If you can't use part or all of your
general business credit because of the tax
liability limit carry the unused credit back one
year.
Per the instructions IRS for Form 3800:
"To carry back an unused credit, file
an amended return (Form 1040X,
Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax
Return, Form 1120X, Amended U.S.
Corporation Income Tax Return, or other
amended return) for the prior tax year or
an application for tentative refund (Form
1045, Application for Tentative Refund, or
Form 1139, Corporation Application for
Tentative Refund).
Generally, if you file an
application for a tentative refund, it must
be filed by the end of the tax year following
the tax year in which the credit arose.
No part of the unused credit for
any year attributable to any credit
can be carried back to any tax
year before the first tax year for which that
credit was first allowable.
If you have an unused credit after
carrying it back 1 year, carry it forward to
each of the 20 tax years after the year of
the credit. Any qualified business credits
(as defined in section 196(c)) that are
unused after the last tax year of the
20-year carryforward period (or at the time
an individual taxpayer dies or other
taxpayer, such as a corporation or
partnership, ceases to exist) may be taken
as a deduction in the earlier of:
The tax year following the last tax year
of the 20-year carryforward period, or
The tax year in which the individual
taxpayer dies or other taxpayer ceases to
exist.
For more information, please see the instructions for IRS Form 3800 - "General Business Credit" which can be accessed at the following link: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i3800.pdf:
