We receive weekly calls from film producers inquiring about the film tax credit transfer process and the best way to monetize their credit.  Let’s take a look at a few common situations and solutions that Clocktower Tax Credits can offer to producers when they anticipate earning, or have already earned, their Massachusetts Film and Television Tax Credit.

The most common situations we encounter are:

• A producer is considering filming in Massachusetts and needs to monetize their tax credit;
• A producer is in the middle of production or has filed for the tax credit and wants the benefits of the tax credit immediately and not after the film is made;
• A producer has a tax credit in hand and is looking to sell as soon as possible

It is advantageous for producers to contact Clocktower as soon as they know that they’ll be filming in Massachusetts.  This creates a number of benefits that producers can realize early on. First, we can either write the producer a Letter of Intent, stating our interest in selling their tax credit.  A Letter of Intent is a powerful tool for producers when they approach investors or lenders as the Letter of Intent demonstrates a third party’s involvement and the producer’s ability to partially finance the production.  Second, if a producer is already filming, or has a track record of completing productions, we can formally engage the producer and start marketing their tax credit.  This is extremely beneficial to the producer because we can identify a buyer for their tax credit even before it is issued by the state.   We will draft Purchase and transfer documents, and once the credit is issued, the transfer will occur. If a producer needs the proceeds from the tax credit transaction immediately, Clocktower can facilitate a loan against the tax credit for post-production expenses.  Finally, many producers call us with tax credits already issued by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue that they are looking to immediately sell.  We have a network of experienced tax credit buyers with Massachusetts Income, Personal, or Premium Tax liability that we contact in order to obtain the best offer to purchase the tax credit.  Purchase documents are signed by both parties and the transfer forms are submitted to the state.  Once the buyer of the credit receives the transfer confirmation in their MassTax Account or via mail, the buyer wires the funds to the producer to complete transaction.

Producers may note that the Massachusetts Film and Television Tax Credit Program provides for an optional rebate from the state. The state will pay out $0.90 per tax credit dollar to the producer in the form of a rebate check.  However, to receive the rebate from the state may take a year or longer.  Given this long timeframe, only about 3% of producers elect to use the rebate, while about 97% sell their tax credits on the private market via a broker like Clocktower Tax Credits.  Third-party transactions are much more efficient, take about half the amount of time, and can yield higher prices for the producer.

Please call Nathan Howe at (978) 460-4244 or NHowe@ClocktowerTC.com with any questions that you may have regarding monetizing your Massachusetts Film Tax Credit – or to get started!

The State legislature in Missouri has recently taken steps for the worse in both the state low-income housing tax credit and historic tax credit arenas.  Recently, the legislature enacted SB 590, which pared back the total annual allocation of State Historic Tax Credits to $90 million, down from $140 million previously.  While the bill also includes an additional $30 million in credits for qualifying census tracts, the decrease in total volume has led to concern of a slowdown in the historic rehabilitation boom in the state.  In addition, the new bill requires Tax Credit project applicants to be approved by the Missouri Housing Development Commission, versus the current “first come, first served” method of issuing credits.  This has led to concern amongst developers about the fairness of the Commission in awarding Credits to particular developments, and a concentration of awardees in the large cities with better connections to the Commission.

The recent modification to the Historic tax credit program is just the latest in a series of changes in the Missouri Tax Credit landscape, as former Governor Eric Greitens attacked the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program throughout the last few months of his governorship until his resignation in June.  Under pressure from the Governor, the Commission did not award any state LIHTC awards for 2018, halting numerous developments and decreasing the available options for low-income tenants.  In addition, the move has altered Midwest developers’ plans, with eyes shifting towards stable and expanding programs from neighboring states such as Illinois, where the state legislature is expected to vote soon on a bill expanding the state Historic Tax Credit.

Clocktower Tax Credits, LLC possesses the expertise and investor base to assist any Missouri developers navigating the tricky current Tax Credit situation, helping developers monetize their Credits while the Show-Me state programs continue their volatility.

If you have questions on the status of the Missouri programs or for help monetizing any Missouri tax credit assets, please contact David Curtis at (978) 440-0742 or DCurtis@ClocktowerTC.com.

