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Article 6. Closing Agreements of California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 2. >> Part 10.2. >> Chapter 6. >> Article 6.
(a) The Franchise Tax Board or any person authorized in
writing by the Franchise Tax Board is authorized to enter into an
agreement in writing with any person (or the person or estate for
whom that person acts) in respect of any tax, interest, penalty, or
addition to tax levied under Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001),
Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001), or this part for any
taxable period.
(b) If the agreement is approved by the Franchise Tax Board, itself, within the time as may be stated in the agreement, or later agreed to, the agreement shall be final and conclusive, and except upon a showing of fraud or malfeasance, or misrepresentation of a material fact:
(1) The case shall not be reopened as to the matters agreed upon or the agreement modified, by any officer, employee, or agent of the state, and
(2) In any suit, action, or proceeding, the agreement, or any determination, assessment, collection, payment, abatement, refund, or credit made in accordance therewith, shall not be annulled, modified, set aside, or disregarded.
(b) If the agreement is approved by the Franchise Tax Board, itself, within the time as may be stated in the agreement, or later agreed to, the agreement shall be final and conclusive, and except upon a showing of fraud or malfeasance, or misrepresentation of a material fact:
(1) The case shall not be reopened as to the matters agreed upon or the agreement modified, by any officer, employee, or agent of the state, and
(2) In any suit, action, or proceeding, the agreement, or any determination, assessment, collection, payment, abatement, refund, or credit made in accordance therewith, shall not be annulled, modified, set aside, or disregarded.
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the Franchise
Tax Board, its staff, and the Attorney General pursue settlements as
authorized under this section with respect to civil tax matters in
dispute that are the subject of protests, appeals, or refund claims,
consistent with a reasonable evaluation of the costs and risks
associated with litigation of these matters.
(b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (3) and subject to paragraph (2), the executive officer or chief counsel, if authorized by the executive officer, of the Franchise Tax Board may recommend to the Franchise Tax Board, itself, a settlement of any civil tax matter in dispute.
(2) No recommendation of settlement shall be submitted to the Franchise Tax Board, itself, unless and until that recommendation has been submitted by the executive officer or chief counsel to the Attorney General. Within 30 days of receiving that recommendation, the Attorney General shall review the recommendation and advise in writing the executive officer or chief counsel of the Franchise Tax Board of his or her conclusions as to whether the recommendation is reasonable from an overall perspective. The executive officer or chief counsel shall, with each recommendation of settlement submitted to the Franchise Tax Board, itself, also submit the Attorney General' s written conclusions obtained pursuant to this paragraph.
(3) (A) A settlement of any civil tax matter in dispute involving a reduction of tax or penalties in settlement, the total of which reduction of tax and penalties in settlement does not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500), may be approved by the executive officer and chief counsel, jointly. The executive officer shall notify the Franchise Tax Board, itself, of any settlement approved pursuant to this paragraph.
(B) On January 1 of each calendar year beginning on or after January 1, 2004, the Franchise Tax Board shall increase the amount specified in subparagraph (A) to the amount computed under this subparagraph. That adjustment shall be made as follows:
(i) The Department of Industrial Relations shall transmit annually to the Franchise Tax Board the percentage change in the California Consumer Price Index, as modified for rental equivalent homeownership for all items, from June of the prior calendar year to June of the current calendar year, no later than August 1 of the current calendar year.
(ii) The Franchise Tax Board shall then:
(I) Compute the percentage change in the California Consumer Price Index from the later of June 2003 or June of the calendar year prior to the last increase in the amount specified in subparagraph (A).
(II) Compute the inflation adjustment factor by adding 100 percent to the percentage change so computed, and converting the resulting percentage to the decimal equivalent.
(III) Multiply the amount specified in subparagraph (A) for the immediately preceding calendar year, as adjusted under this paragraph, by the inflation adjustment factor determined in subclause (II), and round off the resulting product to the nearest one hundred dollars ($100).
(c) Whenever a reduction of tax or penalties or total tax and penalties in settlement in excess of five hundred dollars ($500) is approved pursuant to this section, there shall be placed on file in the office of the executive officer of the Franchise Tax Board a public record with respect to that settlement. The public record shall include all of the following information:
(1) The name or names of the taxpayers who are parties to the settlement.
(2) The total amount in dispute.
