Associated Bank, N.A. v. Comm'r of Revenue
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Associated Bank, N.A. v. Comm'r of Revenue
Opinion of the Court
In this appeal, we consider whether the Commissioner of Revenue ("the Commissioner") properly invoked her alternative-apportionment authority under Minnesota Statutes section 290.20, subdivision 1 (2016), and if so, what burden the Commissioner bears when using that authority. Respondents Associated Bank, N.A., and its affiliates ("the Bank"), which include the members of two Wisconsin limited liability companies (LLCs), objected to the Commissioner's assessment of additional state corporate franchise tax liability for tax years 2007 and 2008. Although the Bank correctly calculated the tax owed based on the relevant statutes for apportioning income to Minnesota, the Commissioner concluded that the method used did not "fairly reflect" the Bank's income from Minnesota sources under section 290.20, subdivision 1. Accordingly, the Commissioner invoked her authority under section 290.20, subdivision 1, and applied an alternative apportionment method that she contends fairly reflects the Bank's income allocable to Minnesota.
After exhausting its administrative remedies, the Bank appealed to the tax court, arguing that the Commissioner improperly invoked her authority under section 290.20, subdivision 1. Relying on our decision in HMN Financial, Inc. v. Commissioner of Revenue ,
FACTS
The parties have stipulated to the underlying facts. During 2007 and 2008, Associated *397Bank, N.A. ("Associated Bank"), was a nationally-chartered bank headquartered in Wisconsin, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Associated Banc-Corp, a bank holding company. Associated Bank had banking locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota, as well as loan-production offices in other states.
In September 2007, Associated Banc-Corp created two LLC
Each LLC had two members, and each member transferred either a loan portfolio or money to the LLC to secure its partnership interest. Associated Bank and ASBC Investment Corporation ("ASBC"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Associated Bank, became members of Commercial LLC. Associated Bank exchanged its entire Minnesota commercial loan portfolio (consisting of commercial loans, consumer loans, and construction loans worth $1.359 billion) for a 99-percent interest in Commercial LLC. ASBC paid $13.7 million for a 1-percent interest in Commercial LLC.
Retail LLC also had two members: Associated Minnesota Real Estate Corporation ("MN Real Estate") and Associated Bank.
Transferring the loans to the LLCs did not change the management of the loans, except that new reports were generated to track the loan portfolios. The loans continued to be secured by tangible or real property located in Minnesota, and to the extent that any loans were unsecured, the borrowers had Minnesota mailing addresses. After the loans were transferred to the LLCs, the loans earned nearly $28 million in interest income during the remaining months of 2007 and another $114.6 million in interest income in 2008.
Minnesota imposes a tax on the taxable income of businesses, including the Bank,
*398Kimberly-Clark Corp. v. Comm'r of Revenue ,
The income of a multi-state unitary business,
The parties agree that, in 2007 and 2008, each LLC member was a "financial institution," but each LLC was not, and therefore different apportionment methods applied to the members and the LLCs under section 290.191. Specifically, the general apportionment formula applied to the LLCs and the financial-institution apportionment formula applied to the members. Because the LLCs were not financial institutions, the LLCs, unlike the members, did not have to include certain interest income in calculating their taxable net income using the general apportionment formula.
The Bank, including the members of the LLCs, then filed combined Minnesota Corporation Franchise Tax Returns for 2007 and 2008.
The Commissioner subsequently audited the Bank and issued a Notice of Change in Tax. The Commissioner found that applying the general apportionment formula to the LLCs-the method prescribed under section 290.191-did not "fairly reflect" the Bank's "taxable net income allocable" to Minnesota because applying the prescribed formula to the LLCs failed to account for the Bank's Minnesota business activities. The result of using the prescribed formula, the Commissioner concluded, distorted the Bank's income by failing to report "Minnesota sourced income" that should have been allocated to the State.
Accordingly, the Commissioner invoked her authority under section 290.20, subdivision 1, and applied an alternative apportionment method to correct that distortion of reported income by accounting for the Bank's interest income from Minnesota loans. Specifically, the Commissioner recalculated apportionment at the LLC level by including interest income and loan values from the LLCs' Minnesota loans in the "receipts factor" and the "property factor"-income that was not included in the general apportionment formula for non-financial institutions. She then incorporated, on a pro-rata basis, each member's share of the LLCs' "receipts factor" and "property factor" into the Bank's apportionment percentages. In effect, the Commissioner's alternative apportionment method treated the LLCs, which were not financial institutions, as financial institutions.
