No. It is not subject to the withholding requirements of Section 40-18-86. However, if the buyer and seller agree, the buyer may withhold on the interest.

An installment sale made by a nonresident is subject to the requirements of Section 40-18-86. The initial payment of the withholding is calculated based on the purchase price less the installment note. If the seller wishes to base the withholding on the gain, the withholding is calculated on the gain that would be recognized as a result of the proceeds received at the time of the closing. The provisions of the law regarding the percentage to be withheld and the due date to file the payment voucher and make the withholding payment to the Alabama Department of Revenue apply to installment sales in the same manner as applicable to any other sale subject to withholding under Section 40-18-86. For subsequent payments, the withholding is calculated by applying 3 or 4 percent of the principal amount included in each payment, or if the gain is used to calculate withholding, by applying 3 or 4 percent of the amount of each principal payment which represents gain. The payment voucher must be filed and the payment remitted to the Department on or before the last day of the calendar month following the calendar month within which the cumulative amount withheld for the year, less any payments already made for the year, exceeds $100. If the cumulative amount withheld for the year, less any payments already made, does not exceed $100 for the calendar year, the buyer will file the payment voucher and remit the payment to the Department on or before the last day of the month following the end of the calendar year within which the tax was withheld.

If the relocation company is a nonresident entity and is listed on the closing statement as the seller, then the relocation company is subject to the requirements of Section 40-18-86.

Alabama law requires the buyer to withhold tax on the sale or transfer of Alabama real estate by a nonresident. In order to withhold, the buyer must determine if the “seller” is a nonresident. Inherent in this provision is the need to properly determine the “seller” of the property. As such, the buyer must inquire as to whether the LLC-seller is a disregarded entity in order to properly determine the seller.

The federal classification for income tax purposes applies for Alabama income tax purposes. Since Section 40-18-86 is the withholding of income tax, the federal classification also applies for income tax withholding purposes. Accordingly, a SMLLC whose status is disregarded for federal income tax purposes is not considered the seller for purposes of Section 40-18-86. Instead, the owner of the SMLLC is considered the seller for purposes of the Alabama law.

If the seller or transferor has filed Alabama returns or appropriate extensions for the most recent two tax years whose original due dates have passed, then that condition will be considered satisfied.

No. In order to qualify as a deemed resident, all of the qualifying conditions must be satisfied.

The payment of the amount withheld by the buyer is considered as an estimate paid on behalf of the nonresident seller. If the seller is a corporation, the amount paid by the buyer for the seller will be claimed on the seller’s Form 20C as an estimate payment.

The pass-through entity seller must allocate and pass through the withholding credit in the same manner as it passes through its income. It should be passed through each tier in multitiered situations until it is claimed. Each partner’s, shareholder’s, or member’s share of the withholding should be listed on the K-1 Form with a schedule showing how it was passed through, and each partner, shareholder, and member should be provided a copy of the original withholding statements issued to the seller by the purchaser (Form WNR and Form WNR-V). The partner, shareholder, or member should claim credit for his or her share of the withholding on the Alabama income tax return, and attach a copy of the K-1 Form, the schedule showing how it was passed through, and a copy of the withholding calculation form issued to the seller by the purchaser (Form WNR). If the pass-through entity files a composite return, it may claim credit on the return, and attach the Form WNR. If some of the nonresident partners, shareholders, or members are not included on the composite return, credit may only be claimed for the portion of the withholding that is attributable to the partners, shareholders, or members who are included on the composite return.

Under Alabama law, standing timber is real property. Once timber is severed from the stump, it becomes personal property. If title to the timber passes before it is severed from the stump, withholding under Code of Alabama 1975, Section 40-18-86 is required. If title to the timber does not pass until after it is severed from the stump, withholding is required only if the underlying land is sold with the timber.

A financial institution, as defined in Section 40-16-1, generally is not subject to Alabama income tax, so the withholding under Section 40-18-86 on the sale is not required if the seller is a financial institution subject to Alabama’s Financial Institution Excise Tax (FIET).

If the insurance company pays a tax to Alabama on its premium income, it is not subject to Alabama income tax, and withholding on the sale is not required.

Not unless the transaction results in unrelated business taxable income under Internal Revenue Code Section 512. In general, any transaction which results in unrelated business income as defined in Internal Revenue Code Section 512 is subject to withholding. Transactions which do not result in unrelated income are not subject to withholding.

In order to be exempt from withholding, the property must be the principal residence of the seller or transferor for purposes of the income exclusion under the Internal Revenue Code. This rule applies no matter how much time elapses after the seller relocates to another state. As long as the property qualifies as a principal residence under the Internal Revenue Code, the exemption from withholding applies for the gain that is excluded from federal and Alabama AGI under the Internal Revenue Code.

