Stephen P. Kranz
Subscribe to Stephen P. Kranz's PostsStephen (Steve) P. Kranz is a tax lawyer who solves tax problems differently. Over the course of his extensive career, Steve has acquired specific skills and developed a unique approach that helps clients develop and implement holistic solutions to all varieties of tax problems. He combines strategic thinking with effective skills for the courtroom, the statehouse and the conference room. Read Stephen Kranz's full bio.
Texas Comptroller Proposes Rule Changes Cementing Tax on 130% of Marketplace Sales
By Stephen P. Kranz, Mark Nebergall and Jonathan C. Hague on Sep 17, 2024
Posted In Audits, Nationwide Importance, Sales Tax, Tax Base, Texas, Transaction Taxes
In a controversial move, the Texas Comptroller is poised to amend Rule 3.330, Data Processing Services, effectively rewriting the rules to favor the contentious stance it has adopted in recent audits and litigation. This proposed amendment, which aims to cement the aggressive stance the Comptroller has taken in audits and litigation that a marketplace provider’s...
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California Legislatively Overturns Recent Office of Tax Appeals Taxpayer Win
By Stephen P. Kranz, Michael J. Hilkin and David Jasphy on Jul 3, 2024
Posted In Allocation/Apportionment, California, Federal Tax, Income Tax, Nationwide Importance, Tax Base
The California State Legislature overturned Microsoft’s recent win at the Office of Tax Appeals, which held that the gross amount of dividends received from foreign affiliates outside its water’s-edge group should be included in its sales factor denominator, regardless of the application of a dividends-received deduction excluding 75% of such dividends from its taxable base....
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Governor Murphy Saddles Taxpayers With the Nation’s Highest Corporate Tax Rate
By Stephen P. Kranz, Michael J. Hilkin and David Jasphy on Jul 2, 2024
Posted In Income Tax, New Jersey
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s proposed flip-flop, which reneges on his promise to allow the state’s 2.5% corporate business tax surtax to expire, has now passed both the New Jersey State Assembly and Senate and been signed by the governor. As a result, New Jersey will once again have the highest corporate income tax rate...
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Good News for SALT Taxpayers? Supreme Court Overturns Federal Agency Deference
By Stephen P. Kranz, Diann Smith and Michael J. Hilkin on Jun 28, 2024
Posted In Nationwide Importance
On June 28, 2024, in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Secretary of Commerce, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled to overturn its four-decade-old decision in Chevron USA Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Counsel. While the Loper case addressed deference to administrative agencies under the federal Administrative Procedure Act (APA), its outcome may give state...
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Colorado Changes Rules for Determining Members of Combined Filing Group
By Stephen P. Kranz, Michael J. Hilkin and David Jasphy on May 20, 2024
Posted In Colorado, Income Tax, Tax Base, Unitary Business
Colorado Governor Jared Polis has signed legislation that would replace Colorado’s unique “3 of 6” rule for determining the members of a unitary group for combined reporting purposes and instead adopt what Legislative Council Staff has called “the Multistate Tax Commission’s standard” for determining the members of a combined filing group. Under current law, a...
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California Legislator Considers Digital Advertising Tax
By Stephen P. Kranz, Michael J. Hilkin, Mark Nebergall and Jonathan C. Hague on Mar 29, 2024
Posted In Allocation/Apportionment, California, Constitutional Issues, Nationwide Importance, Sales Tax, Tax Base, Transaction Taxes
Senator Steven Glazer, chair of the California State Senate Revenue and Tax Committee, is treating data like the next gold rush and taking bold steps to mine this new vein of wealth with his proposed “Digital Data Extraction Tax Law.” While couched as a tax on “data extraction,” the base for the tax is digital...
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Microsoft Scores Massive Win in California, Opens the Door for Others Nationwide
By Stephen P. Kranz, Diann Smith and David Jasphy on Mar 15, 2024
Posted In Allocation/Apportionment, California, Federal Tax, Income Tax, Nationwide Importance, Tax Base
The Office of Tax Appeals (OTA) handed Microsoft an enormous win in its controversy with the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) over the inclusion of qualifying dividends in the sales factor denominator for which it also claimed a dividends received deduction (DRD). Microsoft filed a water’s-edge combined report for the years at issue and deducted...
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ALJ Rules That a Taxpayer Is a Qualified New York Manufacturer Even Though Qualifying Property Was Operated by a Third Party
By Stephen P. Kranz, Michael J. Hilkin and David Jasphy on Mar 4, 2024
Posted In Incentives, Income Tax, New York
The New York State Division of Tax Appeals determined that E. & J. Gallo Winery is a qualified New York manufacturer (QNYM) even though its only property in New York that could allow it to qualify for QNYM classification – a vineyard – was operated by a third-party contractor and Gallo did not have any...
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New Jersey Governor Flip-Flops on Corporate Business Tax Surtax Expiration
By Stephen P. Kranz, Michael J. Hilkin and David Jasphy on Feb 27, 2024
Posted In Income Tax, New Jersey
After months of insisting that he would not allow New Jersey’s 2.5% corporate business tax surtax to be extended – and previously having allowed it to lapse for tax years beginning on January 1, 2024 – New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is now proposing that the surtax be revived for companies earning profits that exceed...
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Vermont Considers Imposing Mandatory Worldwide Combined Reporting
By Stephen P. Kranz, Michael J. Hilkin and David Jasphy on Feb 2, 2024
Posted In Federal Tax, Income Tax, Local Tax, Nationwide Importance, Tax Base, Unitary Business, Vermont
The Vermont House Committee on Ways and Means is actively exploring a proposal to become the first state to enact mandatory worldwide combined reporting for corporate income tax purposes. While legislation has not been formally proposed, the Committee has examined a working draft that could be embedded into a broader tax legislation package. In Committee...
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