710:50-3-54 Income tax withholding for pass-through entities

(a) General provisions. Generally, any pass-through entity that makes a distribution to a non-resident member is required to deduct and withhold Oklahoma income tax from distributions of taxable income being made with respect to Oklahoma source income. (b) Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in this Section, shall have the following meaning, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: (1) "Member" means: (A) A shareholder of a Subchapter S Corporation; (B) A partner in a general partnership; (C) A partner in a limited partnership; (D) A partner in a limited liability partnership; (E) A member of a limited liability company; or, (F) A beneficiary of a trust. (2) "Non-resident" means an individual who is not a resident of, or domiciled in, this state; a business entity which does not have a commercial domicile in this state; or a trust which is not organized in this state. (3) "Pass-through entity" means: (A) A corporation that is treated as a Subchapter S Corporation under the Internal Revenue Code; (B) A general partnership; (C) A limited partnership; (D) A limited liability partnership; (E) A trust; or, (F) A limited liability company that is not taxed as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. [68 O.S. § 2385.29] (4) "Pass-through entity" does not include an entity which is disregarded for income tax purposes under the Internal Revenue Code. (c) Subchapter S Corporations; general, limited, or limited liability partnerships; limited liability companies. In the case of Subchapter S Corporations; general, limited, or limited liability partnerships; and limited liability companies, withholding is required on the Oklahoma portion of the taxable income distributed to each non-resident member at the highest Oklahoma marginal individual income tax rate. In the case of Subchapter S Corporations paying the tax on behalf of non-resident shareholders (68 O.S. § 2365) or partnerships filing composite returns on behalf of non-resident partners, the non-resident members withholding can be claimed on the return filed by the Subchapter S Corporation or the partnership. (d) Trusts. For trusts, withholding is required on the Oklahoma portion of the taxable income distributed to each beneficiary of the trust at the highest Oklahoma marginal individual income tax rate. (e) Non-resident members not subject to withholding. The following persons and organizations are not subject to required withholding by a pass-through entity: (1) Persons, other than individuals, who are exempt from federal income tax; (2) Organizations granted an exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; (3) Insurance companies subject to the Oklahoma gross premium income tax and therefor exempt from Oklahoma income tax pursuant to 68 O.S. § 2359(C); and (4) Non-resident members who have submitted a Nonresident Member Withholding Exemption Affidavit to the pass-through entity and which pass-through entity has submitted the affidavit information on behalf of the member to the Tax Commission. In the affidavit, the non-resident member agrees to be subject to the personal jurisdiction of the Tax Commission in the courts of this state for the purpose of determining and collecting any Oklahoma taxes, including estimated tax payments, together with any related interest and penalties. See (k) of this Section for the procedure to be followed in filing the affidavit. (A) For non-resident partners included in a composite partnership return under OAC 710:50-19-1 and filing a Nonresident Member Withholding Exemption Affidavit, the inclusion of the partner's income within the composite partnership return will satisfy the requirements contained in the affidavit. (B) For non-resident shareholders filing a Nonresident Member Withholding Exemption Affidavit and electing not to file Oklahoma income tax returns under 68 O.S. § 2365, inclusion of the non-resident shareholder's income in the Subchapter S corporate income tax return will satisfy the requirements contained in the affidavit. (C) For non-resident beneficiaries included in a trust return and filing a Nonresident Member Withholding Exemption Affidavit, the inclusion of the beneficiary's income within the trust return will satisfy the requirements contained in the affidavit. (f) When pass-through entities are not required to withhold. Withholding is not required in the following instances: (1) When an entity is not required to file a federal income tax return, or properly elects out of such duty; (2) When a pass-through entity is making distributions of income not subject to Oklahoma income tax; (3) When a pass-through entity has withheld tax on royalty interest income pursuant to 68 O.S. § 2385.25 et seq.; (4) When a pass-through entity is making distributions to another pass-through entity. Provided however, the exception set out in this paragraph does not relieve the lower-tiered pass-through entity from the duty to withhold on distributions it makes which are not otherwise exempt; (5) When a pass-through entity is a publicly traded partnership, as defined by Section 7704(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, and is treated as a partnership for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code. Provided