What's happening
The bill lowers business income tax rates and increases tax deductions for small businesses and farms with incomes up to $500,000.
Why it matters
Significantly reduces the effective tax rate for small businesses and farms. by phasing in lower business income tax rates over several years, dropping the rate to as low as 2.5% for qualifying entities—freeing up more cash for reinvestment, hiring, or weathering tough years.
Expands eligibility for tax relief to more businesses and farms. by raising the qualifying net income threshold from $250,000 to $500,000, meaning a broader range of small entities can benefit from these lower rates and enhanced deductions.
Gradually increases the allowable deduction for small business and farm income. (from 3% to 20% over a few years), allowing owners to deduct a larger portion of their business or farm income from their New York taxable income—directly lowering their state tax bill and potentially supporting business growth or succession.
Imposes safeguards for pass-through entities. (like LLCs, partnerships, and S-corporations) by capping eligibility based on the entity’s total New York-source gross income, ensuring that only genuinely small businesses—not large entities with many owners—benefit from the expanded deductions.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Cut Small Business Taxes
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to investigations and government operations
- Referred to investigations and government operations
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Cut Taxes for Small Businesses
In Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor Fred Thiele
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
S. 4177 A. 5009
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
February 6, 2017
IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. THIELE, SCHIMMINGER, STIRPE, BARCLAY, HAWLEY, RAIA, CROUCH, GJONAJ, CRESPO, BLAKE, COLTON, MAGNAR- ELLI, WOERNER, CAHILL, BICHOTTE, PICHARDO, MOSLEY, McDONOUGH, RA, MURRAY, MONTESANO, DiPIETRO, WALTER, LAWRENCE, McKEVITT, JAFFEE, OTIS, HYNDMAN, SANTABARBARA, PALUMBO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, ENGLEBRIGHT, FITZPATRICK, HEVESI, MAGEE, McDONALD, McLAUGHLIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
AN ACT to amend the tax law, in relation to the business income base rate and certain small business taxpayers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "small business tax reform act".
§ 2. Subparagraph (iv) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 210 of the tax law, as amended by section 12 of part A of chapter 59 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
(iv) (A) for taxable years beginning before January first, two thousand sixteen, if the business income base is not more than two hundred ninety thousand dollars the amount shall be six and one-half percent of the business income base; if the business income base is more than two hundred ninety thousand dollars but not over three hundred ninety thousand dollars the amount shall be the sum of (1) eighteen thousand eight hundred fifty dollars, (2) seven and one-tenth percent of the excess of the business income base over two hundred ninety thousand dollars but not over three hundred ninety thousand dollars and (3) four and thirtyfive hundredths percent of the excess of the business income base over
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04194-01-7
S. 4177 2 A. 5009
three hundred fifty thousand dollars but not over three hundred ninety thousand dollars;
(B) for taxable years beginning on or after January first, two thousand seventeen and before January first, two thousand eighteen, if the business income base is not more than five hundred thousand dollars the amount shall be three and one-quarter percent of the business income base; if the business income base is more than five hundred thousand dollars but not over six hundred thousand dollars the amount shall be the sum of (1) sixteen thousand two hundred fifty dollars, (2) six and one-half percent of the excess of the business income base over five hundred thousand dollars but not over six hundred thousand dollars and (3) thirty-two and one-half percent of the excess of the business income base over five hundred fifty thousand dollars but not over six hundred thousand dollars;
(C) for taxable years beginning on or after January first, two thousand eighteen and before January first, two thousand nineteen, if the business income base is not more than five hundred thousand dollars the amount shall be two and nine-tenths percent of the business income base; if the business income base is more than five hundred thousand dollars but not over six hundred thousand dollars the amount shall be the sum of (1) fourteen thousand five hundred dollars, (2) six and one-half percent of the excess of the business income base over five hundred thousand dollars but not over six hundred thousand dollars and (3) thirty-six percent of the excess of the business income base over five hundred fifty thousand dollars but not over six hundred thousand dollars;
(D) for taxable years beginning on or after January first, two thousand nineteen, if the business income base is not more than five hundred thousand dollars the amount shall be two and one-half percent of the business income base; if the business income base is more than five hundred thousand dollars but not over six hundred thousand dollars the amount shall be the sum of (1) twelve thousand five dollars, (2) six and one-half percent of the excess of the business income base over five hundred thousand dollars but not over six hundred thousand dollars and (3) forty percent of the excess of the business income base over four hundred fifty thousand dollars but not over five hundred thousand dollars;
