Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 63 - Taxation of Corporations
Section 38w - Credit for Qualified Research Expenses; Life Sciences

[Text of section effective until December 31, 2028. Repealed by 2008, 130, Sec. 31. See 2008, 130, Sec. 54 as amended by 2011, 9, Sec. 25; 2013, 46, Sec. 57; and 2018, 112, Sec. 10. See also 2011, 9, Sec. 56 and 2013, 46, Sec. 87 as amended by 2018, 273, Sec. 26.]
Section 38W. (a) A taxpayer may, to the extent authorized pursuant to the life sciences tax incentive program established by section 5 of chapter 23I, be allowed a credit against its excise due under this chapter equal to the sum of 10 per cent of the excess, if any, of the qualified research expenses for the taxable year, over the base amount, and 15 per cent of the basic research payments determined pursuant to section 41(e)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code. The terms ''qualified research expenses'', ''base amount'', ''qualified organization base period amount'', ''basic research'' and any other terms affecting the calculation of the credit shall, unless the context otherwise requires or unless otherwise stated in this section, have the same meanings as under said section 41 of said Code.
In determining the amount of the credit allowable under this section, the commissioner of revenue may aggregate the activities of all corporations that are members of a controlled group of corporations, as defined by 41(f)(1)(A) of said Code, and may aggregate the activities of all entities, whether or not incorporated, that are under common control, as defined in section 41(f)(1)(B) of said Code.
(b) For a qualified life science company, research and development costs, within the meaning of section 41 of said Code, shall include, to the extent they relate to legally mandated clinical trial activities, those qualified research expenditures that are performed both inside and outside of the commonwealth.
(c) For purposes of section 30, the deduction from gross income that may be taken with respect to any expenditures qualifying for a credit under said section 41 of said Code shall be based upon its cost less the credit allowable under this section; provided, however, that section 280C(c) of said Code shall not apply.
(d) The credit allowed hereunder for any taxable year shall not reduce the excise to less than the amount due under subsection (b) of section 32, subsection (b) of section 39, section 67 or under any other general or special law.
(e) The credit allowed under this section shall be limited to 100 per cent of a corporation's first $25,000 of excise, as determined before the allowance of any credits, plus 75 per cent of the corporation's excise, as so determined in excess of $25,000. The commissioner of revenue shall promulgate regulations similar to those authorized under section 38(c)(2)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code for purposes of apportioning the $25,000 amount among members of a controlled group. Nothing in this section shall alter section 32C, as it affects other credits under this chapter.
(f) If a corporation files a combined return of income under section 32B, a credit generated by an individual member corporation under this section shall first be applied against the excise attributable to that company under sections 32 or 39, subject to the limitations of subsections (d) and (e). A member corporation with an excess research and development credit may apply its excess credit against the excise of another group member if such other member corporation may use additional credits under the limitations of said subsections (d) and (e). Unused, unexpired credits generated by a member corporation shall be carried over from year to year by the individual corporation that generated the credit and shall not be refundable. Nothing in this section shall alter subsection (h) of section 31A.
(g) A corporation entitled to a credit under this section for any taxable year may carry over and apply to its excise for any of the next succeeding 15 taxable years that portion, as reduced from year to year, of its credit which exceeds its excise for the taxable year. A corporation may carry over and apply to its excise for any subsequent taxable year that portion, as reduced from year to year, of those credits which were not allowed by subsection (f).
(h) The commissioner of revenue shall promulgate regulations necessary to carry out this section.

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