(3) The amount agreed to pursuant to the settlement.
(4) A summary of the reasons why the settlement is in the best interests of the State of California.
(5) For any settlement approved by the Franchise Tax Board, itself, the Attorney General's conclusion as to whether the recommendation of settlement was reasonable from an overall perspective. The public record shall not include any information that relates to any trade secret, patent, process, style of work, apparatus, business secret, or organizational structure, that if disclosed, would adversely affect the taxpayer or the national defense.
(d) The members of the Franchise Tax Board shall not participate in the settlement of tax matters pursuant to this section, except as provided in subdivision (e).
(e) (1) Any recommendation for settlement shall be approved or disapproved by the Franchise Tax Board, itself, within 45 days of the submission of that recommendation. Any recommendation for settlement that is not either approved or disapproved by the Franchise Tax Board, itself, within 45 days of the submission of that recommendation shall be deemed approved. Upon approval of a recommendation for settlement, the matter shall be referred back to the executive officer or chief counsel in accordance with the decision of the Franchise Tax Board.
(2) Disapproval of a recommendation for settlement shall be made only by a majority vote of the Franchise Tax Board. Where the Franchise Tax Board disapproves a recommendation for settlement, the matter shall be remanded to Franchise Tax Board staff for further negotiation, and may be resubmitted to the Franchise Tax Board, in the same manner and subject to the same requirements as the initial submission, at the discretion of the executive officer or chief counsel.
(f) (1) All settlements entered into pursuant to this section shall be final and nonappealable, except upon a showing of fraud or misrepresentation with respect to a material fact.
(2) A settlement may include matters that may otherwise be included in an agreement under Section 19441.
(3) Settlements pursuant to this section do not preclude assessments or refunds under Section 19059, 19060, or 19311 (relating to application of federal adjustments).
(g) (1) Any proceedings undertaken by the Franchise Tax Board itself pursuant to a settlement as described in this section shall be conducted in a closed session or sessions.
(2) Except as provided in subdivision (c), any settlement entered into pursuant to this section shall constitute confidential tax information for purposes of Article 2 (commencing with Section 19542) of Chapter 7.
(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no evidence of an offer of settlement made during settlement negotiations is admissible in any adjudicative proceeding or civil action, including, without limitation, any appeal to the board, whether as affirmative evidence, by way of impeachment, or for any other purpose, and no evidence of conduct or statements related to the settlement negotiations is admissible to prove liability for any tax, penalty, fee, or interest, except to the extent provided for in Section 1152 of the Evidence Code.
(4) A settlement approved by the Franchise Tax Board, itself, shall be final and conclusive, to the same extent as an agreement under Section 19441 approved by the Franchise Tax Board, itself.
(h) This section shall apply only to civil tax matters in dispute existing on or after the effective date of the act adding this subdivision.
(i) The Legislature finds that it is essential for fiscal purposes that the settlement program authorized by this section be expeditiously implemented. Accordingly, Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code shall not apply to any determination, rule, notice, or guideline established or issued by the Franchise Tax Board in implementing and administering the settlement program authorized by this section.
(j) The amendments made to this section by Section 1 of Chapter 258 of the Statutes of 2002 shall apply to any settlements approved on or after January 1, 2003.
(k) The amendments made to this section by the act adding this subdivision shall apply to any settlement negotiations entered into on or after the date of enactment, without regard to a taxable year.
(b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (3) and subject to paragraph (2), the executive officer or chief counsel, if authorized by the executive officer, of the Franchise Tax Board may recommend to the Franchise Tax Board, itself, a settlement of any civil tax matter in dispute.
(2) No recommendation of settlement shall be submitted to the Franchise Tax Board, itself, unless and until that recommendation has been submitted by the executive officer or chief counsel to the Attorney General. Within 30 days of receiving that recommendation, the Attorney General shall review the recommendation and advise in writing the executive officer or chief counsel of the Franchise Tax Board of his or her conclusions as to whether the recommendation is reasonable from an overall perspective. The executive officer or chief counsel shall, with each recommendation of settlement submitted to the Franchise Tax Board, itself, also submit the Attorney General' s written conclusions obtained pursuant to this paragraph.
