DO YOU NEED STATE TAX AMNESTY OR VALIDATION?

AMNESTY

The Council on State Taxation (COST) has updated its schedule of 2016 State Tax Amnesty programs. See here.

If you would like more information about amnesty programs versus voluntary disclosure programs, check out some of my previous posts.

VALIDATION

On a separate note, I am always trying to think of unique ways I can help companies and accounting/law firms avoid and resolve controversy. To that end, I have started a new service called RESALT.

RESALT is my second-opinion service where I review research and conclusions made by others (i.e., you, your staff or consultants). This gives you another 'set of eyes' and peace of mind when taking a position or deciding to move forward or not. 

I conduct this service at flat fee per project or per month. I review the facts, research and conclusions already reached. I then conduct additional research to validate or dispute conclusions. I provide you with a written validation, or dispute of the conclusions along with citations to my research for support.

Go here to learn more.

State Tax Notices: A Game?

State tax notices, got to love them.

I don't know about you, but I am seeing a lot more state tax notices being received by companies. Not only are they first time notices, but they are repeat notices, month after month. This is even after the taxpayer/company has responded to the first notice.

It often feels like the state taxing authority never looked at the response sent by the company.

Actually, I recently called a state taxing authority because a company received a repeat notice, and the state said they were probably six months behind on processing incoming responses/mail, etc. Therefore, the company would continue to receive a repeat notice every month until the company's initial response was processed.

Disregarding repeat notices for the moment, even the first notice a company receives gives the perception that the state taxing authority did not even look at the documents that were attached to the originally filed return. The attachments often explain or provide the information that the notice is now requesting. This causes companies and taxpayers to devote additional time and resources to explain something again and again.

Can't taxing authorities get better? Is it just a computer system gone awry? Lack of resources?

What can taxpayers do to eliminate notices and repeat notices?

I understand it isn't always the taxing authority's fault, some taxpayers don't provide adequate information. But for those that do, the notices keep coming.

Sometimes it just feels like a game. A game in which the taxing authorities just want a company or taxpayer to give up and pay the additional tax, interest and/or penalties being imposed.