Resources | Illinois Practitioner Series

On January 21, 2021, the Chicago Department of Finance (“Department”) issued an anticipated Information Bulletin (“Nexus Bulletin”) providing guidance on nexus and establishing a prospective “safe harbor” for certain taxes, including electronically delivered amusements under the Chicago’s Amusement Tax (“Amusement Tax”) Ordinance and nonpossessory computer …

On November 16, 2020, the City Council for the City of Chicago (“City Council”) amended the Chicago Personal Property Lease Transaction Tax Ordinance (“Ordinance”), eliminating the lower rate of tax on a nonpossessory lease of a computer, which includes “cloud” software products.

In a prior post, I explained the basics of the Chicago Personal Property Lease Transaction Tax (“Transaction Tax”), including the applicability of the tax to tangible personal property and software, potentially applicable exemptions and exclusions from the tax, and collection issues. This follow-up post in …

With the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), many taxpayers have begun to focus on the manner in which states tax foreign income. Illinois? taxation of foreign income is fairly in line with most other states. However, given how much states can diverge on this …

Although the Chicago and Cook County amusement tax are imposed similarly on taxpayers, they are independently administered taxes that feature key differences. Both the Chicago Amusement Tax Ordinance and Cook County Amusement Tax Ordinance impose the tax “upon the patrons of every amusement” within the …

The “Parking Lot Tax” has recently been targeted by the Cook County Department of Revenue. In the past 3-5 years, we have seen a significant uptick in the Department’s audit activity, and challenges to Taxpayer positions. Their efforts have primarily focused on the enforcement of …

In a previous post, we addressed the basics of Illinois corporate income tax apportionment. We also addressed how while most corporations are required to follow the standard statutory formula, the state imposes unique rules on a number of industries, including financial organizations. In addition to …

In a General Information Letter published in 2017, Illinois addressed how its taxation of canned and custom software would apply to cloud computing. The state explained that software as a service (SaaS) is not subject to the Retailers’ Occupation Tax, and SaaS providers are instead …

The Illinois Franchise Tax is a weird tax. It is imposed on the privilege of exercising a franchise in Illinois or, in the case of foreign corporations, for the authority to transact business in the state. It is administered by the Illinois Secretary of State, …

Like many states, Illinois and a number of Illinois localities impose motor fuel taxes. Although these taxes are each generally similar, they function slightly differently and are administered by different agencies. It is important not only for retailers of motor fuel, but any business that …

For taxpayers surprised to find their business caught in the crosshairs of a Chicago or Cook County audit, substantial penalties can also be an alarming challenge. In a prior post, I outlined penalties assessed by the Illinois Department of Revenue (“Department”), the basis for relief, …

The Illinois Constitution was adopted on December 15, 1970. The constitution sets forth the taxing powers of home rule units and describes the exclusive power of the General Assembly to raise revenue. Because the constitution creates the framework for how Illinois’ taxing system functions, this …

At the close of an audit, in addition to tax and interest, a taxpayer may also be assessed various types of penalties that can be substantial and even surpass the underlying tax liability. However, there are several courses of action for seeking penalty abatement, which …

Like most states, Illinois statutes and regulations permit taxpayers and the Director of the Department of Revenue to obtain alternative apportionment of Illinois base income. Although case law is relatively scant, alternative apportionment remains an important means of reaching a fair income tax liability in …

Financial organizations in Illinois are required to follow different apportionment rules than general service providers. Prior to December 31, 2017, such businesses were also required to file separate unitary business returns from taxpayers that filed their income tax returns under the standard apportionment rules. Beginning …

The Commerce Clause and interstate commerce were thrust into the spotlight last week, as the United States Supreme Court reversed the longstanding physical presence standard for sales tax nexus.

As we have discussed previously, Illinois localities have adopted a variety of unique taxes, such as the Chicago Personal Property Lease Transaction Tax, the Amusement Tax, and dozens more. Illinois localities may also impose a local option tax which is imposed in addition to the …

In calculating the Illinois sales factor, Illinois employs both a “throw-back” and “throwout” rule. While many states employ some form of throw-back rule, Illinois’ adoption of both a throw-back and throwout rule is unique.

Illinois? treatment of leases is an anomaly when compared to almost all other jurisdictions. While most jurisdictions impose sales tax on the lease receipts collected from the lessee, the user of the equipment, Illinois differs by treating the lessor as the user of the equipment. …

Determining whether computer software is taxable is no easy task, especially in light of the changing technological landscape. The Illinois Department of Revenue (“Department”) has been asked by taxpayers for a number of years to provide clarification, but until recently has been largely silent on …

In a previous post, we addressed the basics for calculating Illinois base income. In this post, we will focus on Illinois’ general apportionment rules, and in later posts, we will discuss Illinois’ combined reporting rules and the specific treatment of insurance companies and financial organizations …

Now that we have provided a primer on procedural issues at Illinois, Chicago, and Cook County, it’s time to jump into the fun stuff! Illinois has a relatively high corporate income tax rate compared to most states. While calculating Illinois base income is generally straightforward, …

A recent national trend in the practice field of state and local tax has been the uptick in local jurisdictions’ audit activity. The Cook County Department of Revenue has taken aggressive positions in the interpretation of its tax ordinances which has led to increased litigation …

Although not on the mind of most taxpayers, an audit by the City of Chicago Department of Finance (“Department”) is a risk for any taxpayer who may be operating in the City or who enters Chicago for any business purpose. With a variety of unusual …

There’s no way around it: Illinois is a complicated state in which to do business. This post is the first in a series that will address how to navigate even the most byzantine aspects of Illinois’s tax structure. More specifically, this post will address the …