Section 6456 Of Article 1. Returns And Payments From California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 2. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 5. >> Article 1.
6456
. (a) Under regulations prescribed by the board, if:
(1) A tax liability under this part was understated by a failure
to file a return required to be filed under this part, by the
omission of an amount properly includable therein, or by erroneous
deductions or credits claimed on a return, and the understatement of
tax liability is attributable to one spouse; or any amount of the tax
reported on a return was unpaid and the nonpayment of the reported
tax liability is attributable to one spouse,
(2) The other spouse establishes that he or she did not know of,
and had no reason to know of, that understatement or nonpayment, and
(3) Taking into account whether or not the other spouse
significantly benefited directly or indirectly from the
understatement or the nonpayment and taking into account all other
facts and circumstances, it is inequitable to hold the other spouse
liable for the deficiency in tax attributable to that understatement
or nonpayment,
then the other spouse shall be relieved of liability for tax
(including interest, penalties, and other amounts) to the extent that
the liability is attributable to that understatement or nonpayment
of tax.
(b) For purposes of this section, the determination of the spouse
to whom items of understatement or nonpayment are attributable shall
be made without regard to community property laws.
(c) This section shall apply to all calendar quarters subject to
the provisions of this part, but shall not apply to any calendar
quarter that is more than five years from the final date on the
board-issued determination, five years from the return due date for
nonpayment on a return, or one year from the first contact with the
spouse making a claim under this section; or that has been closed by
res judicata, whichever is later.
(d) For purposes of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), "reason to
know" means whether or not a reasonably prudent person would have had
reason to know of the understatement or nonpayment.
(e) For purposes of this section, with respect to a failure to
file a return or an omission of an item from the return,
"attributable to one spouse" may be determined by whether a spouse
rendered substantial service as a retailer of taxable items to which
the understatement is attributable. If neither spouse rendered
substantial services as a retailer, then the attribution of
applicable items of understatement shall be treated as community
property. An erroneous deduction or credit shall be attributable to
the spouse who caused that deduction or credit to be entered on the
return.
(f) Under procedures prescribed by the board, if, taking into
account all the facts and circumstances, it is inequitable to hold
the other spouse liable for any unpaid tax or any deficiency (or any
portion of either) attributable to any item for which relief is not
available under subdivision (a), the board may relieve the other
spouse of that liability.