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- Do video games qualify?
- Do student films qualify?
- Do documentaries qualify?
- Do music videos qualify?
- Do industrials or training videos qualify?
- Will pornography qualify?
- What about post-production?
- Can a non-profit organization claim the rebate?
- Do I have to spend a minimum amount in order to qualify?
- Is there a cap on New Mexico expenditures?
- Is there an annual cap/allocated fund?
- Any caps?
- Is there a certain percentage I must film in New Mexico in order to qualify?
- Is there a certain percentage of New Mexico crew I must hire in order to qualify?
- I will film most of my movie in New Mexico, but a few scenes take place in another state. If I take my New Mexico crew with me, do I get the rebate on their salaries while they’re out of state?
- Do I have to pre-qualify or “get in line”?
- When should I apply?
- Back to that out-of-state director and producer thing…
- Must I register my production company in the State of New Mexico?
- Must I use a New Mexico producer or production company in order to qualify?
- Must I use a New Mexico bank?
- How do we receive our money?
- How long does it take to get the rebate?
- It seems too good to be true. Is it really that simple?
- I still have some unanswered questions. What do I do?
- I already did. And I still have questions.
- What qualifies?
Anything that has a New Mexico state tax attached.
- What doesn’t qualify?
Anything that doesn’t have a New Mexico state tax attached: non-profits,
governmental agencies, etc...
- In a nutshell, what are the qualifications for feature films?
The script is not obscene, you pay all of your New Mexico obligations, and you give the State of New Mexico a credit.
- Will out-of-state crew qualify?
No. However, their housing and per diem will.
- Does the rebate apply to out-of-state ATL?
Only actors and stunt performers – “performing artists.”
- What about other out-of-state ATL such as directors or producers?
Nope, just actors and stunt performers.
- Really, are you absolutely certain out-of-state directors or producers don’t qualify?
Yup, absolutely certain.
- What about New Mexican ATL?
Yes, all ATL New Mexico residents will qualify.
- I’m confused about the out-of-state actor “super loan-out” thing I’ve been hearing about. Could you explain?
In order for non-resident cast & stunt performers to qualify, a transaction with a New Mexico entity must occur, triggering a New Mexico tax, a requirement in order for the expenditure to qualify. Most productions use a “super loan-out,” a secondary company they open in a state other than New Mexico. They register this “super loan-out” to do business in New Mexico and run all of their non-resident cast salaries through this entity. New Mexico requires that the “super loan-out” pay a 5% gross receipts tax on these salaries; however this 5% is rebateable, and so you would have a net profit of 21.25%. See example below Please keep in mind that the actors must agree to file and pay New Mexico personal income tax in order for their salaries to qualify. (Note: several payroll companies can facilitate the “super loan-out” through their non-New Mexico offices.)
Other options:
- Several payroll companies can facilitate the “super loan-out” through their non-New Mexico offices
- You can also use an existing New Mexico company as the “super loan-out,” but you’re subject to a higher GRT rate, currently 6.750% in Albuquerque or 7.9375 in Santa Fe
- If you only have one or a few non-resident actors and they are willing to register their actor loan-outs in New Mexico, you can bypass the need for a “super loan-out.” The filing entity (the main production company claiming the rebate) can directly pay the actor loan-outs; however, the actor loan-outs would be required to pay the 5% GRT, and the actors themselves must still file and pay NM personal income tax.
Example using a secondary company outside of New Mexico as the Super loan-out:
Super loan-out registers to do biz in NM
Super loan-out pays Mr. Non-resident actor $100.00
Super loan-out pays NM a 5% GRT
Super loan-out has paid a total of $105.00
Filing Entity claims the 25% rebate on $105.00
Filing Entity receives rebate $26.25
Subtract the 5% GRT ($5.00) already paid and you have a net of $21.25 or 21.25%
- Is it a credit or a rebate?
