Article 3. Deficiency Determinations of California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 2. >> Part 31. >> Chapter 6. >> Article 3.

If the board is not satisfied with the return made by any person, it may make a deficiency determination of the tax required to be paid by the person based upon information contained in the return or upon any information in the possession of the board. The board may make a determination for more than one period and may make one or more determinations for the same period. When a business is discontinued, a determination may be made at any time thereafter within the period specified in Section 60315, as to liability arising out of that business, irrespective of whether the determination is issued prior to the due date of the liability as otherwise specified in this part.

The board shall give the person written notice of its determination. The notice shall be placed in a sealed envelope, with postage paid, addressed to the person at that person's address as it appears in the records of the board. The giving of notice shall be deemed complete at the time of the deposit of the notice in the United States Post Office, or a mailbox, sub-post office, substation, or mail chute or other facility maintained or provided by the United States Postal Service, without extension of time for any reason. In lieu of mailing, a notice may be served personally by delivering to the person to be served and service shall be deemed complete at the time of that delivery. Personal service to a corporation may be made by delivery of a notice to any person designated in the Code of Civil Procedure to be served for the corporation with summons and complaint in a civil action.

If any part of the deficiency for which a deficiency determination is made is due to negligence or intentional disregard of this part or authorized rules and regulations, a penalty of 10 percent of the amount of the determination shall be added thereto.

If any part of the deficiency for which a deficiency determination is made is due to fraud or an intent to evade the tax, a penalty of 25 percent of the amount of the determination shall be added thereto.

All deficiency determinations, exclusive of penalty, shall bear interest at the modified adjusted rate per month, or fraction thereof, established pursuant to Section 6591.5, from the last day of the calendar month following the reporting period for which the amount or any portion thereof should have been returned until the date of payment.

Except in the case of fraud, intent to evade this part or authorized rules and regulations, or failure to make a return, every notice of a deficiency determination shall be given to the person within three years after the last day of the calendar month following the reporting period for which the amount is proposed to be determined or within three years after the return is filed, whichever period expires later. In the case of a failure to make a return, the notice of determination shall be mailed within eight years after the date the return was due.

In the case of a deficiency arising under this part during the lifetime of a decedent, a notice of deficiency determination shall be mailed within four months after written request therefor, in the form required by the board, by the fiduciary of the estate or trust or by any other person liable for the tax or any portion thereof.

If before the expiration of the time prescribed in Section 60315 for the mailing of a notice of deficiency determination the taxpayer has consented in writing to the mailing of the notice after that time, the notice may be mailed at any time prior to the expiration of the period agreed upon. The period so agreed upon may be extended by subsequent agreements in writing made before the expiration of the period previously agreed upon.