To claim a general business credit, you will first have to get the forms you need to claim your current year business credits.
In addition to the credit form, you may also need to file Form 3800. See the next discussion to decide whether you need to file Form 3800.
Who must file Form 3800?
You must file Form 3800 if any of the following apply.
You have more than one of the credits listed above (other than the credit for alcohol used as a fuel (Form 6478), the empowerment zone and renewal community employment credit (Form 8844), or the renewable electricity, refined coal, and Indian coal production credit (Form 8835, Section B)).
Any of these credits (other than the low-income housing credit) is from a passive activity. For information about passive activity credits, see Form 8582-CR.
You have a carryback or carryforward of any of these credits.
The general business credit includes the credits listed under General Business Credits, the empowerment zone and renewal community employment credit (Form 8844), the alcohol fuel credit (Form 6478), and the portion of the renewable electricity, refined coal, and Indian coal production credit figured in Section B of Form 8835.
Forms 8844, 6478, and 8835 have special tax liability limits and are not reported on Form 3800. Any carryback, carryforward, and passive activity limitation of these credits is computed separately on the forms on which they are claimed.
Alternative minimum tax (AMT).
Although you may not owe AMT, you must still figure your tentative minimum tax on
Form 6251 if you claim a general business credit. After you fill in Form 6251, attach
it to your tax return.
Information courtesy of the Internal Revenue Service.
Back to General Business Credit
