California Code, Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 24633.5

(a) In the case of any “S corporation” or personal service corporation required to change its accounting period by the federal Tax Reform Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-514) as modified by Section 10206 of Public Law 100-203 and Section 1008(e) of Public Law 100-647, that change shall be treated as initiated by the “S corporation” or personal service corporation with the consent of the Franchise Tax Board.

(b) With respect to any beneficiary, partner, or shareholder which is required to include the items from more than one taxable year of the trust, partnership, or corporation in any one taxable year, any income in excess of expenses for the short taxable year resulting from the change described in subdivision (a) or subdivision (a) of Section 17551.5 shall be taken into account ratably in each of the first four taxable years beginning after December 31, 1986, unless the beneficiary, partner, or shareholder elects to include all that income in the beneficiary's, partner' s, or shareholder's taxable year with or within which the trust's, partnership's, or corporation's short taxable year ends.

(c) The spreading of income over four years, as allowed by subdivision (b), shall not apply unless the taxpayer receives similar treatment for federal income tax purposes.

(d) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 1987, each of the following shall apply: