(a) In lieu of electing nonresident partners filing a return pursuant to Section 18501, the Franchise Tax Board may, pursuant to requirements and conditions set forth in forms and instructions, provide for the filing of a group return for one or more electing nonresident partners by a partnership doing business in, or deriving income from, sources in California. The tax rate or rates applicable to each electing partner’s distributive share shall consist of the highest marginal rate or rates provided by Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001) plus, in the case of any electing nonresident partner included on the group return who would be subject to Section 17043 when filing individually, an additional tax rate of 1 percent. Except as provided in subdivision (b), no deductions shall be allowed except those necessary to determine each partner’s distributive share, and no credits shall be allowed except those directly attributable to the partnership. As required by the Franchise Tax Board, the partnership as agent for the electing partners shall make the payments of tax, additions to tax, interest, and penalties otherwise required to be paid by the electing partners.

(b) Deductions provided by Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 17501) of Part 10, attributable to earned income of a partner derived from a partnership filing a group return on behalf of electing nonresident partners under subdivision (a), shall be allowed if the partner certifies, in the form and manner as the Franchise Tax Board may prescribe, that he or she has no earned income from any other source.

(c) This section shall also be applicable to a nonresident shareholder of a corporation which is treated as an “S” corporation under Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 23800) of Part 11. In that case, the provisions of subdivisions (a) and (b) are modified to refer to“shareholder or shareholders” in lieu of “partners” and to “S” corporation in lieu of “partnership.”

(d) This section shall also be applicable to a nonresident individual with a membership or economic interest in a limited liability company, registered limited liability partnership, or foreign limited liability partnership, which is classified as a partnership for California tax purposes. In that case, the provisions of subdivisions (a) and (b) are modified to refer to “holders of a membership or economic interest” in lieu of “partners” and to “limited liability companies” in lieu of “partnerships,” and “partnerships” shall include registered limited liability partnerships and foreign limited liability partnerships.

(e) The Franchise Tax Board may adjust the income of an electing nonresident taxpayer included in a group return filed under this section to properly reflect income under Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001), including Chapter 11 thereof (commencing with Section 17951), this part (commencing with Section 18401), and Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001), including Chapter 17 thereof (commencing with Section 25101).

(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 751, Sec. 65. Effective September 30, 2008.)