(3) (A) A settlement of any civil tax matter in dispute involving a reduction of tax or penalties in settlement, the total of which reduction of tax and penalties in settlement does not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500), may be approved by the executive officer and chief counsel, jointly. The executive officer shall notify the Franchise Tax Board, itself, of any settlement approved pursuant to this paragraph.
(B) On January 1 of each calendar year beginning on or after January 1, 2004, the Franchise Tax Board shall increase the amount specified in subparagraph (A) to the amount computed under this subparagraph. That adjustment shall be made as follows:
(i) The Department of Industrial Relations shall transmit annually to the Franchise Tax Board the percentage change in the California Consumer Price Index, as modified for rental equivalent homeownership for all items, from June of the prior calendar year to June of the current calendar year, no later than August 1 of the current calendar year.
(ii) The Franchise Tax Board shall then:
(I) Compute the percentage change in the California Consumer Price Index from the later of June 2003 or June of the calendar year prior to the last increase in the amount specified in subparagraph (A).
(II) Compute the inflation adjustment factor by adding 100 percent to the percentage change so computed, and converting the resulting percentage to the decimal equivalent.
(III) Multiply the amount specified in subparagraph (A) for the immediately preceding calendar year, as adjusted under this paragraph, by the inflation adjustment factor determined in subclause (II), and round off the resulting product to the nearest one hundred dollars ($100).
(c) Whenever a reduction of tax or penalties or total tax and penalties in settlement in excess of five hundred dollars ($500) is approved pursuant to this section, there shall be placed on file in the office of the executive officer of the Franchise Tax Board a public record with respect to that settlement. The public record shall include all of the following information:
(1) The name or names of the taxpayers who are parties to the settlement.
(2) The total amount in dispute.
(3) The amount agreed to pursuant to the settlement.
(4) A summary of the reasons why the settlement is in the best interests of the State of California.
(5) For any settlement approved by the Franchise Tax Board, itself, the Attorney General's conclusion as to whether the recommendation of settlement was reasonable from an overall perspective. The public record shall not include any information that relates to any trade secret, patent, process, style of work, apparatus, business secret, or organizational structure, that if disclosed, would adversely affect the taxpayer or the national defense.
(d) The members of the Franchise Tax Board shall not participate in the settlement of tax matters pursuant to this section, except as provided in subdivision (e).
(e) (1) Any recommendation for settlement shall be approved or disapproved by the Franchise Tax Board, itself, within 45 days of the submission of that recommendation. Any recommendation for settlement that is not either approved or disapproved by the Franchise Tax Board, itself, within 45 days of the submission of that recommendation shall be deemed approved. Upon approval of a recommendation for settlement, the matter shall be referred back to the executive officer or chief counsel in accordance with the decision of the Franchise Tax Board.
(2) Disapproval of a recommendation for settlement shall be made only by a majority vote of the Franchise Tax Board. Where the Franchise Tax Board disapproves a recommendation for settlement, the matter shall be remanded to Franchise Tax Board staff for further negotiation, and may be resubmitted to the Franchise Tax Board, in the same manner and subject to the same requirements as the initial submission, at the discretion of the executive officer or chief counsel.
(f) (1) All settlements entered into pursuant to this section shall be final and nonappealable, except upon a showing of fraud or misrepresentation with respect to a material fact.
(2) A settlement may include matters that may otherwise be included in an agreement under Section 19441.
(3) Settlements pursuant to this section do not preclude assessments or refunds under Section 19059, 19060, or 19311 (relating to application of federal adjustments).
(g) (1) Any proceedings undertaken by the Franchise Tax Board itself pursuant to a settlement as described in this section shall be conducted in a closed session or sessions.
(2) Except as provided in subdivision (c), any settlement entered into pursuant to this section shall constitute confidential tax information for purposes of Article 2 (commencing with Section 19542) of Chapter 7.
(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no evidence of an offer of settlement made during settlement negotiations is admissible in any adjudicative proceeding or civil action, including, without limitation, any appeal to the board, whether as affirmative evidence, by way of impeachment, or for any other purpose, and no evidence of conduct or statements related to the settlement negotiations is admissible to prove liability for any tax, penalty, fee, or interest, except to the extent provided for in Section 1152 of the Evidence Code.
(4) A settlement approved by the Franchise Tax Board, itself, shall be final and conclusive, to the same extent as an agreement under Section 19441 approved by the Franchise Tax Board, itself.
