71.29 Payments of estimated taxes.

(1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Return" means a return that would show the tax properly due.

(b) “Tax shown on the return" and “tax for the taxable year" mean the net taxes imposed under s. 71.23 (1) or (2) after reduction for credits against those taxes but before reduction for amounts paid as estimated tax under this section plus the surcharge imposed under s. 77.93 before reduction for amounts paid as estimated tax under this section for that surcharge.

(c) “Virtually exempt entity" means any entity, other than a corporation, that is subject to a tax under this chapter on unrelated business taxable income as defined under section 512 of the internal revenue code.

(2) Who shall pay. Every corporation subject to tax under s. 71.23 (1) or (2) and every virtually exempt entity subject to tax under s. 71.125 or 71.23 (1) or (2) shall pay an estimated tax.

(3) Refund carry-forward. If a corporation or virtually exempt entity claims a refund on any tax return and, concurrent with or subsequent to filing the return upon which that refund is claimed, is required to pay an estimated tax, and at the time of paying that tax the refund has not been paid, the corporation or virtually exempt entity may deduct the amount of that refund from the first installment of estimated taxes and may deduct any excess from the succeeding installments.

(3m) Refunds. The department of revenue may refund estimated taxes after the completion of the taxable year to which the estimated taxes relate if the refund is at least 10 percent of the taxes estimated for that taxable year and is at least $500. A refund under this subsection may be subject to s. 71.84 (2) (c).

(4) Prepayments. Any installment of the estimated tax under this section may be paid before the due date.

(5) Short year. Application of this section to taxable years of less than 12 full months shall be made under the department of revenue's rules.

(6) Overpayments. If the amount of an installment payment of estimated tax exceeds the amount determined to be the correct amount of that payment, the overpayment shall be credited against the next unpaid installment.

(7) Exception to interest. No interest is required under s. 71.84 (2) (a) or (b) for a corporation or virtually exempt entity if any of the following conditions apply:

(a) The tax shown on the return or, if no return is filed, the tax is less than $500.

(b) The preceding taxable year was 12 months, the corporation or virtually exempt entity had no liability under s. 71.125 or 71.23 (1) or (2) for that year and the corporation or virtually exempt entity has a Wisconsin net income of less than $250,000 for the current taxable year.

(c) For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2008, the taxpayer qualifies for a federal extension of time to file under 26 USC 7508A due to a presidentially declared disaster or terroristic or military action.

(d) The taxpayer has underpaid the taxpayer's estimated taxes due to the change in the percentage under s. 71.28 (5n) (b) 3. This paragraph applies only to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2014, and before January 1, 2016.

(8) Installment due dates. Taxpayers shall make estimated payments in 4 installments, on or before the 15th day of each of the following months:

(a) The 4th month of the taxable year, except that a taxpayer whose taxable year begins in April shall pay the installment in the 3rd month of the taxable year.

(b) The 6th month of the taxable year.

(c) The 9th month of the taxable year.

(d) The 12th month of the taxable year.

(9) Installment amounts; income of less than $250,000.

(a) For corporations or virtually exempt entities that have Wisconsin net incomes of less than $250,000, except as provided in pars. (b) and (c), the amount of each installment required under sub. (8) is 25 percent of the lower of the following amounts:

1. Ninety percent of the tax shown on the return for the taxable year or, if no return is filed, 90 percent of the tax for the taxable year.

2. The tax shown on the return for the preceding year.

(b) Paragraph (a) 2. does not apply if the preceding taxable year was less than 12 months or if the corporation did not file a return for the preceding year.

(c) If 22.5 percent for the first installment, 45 percent for the 2nd installment, 67.5 percent for the 3rd installment and 90 percent for the 4th installment of the tax for the taxable year computed by annualizing, under methods prescribed by the department of revenue, the corporation's income, or the virtually exempt entity's unrelated business taxable income, for the months in the taxable year ending before the installment's due date is less than the installment required under par. (a), the corporation or virtually exempt entity may pay the amount under this paragraph rather than the amount under par. (a). For purposes of computing annualized income under this paragraph, the apportionment percentage computed under s. 71.25 (6) and (10) to (12) from the return filed for the previous taxable year may be used if that return was filed with the department of revenue on or before the due date of the installment for which the income is being annualized and if the apportionment percentage on that previous year's return was greater than zero. For purposes of computing annualized income of corporations that are subject to a tax under this chapter on unrelated business taxable income, as defined under section 512 of the internal revenue code, and virtually exempt entities, the taxpayer's income for the months in the taxable year ending before the date one month before the due date for the installment shall be used. Any corporation or virtually exempt entity that pays an amount calculated under this paragraph shall increase the next installment computed under par. (a) by an amount equal to the difference between the amount paid under this paragraph and the amount that would have been paid under par. (a).

(10) Installment amounts; income of $250,000 or more.

(a) Except as provided in par. (c), for corporations or virtually exempt entities that have Wisconsin net incomes of $250,000 or more, the amount of each installment required under sub. (8) is 25 percent of the amount under par. (b).

(b) Ninety percent of the tax shown on the return for the taxable year or, if no return is filed, 90 percent of the tax for the taxable year.

(c) If 22.5 percent for the first installment, 45 percent for the 2nd installment, 67.5 percent for the 3rd installment and 90 percent for the 4th installment of the tax for the taxable year computed by annualizing, under methods prescribed by the department of revenue, the corporation's income, or the virtually exempt entity's unrelated business taxable income, for the months in the taxable year ending before the installment's due date is less than the installment required under par. (a), the corporation or virtually exempt entity may pay the amount under this paragraph rather than the amount under par. (a). For purposes of computing annualized income under this paragraph, the apportionment percentage computed under s. 71.25 (6) and (10) to (12) from the return filed for the previous taxable year may be used if that return is filed with the department of revenue on or before the due date of the installment for which the income is being annualized and the apportionment percentage on that previous year's return is greater than zero or may be used if that return is filed with the department of revenue on or before the due date of the 3rd installment, the apportionment percentage on that previous year's return is greater than zero and the apportionment percentage used in the computation of the first 2 installments is not less than the apportionment percentage on that previous year's return. For purposes of computing annualized income of corporations that are subject to a tax under this chapter on unrelated business taxable income, as defined under section 512 of the internal revenue code, and virtually exempt entities, the taxpayer's income for the months in the taxable year ending before the date one month before the due date for the installment shall be used. Any corporation or virtually exempt entity that pays an amount calculated under this paragraph shall increase the next installment computed under par. (a) by an amount equal to the difference between the amount paid under this paragraph and the amount that would have been paid under par. (a).

(11) Exception to final installment. If a corporation or virtually exempt entity files a return for a calendar year on or before January 31 of the succeeding calendar year (or if a corporation or virtually exempt entity on a fiscal year basis files a return on or before the last day of the first month immediately succeeding the close of such fiscal year) and pays in full at the time of such filing the amount computed on the return as payable, then, if estimated taxes are not required to be paid on or before the 15th day of the 9th month of the taxable year but are required to be paid on or before the 15th day of the 12th month of the taxable year, such return shall be considered as payment.

History: 1987 a. 312; 1987 a. 411 ss. 111, 140 to 143; 1989 a. 31; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 16, 204; 1997 a. 27; 2009 a. 28; 2015 a. 55; 2017 a. 2.