As in an exchange of property such as a like-kind exchange, withholding is not required on a Section 1031 exchange to the extent that the income from the sale is not subject to Alabama income tax. Transfers of real property under a Section 1031 exchange where gain may be realized by the seller, but completely not recognized by the seller for Alabama income tax purposes are not subject to the withholding provisions of Alabama Code Section 40-18-86. Transfers of real property where gain is realized by the seller, but partially not recognized by the seller for Alabama income tax purposes, are subject to the withholding provisions of Alabama Code Section 40-18-86 only to the extent of the recognized gain, such as a Section 1031 exchange where monies received by the seller exceed the exchange transaction. If the transaction is a “deferred” Section 1031 exchange, the transaction will qualify for the exemption to the withholding requirement only if the seller agrees to have the qualified intermediary file the required payment voucher and remit any withholding due to the Alabama Department of Revenue in the event that monies remain after the 180-day deferral period.

Withholding is not required to the extent that the income from the sale is not subject to Alabama income tax. Transfers of real property where gain is realized by the seller, but completely not recognized by the seller for Alabama income tax purposes, such as a like kind exchange, are not subject to the withholding provisions of Alabama Code Section 40-18-86. Transfers of real property where gain is realized by the seller, but partially not recognized by the seller for Alabama income tax purposes, are subject to the withholding provisions of Alabama Code Section 40-18-86 only to the extent of the recognized gain.

No. The filing of an affidavit establishing an exemption is not required. However, the buyer may wish to have the seller execute Form NR-AF3 or a similar affidavit, in order to document the buyer’s reliance on the seller’s representation of exemption.

No, an Alabama resident does not need to provide an affidavit since this withholding law does not apply to residents. The affidavit is for nonresident sellers who wish to be “deemed” residents for withholding purposes. In a transaction where a nonresident seller is considered a “deemed resident” of Alabama, the buyer should retain a copy of the affidavit, and must submit the original copy to the Alabama Department of Revenue. Even though an affidavit is not required when the seller is an Alabama resident, the affidavit may be used by a resident seller if the buyer wishes to document the seller’s representation of Alabama residency. In this situation, the affidavit does not need to be sent to the Alabama Department of Revenue, but the buyer and seller may wish to keep copies for their records.

A buyer’s reasonable reliance on a seller’s affidavit should be sufficient. The standard is a “good faith” reliance standard. A buyer will be held liable if he had actual or constructive knowledge that the seller’s affidavit was false or contained erroneous information. The buyer may rely on the seller’s affidavit unless the buyer knows or should know, based on the buyer’s knowledge at the time of closing, that statements made on the affidavit are false. The buyer has no duty to investigate the statements made on a seller’s affidavit.

Yes. The residency of the owners of the property will be determined separately. Withholding is required only on the purchase price or gain recognized by the nonresident sellers. In the case of co-owners who are married, ownership is determined separately if one owner is a nonresident. Separate forms must be completed for each nonresident seller/transferor who will be required to file an Alabama income tax return.

Yes, since Section 40-18-86, Code of Alabama 1975, allows a seller to base withholding on the recognizable gain from a transaction. Transactions which result in no taxable income do not require withholding. Please see Form NR-AF2.

Section 40-18-86, Code of Alabama 1975, generally requires that 3 or 4 percent of the purchase price be withheld. However, if the gain recognized on the sale is less than the purchase price, and the seller provides the buyer with an Affidavit of Seller’s Gain (see Form NR-AF2), then the buyer may withhold 3 or 4 percent of the amount of the gain. If the amount to be withheld, as based on the purchase price or the gain, is greater than the net proceeds of the transfer, then only the net proceeds need be withheld and remitted by the purchaser. Generally, the net proceeds of the sale are the net payments to the transferor as shown on the closing statement, but “net proceeds ” may be calculated as the amount of money and other consideration received by the seller after deducting mortgage or other secured debt, ad valorem taxes, sales commissions, title premiums, survey expense, costs for environmental and other reports, and all other closing costs and expenses.

Yes. In general, income from the sale of Alabama property is required to be reported on an Alabama income tax return. Once the nonresident return is completed and filed by the due date of the return, including extensions, the actual tax liability will be determined, and the taxpayer either claims a refund for any overpayment, or pays the amount of any underpayment, the same as with any other income tax return.

No, this is neither a sales tax nor a real estate transfer tax. It is income tax withholding. The principle is similar to income tax withholding by employers. The buyer withholds Alabama income tax from the payment to the nonresident seller. The buyer is responsible for providing the seller with a copy of Form WNR and Form WNR-V. The seller will attach a copy of Form WNR to the appropriate Alabama income tax return to claim credit for the taxes paid. The taxes withheld and remitted by the buyer to the Alabama Department of Revenue will be considered as an estimated tax payment made on behalf of the seller.