the publicly traded partnership has agreed to file an annual information return reporting the name, address, taxpayer identification number, and other information requested by the Tax Commission of each unit-holder with an income in the state in excess of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00); (6) When a distribution made by a pass-through entity has been determined to be not subject to the provisions of this Section by the Commission; or (7) When a pass-through entity that is required to file either an Oklahoma partnership income tax return or an Oklahoma Subchapter S corporate income tax return makes an election to pay income tax at the entity level pursuant to the Pass-Through Entity Tax Equity Act of 2019. [68 O.S. § 2355.IP-1 et seq.] (g) Due dates for payment of pass-through entity withholding. Pass-through entities that withhold income tax on distributions of taxable income to non-resident members are required to remit the amount of tax withheld from each non-resident member on or before the due date of the pass-through entity's income tax return, including extensions. Any pass-through entity that can reasonably expect the total amount of income tax withheld from all non-resident members to exceed Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for the taxable year must make quarterly estimated tax payments. Oklahoma Nonresident Distributed Income Estimated Withholding Tax Report is to be used to remit the quarterly estimated tax payments. The required estimated tax payments are due on or before the last day of the month after the end of the calendar quarter and must be made in equal quarterly installments. The total of the required quarterly estimated tax payments is the lesser of seventy percent (70%) of the withholding tax that must be withheld for the current taxable year, or one hundred percent (100%) of the withholding tax withheld for the previous taxable year. Any pass-through entity that can reasonably expect the total amount of tax withheld from all non-resident members to be less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for the taxable year may, at their option , make quarterly estimated tax payments. (h) Required reports. The pass-through entity is required to provide non-resident members and the Oklahoma Tax Commission an annual written statement showing the name of the pass-through entity, to whom the distribution was paid, the amount of taxable income distributed, and the amount of Oklahoma income tax withheld. Further, the statement must also furnish the non-resident member's name, address, and social security number or Federal Employer Identification Number. To accomplish this: (1) Each pass-through entity must provide non-resident members with Oklahoma Tax Commission Form 500-B on or before the due date of the pass-through entity's income tax return, including extensions. Copies of OTC Form 500-B, along with OTC Form 501, must be sent to the Oklahoma Tax Commission by the same date. (2) Each pass-through entity must file with the Oklahoma Tax Commission the appropriate income tax withholding return on or before the due date of the pass-through entity's income tax return, including extensions. (3) Each non-resident member must enclose a copy of OTC Form 500-B with the Oklahoma income tax return as verification for this withholding. (i) Non-resident members entitled to credit, or refund, from Oklahoma income taxes paid. Any non-resident member from whom an amount is withheld pursuant to the provisions of this Section, and who files an Oklahoma income tax return is entitled to a credit for the amount withheld. If the amount withheld is greater than the tax due, the non-resident member will be entitled to a refund of the amount of the overpayment. (j) Pass-through entities must register. Pass-through entities that make distributions subject to Oklahoma withholding must register with the Oklahoma Tax Commission. (k) Affidavit filing procedures. Non-resident members who elect to file a Nonresident Member Withholding Exemption Affidavit agreeing to be subject to the personal jurisdiction of the Tax Commission in the courts of this state for the purpose of determining and collecting any Oklahoma taxes, including estimated tax payments, and any related interest and penalties, must remit the affidavit to the appropriate pass-through entity. The pass-through entity is to retain the affidavit and the Oklahoma Tax Commission by the due date of the required annual tax return of the pass-through entity. (1) Content. The name, address, and social security number or federal identification number of the non-resident member having signed an affidavit. All pass-through entities are required to file the non-resident member affidavit information on a CD with the Oklahoma Tax Commission. (2) Format. The format for filing the CD will be in either a spreadsheet format (i.e. Excel) or a database format (i.e. dbf or Access) or a Delimited Text File. (3) Waiver. Pass-through entities may obtain a waiver from the CD filing requirement if the pass-through entity can demonstrate that a hardship would result if it were required to file on a CD. Direct waiver requests to the Oklahoma Tax Commission, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73194.