§ 3. Paragraph 39 of subsection (c) of section 612 of the tax law, as added by section 1 of part Y of chapter 59 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
(39) In the case of a taxpayer who is a small business who has business income and/or farm income as defined in the laws of the United States, an amount equal to three percent of the net items of income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to such business or farm entering into federal adjusted gross income, but not less than zero, for taxable years beginning on or after January first, two thousand thirteen[,] but before January first, two thousand fifteen; an amount equal to three and three-quarters percent of the net items of income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to such business or farm entering into federal adjusted gross income, but not less than zero, for taxable years beginning on or after January first, two thousand fourteen[, and] but before January first, two thousand fifteen; an amount equal to five percent of the net items of income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to such business or farm entering into federal adjusted gross income, but not less than zero, for taxable years beginning on or after January first, two thousand fifteen but before January first, two thousand seventeen; an amount equal to ten percent of the net items of income, gain, loss
S. 4177 3 A. 5009
and deduction attributable to such business or farm entering into federal adjusted gross income, but not less than zero, for taxable years beginning on or after January first, two thousand seventeen but before January first, two thousand eighteen; an amount equal to fifteen percent of the net items of income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to such business or farm entering into federal adjusted gross income, but not less than zero, for taxable years beginning on or after January first, two thousand eighteen but before January first, two thousand nineteen; and an amount equal to twenty percent of the net items of income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to such business or farm entering into federal adjusted gross income, but not less than zero, for taxable years beginning on or after January first, two thousand nineteen. Provided that such business or farm income is less than or equal to five hundred thousand dollars. For the purposes of this paragraph, the term small business shall mean a [sole proprietor] business or a farm business who employs one or more persons during the taxable year and who has net business income or net farm income of equal to or less than [two hundred fifty] five hundred thousand dollars. For the purposes of this paragraph, if the taxpayer is a member, partner, or shareholder of a limited liability company, partnership or S-corporation, the taxpayer will only be eligible under this paragraph if the New York source gross income of the limited liability company, partnership or S-corporation does not exceed one million dollars. New York source gross income is the sum of the members, partners, or shareholders shares of federal gross income from the limited liability company, partnership, or S-corporation derived from or connected with New York sources, determined in accordance with the provisions of section six hundred thirtyone of this article as if those provisions and any related provisions expressly referred to a computation of federal gross income from New York sources.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the tax law, in relation to the business income base rate and certain small business taxpayers
Purpose
Creates the "Small Business Tax Reform Act."
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Cites the "Small Business Tax Reform Act."
Section 2. Amends subparagraph (iv) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of Section 210 of the tax law relating to tax rates of small businesses, including qualified New York manufacturers.
Section 3. Paragraph 39 of subsection c of the tax law is amended relating to the business income exclusions for taxpayers who are a small business with business income and/or farm income.
Section 4. Effective Date
Justification
New York's small businesses employ over half or 3.9 million of the state's private workforce. Small businesses employ 51.1% of New York's non-farm, private-sector workplace. Currently, small businesses make up 99.0 percent of all employers in the state. In New York, small businesses created 154,264 net new jobs in 2012. The biggest gain was in the smallest firm size category of 1-4 employees. This legislation will foster even greater growth as attempts to rebuild our economy continues. It provides that small businesses that are taxed under the Corporate Franchise Tax to have their tax rate cut from 6.5% to 2.5% by 2018, under a three (3) year phase-in that would reduce the tax rate to 3.25% in 2017, 2.9% in 2018 and 2.5% in 2019 and thereafter. In addition, the maximum income level for such a rate would be increased from $290,000 to $500,000. The income exclusion rate for small businesses and farmers with less than $500,000 of income would be increased from 5% to 20% by 2018, also with a three (3) year phase-in of 10% in 2017, 15% in 2018, and 20% in 2019 and thereafter.
New York State's small businesses play a critical role in generating economic prosperity. The effort poured into them by ordinary citizens across the state reflects the hard work and determination that is indicative of the state's entrepreneurial spirit. This legislation supports these engines of growth and recognizes their incredible contributions to the State of New York by alleviating a portion of the state tax burden on these businesses.
Legislative history
2016: A.10139/S.7667
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.