Based on the recalculation of net income, the Commissioner assessed the Bank approximately $2.16 million and $2.78 million in additional corporate franchise tax for 2007 and 2008, respectively. Following an administrative appeal, the Commissioner upheld the audit determination, *400explaining that the general apportionment formula, although correctly applied, excluded interest earned from Minnesota loans and the value of those loans, which resulted in a "distortion" of the taxpayer's taxable net income allocable to Minnesota, not a fair reflection of that income. In contrast, the Commissioner concluded, the alternative apportionment method applied during the audit fairly reflected the Bank's net income allocable to Minnesota.
The Bank appealed to the tax court. The case was submitted to the tax court for decision based on stipulated facts and an agreed upon set of exhibits. Agreeing with the Bank, the tax court concluded that the Commissioner could not exercise her authority under section 290.20 in the manner that she did. Associated Bank, N.A. v. Comm'r of Revenue , No. 8851-R,
The Commissioner appeals from the tax court's decision.
ANALYSIS
"Our review of the tax court's decision is limited and deferential." Minn. Energy Res. Corp. v. Comm'r of Revenue (MERC I) ,
I.
We first consider whether HMN Financial , our last decision addressing Minnesota Statutes section 290.20, supports the tax court's conclusion that the Commissioner cannot exercise authority under this statute when the taxpayer has applied the apportionment formulas prescribed by section 290.191 of the Minnesota Statutes. We conclude that HMN Financial is distinguishable from this case and did not preclude the Commissioner from exercising her alternative-apportionment authority under section 290.20 here.
In HMN Financial , we considered whether the Commissioner had the general authority to adjust the taxpayer's Minnesota tax liability by disregarding the *401taxpayer's corporate structure.
On appeal, the Commissioner argued that four different statutory provisions, including section 290.20, "taken together," provide "a broad grant of authority to close statutory tax loopholes."
Concerning the Commissioner's specific authority under section 290.20, we stated:
Minnesota Statutes § 290.20, subd. 1, by its plain language, includes a presumption that a taxpayer has "fairly and correctly" determined its Minnesota taxable income if that taxpayer used the reporting methods outlined in section 290.191. Section 290.20, subdivision 1, conditions any authority granted to the Commissioner on "the methods prescribed by section 290.191" failing to fairly reflect taxable net income in Minnesota.
Although we recognize that the facts of HMN Financial resemble the facts here in some respects, we conclude that HMN Financial does not preclude the Commissioner's use of the alternative-apportionment authority here. The Commissioner in HMN Financial relied on section 290.20 as an example of general implicit statutory authority to impose tax obligations according to the economics of the transaction. See
*402In other words, the Commissioner now exercises plain statutory authority to challenge the apportionment method used, not merely the results of the applied method. See HMN Fin. ,
II.
We next consider what the Commissioner must demonstrate to exercise her authority to apply an alternative apportionment method under section 290.20.
Minnesota Statutes section 290.20, subdivision 1, provides:
The methods prescribed by section 290.191 shall be presumed to determine fairly and correctly the taxpayer's taxable net income allocable to this state. If the methods prescribed by section 290.191 do not fairly reflect all or any part of taxable net income allocable to this state, the taxpayer may petition for or the commissioner may require the determination of net income by the use of another method, if that method fairly reflects net income. These other methods may include:
(1) separate accounting;
(2) excluding any one or more of the factors;
(3) including one or more additional factors; or
(4) some other method.
We interpret statutes to "ascertain and effectuate" the Legislature's intent.
Section 290.20 creates a presumption that the apportionment methods in section 290.191"fairly and correctly" determine the taxpayer's taxable net income allocable to Minnesota.
A.
We first consider the Commissioner's burden to overcome the presumption that the Bank's apportionment formula "fairly and correctly" reflects its taxable net income allocable to Minnesota. Section 290.20, subdivision 1, provides that "the methods prescribed by section 290.191 shall be presumed to determine fairly and correctly the taxpayer's taxable net income allocable to this state."
This language is plain and clear: the taxpayer's use of the apportionment formula authorized by section 290.191"shall be presumed" to result in a fair and correct determination of the taxpayer's taxable net income allocable to Minnesota.
To rebut this presumption, the Commissioner must present substantial evidence that the taxpayer's apportionment method does not "fairly reflect all or any part of taxable net income allocable" to Minnesota, and that an alternative method does so.