Technically, New Mexico has a “refundable tax credit.” In other words, cash for
the full amount – with no brokering required. New Mexico Taxation & Revenue literally sends you a check.
- Is the tax rebate assignable?
No.
- Is the rebate on the full amount or just the tax portion?
The full amount. Example: you spend $95.00 and $5.00 on tax for a total of
$100.00. You would receive $25.00 back.
- Must I always pay tax in order for an expenditure to qualify?
No, not in all cases will you be paying the tax. Example: you rent a home to be used as a location. The homeowner will not charge you tax; however, that location fee will qualify because now the homeowner must pay income tax on that amount. Remember, it’s anything that has a state tax attached.
- Do commercials qualify?
Yes, as long as they’re a regional or national broadcast.
- Do documentaries qualify?
Yes.
- Do short films qualify?
Yes.
- Do video games qualify?
Yes, but the filing entity claiming the rebate must be an approved “film production company.”
Definition of “Film production company”: a person that produces one or more films or any part of a film.
- Do student films qualify?
Yes, as long as they're intended for exhibition and commercial exploitation.
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- Do documentaries qualify?
Yes. Same rules apply: intended for exhibition and commercial exploitation.
- Do music videos qualify?
That depends. Is the music video intended for commercial exploitation? If so, yes. If just for marketing purposes to generate record sales, no.
- Do industrials or training videos qualify?
No, unless they are intended for commercial exploitation – will they make a profit? If their purpose is “in-house” (used to train employees, etc...) no, they will not qualify.
- Will pornography qualify?
No.
- What about post-production?
Yes. Stand-alone post will even qualify. So if you film in California, but decide to
do your post in New Mexico, your post-production expenditures will qualify.
- Can a non-profit organization claim the rebate?
No, sorry, because the mechanism for receiving the rebate is filing a New Mexico
tax return, and non-profits are tax exempt.
- Do I have to spend a minimum amount in order to qualify?
No.
- Is there a cap on New Mexico expenditures?
No. The more you spend, the more you get back.
- Is there an annual cap/allocated fund?
No.
- Any caps?
Just on cast/talent. $20M cap, meaning a maximum rebate of $5M on cast/talent.
- Is there a certain percentage I must film in New Mexico in order to qualify?
No. Even if you film one day in New Mexico, the expenditures for that one day
will qualify.
- Is there a certain percentage of New Mexico crew I must hire in order to qualify?
No. But keep in mind since out-of-state crew do not qualify, the more New
Mexico crew members you hire, the greater the rebate.
- I will film most of my movie in New Mexico, but a few scenes take place in another state. If I take my New Mexico crew with me, do I get the rebate on their salaries while they’re out of state?
No.
- Do I have to pre-qualify or “get in line”?
No.
- When should I apply?
Not until you’re greenlit, meaning you're fully financed, and opening New Mexico production offices.
- Back to that out-of-state director and producer thing…
Wow, you’re pushy. Sorry, no. And Lisa is not available, and she will tell you the
same thing.
- Must I register my production company in the State of New Mexico?
No.
- Must I use a New Mexico producer or production company in order to qualify?
No.
- Must I use a New Mexico bank?
No.
- How do we receive our money?
By filing a New Mexico tax return.
- How long does it take to get the rebate?
Depending upon the amount of submissions (TRD performs audits based upon the order in which they are received) TRD projects that the average audit process will take approximately sixty (60) – seventy-five (75) days to complete; however, it is imperative to provide TRD with any documentation immediately upon request in order to stay within this timeframe. Please note this projection is not guaranteed by TRD though they make every effort to stay within this timeframe.
- It seems too good to be true. Is it really that simple?
Yes.
- I still have some unanswered questions. What do I do?
Read this entire document or review the information on our web site.
- I already did. And I still have questions.
Contact Jennifer at the New Mexico Film Office: jennifer@nmfilm.com or 505-476-5610 or Jerry Montoya, New Mexico Taxation & Revenue Dept: jerrym@state.nm.us or 505-827-0929
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