The Empire Building, built in 1910 as a movie palace with offices above the theatre in downtown Syracuse, NY, was originally known as the Empire Theatre.  The theatre’s marquee is no longer visible, however this 7-story building still maintains its glorious original art-deco façade.  After the theatre was demolished in 1961, the upper floors were either left vacant or used as office space.  In 2018, the upper floors of the building have been converted into 52 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments with a new floor added for loft-style penthouse suites offering high ceilings and large sunlit windows with modern day conveniences.  The first floor remains as commercial space with long-term tenants.  This historic structure has been revitalized utilizing the New York State and Federal commercial rehabilitation Tax Credit programs.

The Developer, Derek Persse, converted the building into apartments with a $10 million budget utilizing State and Federal Historic Tax Credits to fund approximately 25% of his budget.  Clocktower Tax Credits, LLC introduced the historic tax credit investor to the project.  The investor, a syndicator which was admitted into the partnership for the majority ownership of the investment structure, will use the allocation of State and Federal Credits as currency in one of its Tax Credit funds and will remain invested in the project partnership for five years.  As in all partnership structures, the allocations of income, loss, tax credits and cash flow are made to the partners in proportion to the partnership interests, after the payment of developer and management fees.

For more information, please contact Sue Ellyn Idelson at (978) 793-9574 or SIdelson@ClocktowerTC.com.

The State of New Jersey will soon offer more than just a limited sales tax exemption on production equipment for filmmakers that choose to use New Jersey as the backdrop for their latest blockbuster.  The new Governor, Phil Murphy, is expected to sign into law a new tax credit incentive program that will fundamentally change the economics of filming in New Jersey as well as the film financing structure for filmmakers.  A film tax credit is a financial incentive authorized by the state for production expenses incurred from producers spending money in the local economy.  The producers will receive a tax credit, based on a percentage of their qualified expenses, that they can use to finance their film.  Tax credits are essential for producers as they typically fund approximately 20-40% of a film’s budget.  In return, states that administer such a program receive robust economic spending, publicity, job creation, and a wide array of quantitative and qualitative benefits.  New Jersey had a tax credit program, but it expired in 2015; now Governor Murphy will bring the financial incentive program back to life.  Producers should expect a tax credit in the range of 20-30% of their qualified expenses, with a program cap limit of $75 million per year.  Clocktower Tax Credits, LLC can assist producers in monetizing the New Jersey film tax credits by securing loans against the tax credits and brokering the transferable tax credits to one of Clocktower’s Fortune 500 corporate buyers.  We are excited about this new development and look forward to helping finance many more New Jersey productions.

For more information, please contact Nathan Howe at (978) 460-4244 or NHowe@ClocktowerTC.com.

On April 16^th, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed a bill increasing the maximum amount of State Historic Credits that a prospective developer can generate from $500,000 to $3.5 million, providing an end to the recent chaos in equity markets that have plagued the state since early 2017.  Originally, Wisconsin had an uncapped credit, which led to a tremendous boost of Historic rehabilitation across the state by developers who monetized their tax credits.  In mid-2017, the Wisconsin legislature included a cap of $5 million of tax credits per project, which was line-item vetoed by Governor Walker down ten-fold to $500,000.  Through a grassroots support movement by the Wisconsin League of Municipalities and Historic Tax Credit professionals, Governor Walker reconsidered the project maximum, and boosted the upper credit limit that developers can earn to $3.5 million, effective July 2018.

The long-term stability in the Wisconsin Historic marketplace projected to begin in July has led to optimism by the Wisconsin development community, as the expected tax credit equity will lead to further growth in Wisconsin Historic Preservation.  In the prior years with a stable credit program, Wisconsin issued approximately $172 million in historic tax credits, leading to direct economic output of $832 million during the construction and stabilization phases of project development.  This economic growth across Wisconsin communities was halted with the decrease in historic projects in 2017 from the tax credit program uncertainty, so the credit cap increase has provided a useful tool in encouraging further economic growth in 2018 and the years to come.

Clocktower Tax Credits facilitates the tax credit investment process in the Badger State, from small cities like Green Bay to Milwaukee and Madison.  Our role in helping developers secure Federal and Wisconsin Tax Credit equity for their projects provides a vital source of funding for Historic developments at top-of-the-market pricing.

For more information, please contact David Curtis at (978) 440-0742 or DCurtis@ClocktowerTC.com.