To use an alternative apportionment method under section 290.20, subdivision 1, the Commissioner need not show, as the Bank urges, that the general apportionment formula "results in a grossly inequitable allocation." The Bank cites to Pacific Mutual Door Co. v. James for this argument. See
Because this case does not involve a constitutional challenge to an applied apportionment method, we do not apply the "grossly inequitable" standard to the Commissioner's decision to use an alternative apportionment method. See Walter Hellerstein & John A. Swain, State Taxation ¶ 9.20[3][a] (3d ed. 2017) (distinguishing between constitutional challenges and statutory burdens is "sound as a matter of statutory construction and tax policy"). We consider only whether the Commissioner presented substantial evidence to show that the Bank's allocation of taxable net income, using methods prescribed by section 290.191, did not fairly reflect the Bank's taxable net income allocable to Minnesota and the alternative method does so.
B.
We next review whether the Commissioner presented substantial evidence of the two elements required to overcome the presumption that the method the Bank used fairly reflected its taxable net income: (1) proof that the applicable section 290.191 apportionment method does not "fairly reflect all or any part" of the taxpayer's taxable net income, and (2) proof that the Commissioner's alternative method "fairly reflects" that income. See
The Commissioner must first present substantial evidence that "the methods prescribed by section 290.191 do not fairly reflect all or any part of [the Bank's] taxable net income allocable" to Minnesota.
Section 290.20, subdivision 1, does not define the phrase "fairly reflect." See also
In the context of section 290.20, subdivision 1, "fairly" must refer to scope or degree, rather than merits or accuracy. We reach this conclusion based on the separate uses of "fairly" in section 290.20, subdivision 1. Along with using "fairly" in "fairly reflect," the Legislature also used "fairly" in conjunction with "correctly" in the presumption clause. See
The adverb "fairly" qualifies the verb "reflect." See
"Reflect" is used as a transitive verb,
Consequently, the Commissioner must present substantial evidence that the method prescribed under section 290.191 does not show, to a full degree or extent, all or any part of the taxpayer's income arising from taxable business activities in Minnesota. This interpretation effectively preserves the Legislature's presumption that the apportionment methods prescribed by section 290.191 fairly and correctly allocate taxable net income, while giving effect to the plain language in section 290.20 that authorizes the Commissioner to apply an alternative apportionment method in limited circumstances.
Applying this interpretation, we conclude that the Commissioner presented substantial evidence that the apportionment method applied by the Bank did not fairly reflect a part of the Bank's taxable net income allocable to Minnesota. Specifically, the general apportionment formula failed to show any of the Bank's income from the LLCs' Minnesota business activities. The stipulated facts and the tax court's findings of fact established: (1) the Bank held partnership interests in the LLCs; (2) the LLCs held "portfolios of loans secured by Minnesota real estate"; (3) "[t]he loan transfers resulted in no change in the management of the loans, except that new reports were generated to track the portfolios"; (4) "Associated Bank remained the mortgagee of record for all Minnesota loans held by [the LLCs], and borrowers made loan payments directly to Associated Bank, as the collection agent for [the LLCs]"; (5) "[f]rom September 12, 2007 through the end of 2007, Retail LLC's loans earned $10,728,355 in interest income and Commercial LLC's loans earned $17,173,108 in interest income"; and (6) "[i]n 2008, Retail LLC's loans earned $41,881,147 in interest income and Commercial LLC's loans earned *406$72,804,316 in interest income." Associated Bank ,
Additionally, as the stipulated facts conclusively show, all of the interest income that the LLCs earned in 2007 and 2008 was attributable to the Minnesota loans, but each LLC reported zero sales, gross earnings, or receipts using the prescribed apportionment method. These findings support the conclusion that applying the general apportionment formula at the LLC level did not fairly reflect the Bank's taxable net income allocable to Minnesota because under that method the Bank showed no taxable income arising from the partnerships' contacts with Minnesota.
Next, the Commissioner must present substantial evidence to show that the alternative apportionment method "fairly reflects net income."
Here, in apportioning the Bank's income under an alternative method, the Commissioner included each LLC member's pro-rata share of its LLC's receipts and intangible property in the Bank's apportionment calculation. The Commissioner asserts that this method "fairly reflects net income" because it fully shows the net income that the Bank received from the LLCs' Minnesota business activities. Based on the stipulated facts, exhibits, the order of the Commissioner, and the tax court's findings, we agree.
The Commissioner has therefore overcome the statutory presumption. The Bank disagrees. The Bank maintains that the Commissioner's alternative apportionment method is not "another method that fairly reflects net income" because (1) the applied method, which was the financial-institution apportionment formula under section 290.191, could not be applied to the LLCs because the LLCs were not financial institutions; and (2) "another method" under section 290.20, subdivision 1, must be a method other than those provided by section 290.191.