(h) This section shall apply only to civil tax matters in dispute existing on or after the effective date of the act adding this subdivision.
(i) The Legislature finds that it is essential for fiscal purposes that the settlement program authorized by this section be expeditiously implemented. Accordingly, Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code shall not apply to any determination, rule, notice, or guideline established or issued by the Franchise Tax Board in implementing and administering the settlement program authorized by this section.
(j) The amendments made to this section by Section 1 of Chapter 258 of the Statutes of 2002 shall apply to any settlements approved on or after January 1, 2003.
(k) The amendments made to this section by the act adding this subdivision shall apply to any settlement negotiations entered into on or after the date of enactment, without regard to a taxable year.
(a) (1) The Executive Officer and Chief Counsel of the
Franchise Tax Board, jointly, or their delegates, may compromise any
final tax liability in which the reduction of tax is seven thousand
five hundred dollars ($7,500) or less.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), the Franchise Tax Board, upon recommendation by its executive officer and chief counsel, jointly, may compromise a final tax liability involving a reduction in tax in excess of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500). Any recommendation for approval of an offer in compromise that is not either approved or disapproved by the Franchise Tax Board, itself, within 45 days of the submission of the recommendation shall be deemed approved.
(3) The Franchise Tax Board, itself, may by resolution delegate to the executive officer and the chief counsel, jointly, the authority to compromise a final tax liability in which the reduction of tax is in excess of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) but less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000).
(b) For purposes of this section, "a final tax liability" means any final tax liability arising under Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001) or Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001) or related interest, additions to tax, penalties, or other amounts assessed under this part.
(c) For an amount to be compromised under this section, the following conditions shall exist:
(1) The taxpayer shall establish that the:
(A) Amount offered in payment is the most that can be expected to be paid or collected from the taxpayer's present assets or income, and
(B) Taxpayer does not have reasonable prospects of acquiring increased income or assets that would enable the taxpayer to satisfy a greater amount of the liability than the amount offered, within a reasonable period of time.
(2) The Franchise Tax Board shall have determined that acceptance of the compromise is in the best interest of the state.
(d) A determination by the Franchise Tax Board that it would not be in the best interest of the state to accept an offer in compromise in satisfaction of a final tax liability shall not be subject to administrative appeal or judicial review.
(e) When an offer in compromise is either accepted or rejected, or the terms and conditions of a compromise agreement are fulfilled, the Franchise Tax Board shall notify the taxpayer in writing.
(f) In the case of a joint and several liability, the acceptance of an offer in compromise from one liable spouse shall not relieve the other spouse from paying the entire liability. However, the amount of the liability shall be reduced by the amount of the accepted offer.
(g) Whenever a compromise of tax or penalties or total tax and penalties in excess of five hundred dollars ($500) is approved, there shall be placed on file for at least one year in the office of the Executive Officer of the Franchise Tax Board a public record with respect to that compromise. The public record shall include all of the following information:
(1) The name of the taxpayer.
(2) The amount of unpaid tax, and related penalties, additions to tax, interest, or other amounts involved.
(3) The amount offered.
(4) A summary of the reason why the compromise is in the best interest of the state. The public record shall not include any information that relates to any trade secret, patent, process, style of work, apparatus, business secret, or organizational structure, that if disclosed, would adversely affect the taxpayer or the national defense. No list shall be prepared and no releases distributed by the Franchise Tax Board in connection with these statements.
(h) Any compromise made under this section may be rescinded, all compromised liabilities may be reestablished (without regard to any statute of limitations that otherwise may be applicable), and no portion of the amount offered in compromise refunded, if either of the following occurs:
(1) The Franchise Tax Board determines that any person did any of the following acts regarding the making of the offer:
(A) Concealed from the Franchise Tax Board any property belonging to the estate of any taxpayer or other person liable for the tax.
(B) Received, withheld, destroyed, mutilated, or falsified any book, document, or record or made any false statement, relating to the estate or financial condition of the taxpayer or other person liable for the tax.
(2) The taxpayer fails to either:
(A) Comply with any of the terms and conditions relative to the offer.
(B) File subsequent required returns and pay subsequent final tax liabilities within 20 days after the Franchise Tax Board issues notice and demand to the person stating that the continued failure to file or pay the tax may result in rescission of the compromise.
