state as determined under subsection (i); and(B) All sales, other than sales of tangible personal property, where the earnings-producing activity is performed:
(i) In this state; or(ii) Both in and outside this state and a greater proportion of the earnings-producing activity is performed in this state than in any other state, based on costs of performance.(2) For purposes of this subsection (j), the following definitions shall apply:
(A) “Qualified expenditures” means expenditures incurred in transactions with persons who are not members of the qualified group for the following:
(i) Purchasing tangible personal property placed in service in this state by a member of the qualified group; and(ii) Payroll for employees employed by a member of the qualified group at a facility in this state;(B) “Qualified group” means an affiliated group that meets both of the following criteria:
(i) One (1) or more members of the group is a qualified member; and(ii) The members of the group, during the tax period, either:
(a) Incur, in the aggregate, qualified expenditures in an amount greater than one hundred fifty million dollars ($150,000,000); or(b) Make sales that are subject to the tax imposed by chapter 6 of this title in excess of one hundred fifty million dollars ($150,000,000);(C) “Qualified member” means a person that is principally engaged in the sale of “telecommunications service,” “mobile telecommunications service,” “internet access service,” “video programming service,” “direct-to-home satellite television programming service,” or a combination of such services, as each such term is used or defined in chapter 6 of this title.(3) The method provided by this subsection (j) for determining the total receipts in this state of a qualified member shall be the only method for determining such receipts under this part.(k) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, any gain on the sale of an asset that is designated as goodwill and is required to be included as Class VII assets pursuant to the reporting requirements of 26 U.S.C. §§ 338(b)(5) and 1060, and associated regulations, shall be excluded from both the numerator and the denominator of the apportionment formula receipts factor.(l)[Repealed effective December 31, 2025; see (l)(5).](1) A taxpayer whose principal business in Tennessee is manufacturing may elect to apportion net earnings to this state by multiplying the earnings by a fraction, the numerator of which is the total receipts of the taxpayer in Tennessee during the taxable year and the denominator of which is the total receipts of the taxpayer from any location within or outside of the state during the taxable year.(2) For purposes of this subsection (l), a taxpayer’s principal business in Tennessee is manufacturing if more than fifty percent (50%) of the revenue derived from its activities in this state, excluding passive income, is from fabricating or processing tangible personal property for resale and consumption off the premises. For purposes of this subsection (l), “passive income” means dividend income, interest income, income derived from the sale of securities, and income derived from the licensing or sale of patents, trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, know-how, or other intellectual property.(3) To elect the method of apportionment provided in this subsection (l), the taxpayer shall notify the department of the election, in writing, on its return for the taxable year to which the election applies.(4) Once a taxpayer elects the method of apportionment provided in this subsection (l), such election shall remain in effect for a minimum of five (5) tax years and thereafter until revoked. The taxpayer may revoke the election after the minimum period by notifying the department of the revocation, in writing, on its return for the first taxable year to which the revocation applies. A taxpayer that revokes the election shall not be permitted to newly elect the method of apportionment provided in this subsection (l) for a period of five (5) tax years, beginning with the tax year in which the taxpayer revoked the previous election.(5) This subsection (l) is repealed for tax years ending on or after December 31, 2025.(m) [Repealed effective December 31, 2025; see (m)(5).](1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, a financial asset management company may elect to apportion net earnings by multiplying such earnings by a fraction, the numerator of which is the total receipts of the taxpayer in Tennessee during the taxable year as determined under this section and the denominator of which is the total receipts of the taxpayer everywhere during the taxable year.(2) For the purposes of this subsection (m):
(A)(i) “Financial asset management company” means an entity that is a limited partnership, or is treated as a partnership for federal tax purposes, that is engaged in the business of providing financial asset management services, and either:
(a) Has a class of equity securities registered under Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. § 78l(g)) and, as a result, is subject to the public company reporting requirements contained in Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. § 78m); or(b) Is owned by a publicly traded partnership that owns at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the entity and such ownership interest constitutes more than fifty percent (50%) of the total assets of the publicly traded partnership; and(ii) “Financial asset management company” does not include any type of real estate investment trust as defined in § 67-4-2004;(B) “Financial asset management services” means the following services when performed with respect to financial investments: managing portfolio assets of others on a fee or commission basis; rendering investment advice, including investment research and analysis; making determinations as to when sales and purchases of investments are to be made; and selling or purchasing of investments;(C) “Financial investments” means, without limitation, investments in stocks, stock options, bonds, and alternative asset classes (including, but not limited to, real estate, commodities, and other debt obligations); and(D) “Publicly traded partnership” means an entity that is a limited partnership, or is treated as a partnership for federal tax purposes, that files with the securities and exchange commission and whose shares are regularly traded on a securities exchange that is either registered as a national securities exchange with the securities exchange commission under Section 6 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. § 78f), or is a national securities exchange of a foreign country and regulated in a substantially similar manner by a foreign financial regulatory authority.(3) To elect the method of apportionment provided in this subsection (m), the taxpayer shall notify the department of the election, in writing, on its return for the taxable year to which the election applies.(4) Once a taxpayer elects the method of apportionment provided in this subsection (m), such election shall remain in effect for a minimum of five (5) tax years and thereafter until revoked. The taxpayer may revoke the election after the minimum period by notifying the department of the revocation, in writing, on its return for the first taxable year to which the revocation applies. A taxpayer that revokes the election shall not be permitted to newly elect the method of apportionment provided in this subsection (m) for a period of five (5) tax years, beginning with the tax year in which the taxpayer revoked the previous election.(5) This subsection (m) is repealed for tax years ending on or after December 31, 2025.