The language of section 290.20, subdivision 1, is broad and allows the Commissioner to use "another method," including "some other method," so long as the selected method "fairly reflects net income." Nothing in this broad language restricts the Commissioner from using other statutory apportionment methods. In other words, section 290.20 does not preclude the use of the financial-institution apportionment formula for entities that are not financial institutions. The only restriction is that the Commissioner use "another method," which is a method that is different from the method used by the taxpayer and prescribed under section 290.191. See The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language 74 (5th ed. 2011) (defining "another" in this context as "[d]istinctly different from the first").
Here, the alternative method applied by the Commissioner-accounting for the LLC members' pro-rata shares of the LLCs' receipts and intangible property-is "another method" because it is not the method applied by the taxpayer under *407section 290.191. Accordingly, we reject the Bank's challenge to the alternative apportionment method that the Commissioner used to "fairly reflect[ ] net income."
Based on the stipulated facts and the absence of any other evidence, we conclude (1) that the tax court erred as a matter of law in concluding that the Commissioner could not exercise the alternative-apportionment authority here, and (2) that the tax court's decision is not in conformity with the evidence. See
CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, we reverse the decision of the tax court, and we remand the case to the tax court to vacate its order for judgment, to enter a judgment consistent with this opinion, and for such further proceedings as are consistent with this opinion.
Reversed and remanded.
THISSEN, J., not having been a member of this court at the time of submission, took no part in the consideration or decision of this case.
An LLC "is a business entity organized in the United States under state law." I.R.S. Publication 3402 at 1 (June 24, 2016). "An LLC may be classified for federal income tax purposes as a partnership, corporation, or an entity disregarded as separate from its owner...."
MN Real Estate was a real estate investment trust (a "REIT") organized under Wisconsin law. All of MN Real Estate's common stock was owned by Associated Minnesota Investment Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Associated Bank.
The Bank is the taxpayer here, not the LLCs. Partnerships, including LLC partnerships, file partnership tax returns, but do not pay tax on the partnership income. See
The parties stipulated that the LLCs were also engaged in the Bank's "unitary business." "The term 'unitary business' means business activities or operations which result in a flow of value between them. The term may be applied within a single legal entity or between multiple entities and without regard to whether each entity is a sole proprietorship, a corporation, a partnership or a trust."
The apportionment formulas are applied at the entity level for combined reporting purposes. See
After 2013, the general apportionment formula only considers the sales factor and not the property and payroll factors. See
The Legislature has since substantially revised the definition of "financial institution." See Act of May 30, 2017, ch. 1, art. 1, § 4, 2017 Minn. Laws 1st Spec. Sess. 1017, 1023-25 (codified at
The Commissioner did not challenge the LLCs' partnership returns or the apportionment methods used for those returns; rather, the Commissioner challenged the calculation of the taxable net income allocable to Minnesota for the LLCs' members.
The Bank never petitioned the Commissioner to use a different method. See
Associated Bank was the "designated filer" on the Bank's combined Minnesota tax returns for the years at issue.
Each member followed Minnesota Department of Revenue notices in reporting its income to the State. See Minn. Dep't of Revenue Notices No. 92-16 (June 29, 1992) and No. 08-03 (Feb. 19, 2008) (instructing corporate members in a unitary business to include in their own income a pro-rata share of the partnership's income, as well as the member's pro-rata share of the partnership's sales, property, and payroll factors in the corporate member's own factors).
The taxpayer in HMN Financial had adopted a "captive REIT" structure, which is a business structure "in which a corporation owns [a] holding company, which in turn owns a real estate investment trust."
We also rejected the Commissioner's argument that the common law provides "broad authority to tax according to substance rather than form" and was therefore a separate basis allowing her to disregard the taxpayer's business structure. HMN Fin. ,
Typically, the taxpayer bears the burden to overcome the presumed validity of a Commissioner order. See
"A transitive verb is an action verb that requires one or more objects." State v. Thonesavanh ,
The Bank also argues that the Commissioner cannot overcome the statutory presumption because she only presented evidence showing gross income from Minnesota sources and no evidence showing how much net income was earned from Minnesota sources. The Bank did not make this argument before the tax court and the tax court decided the case on stipulated facts and exhibits; therefore, it is not properly before our court. See Thiele v. Stich ,
Reference
- Full Case Name
- ASSOCIATED BANK, N.A. and Affiliates v. COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE, Relator.
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- 3 cases
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- Published