(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, if the Franchise Tax Board determines that any portion of an application for an offer in compromise or installment agreement submitted under this section or Section 19008 meets the requirements of clause (i) or (ii) of Section 6702(b)(2)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code, as modified by Section 19179, then the Franchise Tax Board may treat that portion as if it were never submitted and that portion shall not be subject to any further administrative or judicial review.
(j) This section shall become operative on the effective date of Chapter 931 of the Statutes of 1999 without regard to the taxable year at issue.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), the Franchise Tax Board, upon recommendation by its executive officer and chief counsel, jointly, may compromise a final tax liability involving a reduction in tax in excess of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500). Any recommendation for approval of an offer in compromise that is not either approved or disapproved by the Franchise Tax Board, itself, within 45 days of the submission of the recommendation shall be deemed approved.
(3) The Franchise Tax Board, itself, may by resolution delegate to the executive officer and the chief counsel, jointly, the authority to compromise a final tax liability in which the reduction of tax is in excess of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) but less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000).
(b) For purposes of this section, "a final tax liability" means any final tax liability arising under Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001) or Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001) or related interest, additions to tax, penalties, or other amounts assessed under this part.
(c) For an amount to be compromised under this section, the following conditions shall exist:
(1) The taxpayer shall establish that the:
(A) Amount offered in payment is the most that can be expected to be paid or collected from the taxpayer's present assets or income, and
(B) Taxpayer does not have reasonable prospects of acquiring increased income or assets that would enable the taxpayer to satisfy a greater amount of the liability than the amount offered, within a reasonable period of time.
(2) The Franchise Tax Board shall have determined that acceptance of the compromise is in the best interest of the state.
(d) A determination by the Franchise Tax Board that it would not be in the best interest of the state to accept an offer in compromise in satisfaction of a final tax liability shall not be subject to administrative appeal or judicial review.
(e) When an offer in compromise is either accepted or rejected, or the terms and conditions of a compromise agreement are fulfilled, the Franchise Tax Board shall notify the taxpayer in writing.
(f) In the case of a joint and several liability, the acceptance of an offer in compromise from one liable spouse shall not relieve the other spouse from paying the entire liability. However, the amount of the liability shall be reduced by the amount of the accepted offer.
(g) Whenever a compromise of tax or penalties or total tax and penalties in excess of five hundred dollars ($500) is approved, there shall be placed on file for at least one year in the office of the Executive Officer of the Franchise Tax Board a public record with respect to that compromise. The public record shall include all of the following information:
(1) The name of the taxpayer.
(2) The amount of unpaid tax, and related penalties, additions to tax, interest, or other amounts involved.
(3) The amount offered.
(4) A summary of the reason why the compromise is in the best interest of the state. The public record shall not include any information that relates to any trade secret, patent, process, style of work, apparatus, business secret, or organizational structure, that if disclosed, would adversely affect the taxpayer or the national defense. No list shall be prepared and no releases distributed by the Franchise Tax Board in connection with these statements.
(h) Any compromise made under this section may be rescinded, all compromised liabilities may be reestablished (without regard to any statute of limitations that otherwise may be applicable), and no portion of the amount offered in compromise refunded, if either of the following occurs:
(1) The Franchise Tax Board determines that any person did any of the following acts regarding the making of the offer:
(A) Concealed from the Franchise Tax Board any property belonging to the estate of any taxpayer or other person liable for the tax.
(B) Received, withheld, destroyed, mutilated, or falsified any book, document, or record or made any false statement, relating to the estate or financial condition of the taxpayer or other person liable for the tax.
(2) The taxpayer fails to either:
(A) Comply with any of the terms and conditions relative to the offer.
(B) File subsequent required returns and pay subsequent final tax liabilities within 20 days after the Franchise Tax Board issues notice and demand to the person stating that the continued failure to file or pay the tax may result in rescission of the compromise.
(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, if the Franchise Tax Board determines that any portion of an application for an offer in compromise or installment agreement submitted under this section or Section 19008 meets the requirements of clause (i) or (ii) of Section 6702(b)(2)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code, as modified by Section 19179, then the Franchise Tax Board may treat that portion as if it were never submitted and that portion shall not be subject to any further administrative or judicial review.
(j) This section shall become operative on the effective date of Chapter 931 of the Statutes of 1999 without regard to the taxable year at issue.
