Article 1. Security For Tax of California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 2. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 6. >> Article 1.

The board, whenever it deems it necessary to ensure compliance with this part, may require any person subject thereto, to place with it any security that the board may determine. Any security in the form of cash, government bonds, or insured deposits in banks or savings and loan institutions shall be held by the board in trust to be used solely in the manner provided by this section and Section 6815. The amount of the security shall be fixed by the board but, except as noted below, shall not be greater than twice the estimated average liability of persons filing returns for quarterly periods or three times the estimated average liability of persons required to file returns for monthly periods, determined in the manner that the board deems proper, or fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), whichever amount is the lesser. In case of a person who, pursuant to Section 6070 of this part, has been given notice of hearing to show cause why his or her permit or permits should not be revoked, or a person whose permit or permits has been revoked or suspended, the amount of the security shall not be greater than three times the average liability of persons filing returns for quarterly periods or five times the average liability of persons required to file returns for monthly periods, or fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), whichever amount is the lesser. The limitations herein provided apply regardless of the type of security placed with the board. The amount of the security may be increased or decreased by the board subject to the limitations herein provided. Security held by the board shall be released after a three-year period in which the person has filed all returns and paid all tax to the state or any amount of tax required to be collected and paid to the state within the time required. The board may sell the security at public auction if it becomes necessary to do so in order to recover any tax or any amount required to be collected, interest, or penalty due. Notice of the sale may be served upon the person who placed the security personally or by mail; if by mail, service shall be made in the manner prescribed for service of a notice of a deficiency determination and shall be addressed to the person at his or her address as it appears in the records of the board. Upon any sale any surplus above the amounts due shall be returned to the person who placed the security.

(a) If any person is delinquent in the payment of the amount required to be paid by him or her or in the event a determination has been made against him or her which remains unpaid, the board may, not later than three years after the payment became delinquent, or within 10 years after the last recording of an abstract under Section 6738 or the last recording or filing of a notice of state tax lien under Section 7171 of the Government Code, give notice thereof personally or by first-class mail to all persons, including any officer or department of the state or any political subdivision or agency of the state, having in their possession or under their control any credits or other personal property belonging to the delinquent, or person against whom a determination has been made which remains unpaid, or owing any debts to the delinquent or that person. In the case of any state officer, department, or agency, the notice shall be given to the officer, department, or agency prior to the time it presents the claim of the delinquent taxpayer to the Controller. After receiving the notice the persons so notified shall neither transfer nor make any other disposition of the credits, other personal property, or debts in their possession or under their control at the time they receive the notice until the board consents to a transfer or disposition or until 60 days elapse after the receipt of the notice, whichever period expires the earlier. All persons so notified shall forthwith after receipt of the notice advise the board of all those credits, other personal property, or debts in their possession, under their control, or owing by them.
  (b) If the notice seeks to prevent the transfer or other disposition of a deposit in a bank or a state or federal savings and loan association or other credits or personal property in the possession or under the control of a bank or a state or federal savings and loan association, the notice to be effective shall state the amount, interest, and penalty due from the person, and shall be delivered or mailed to the branch or office of the bank or a state or federal savings and loan association at which the deposit is carried or at which the credits or personal property is held. A bank, state or federal savings and loan association, or a state or federal credit union withholding any deposit or other credits or personal property required to be withheld in which the delinquent taxpayer and another person or persons have an interest, or held in the name of a third party or parties in which the delinquent taxpayer is ultimately determined to have no interest, is not liable therefor to any of the persons who have an interest in the deposit or other credits or personal property unless the deposit or other credits or personal property is released or transferred to the delinquent taxpayer.
  (c) In the case of a deposit or other credits or personal property for which the transfer or other disposition is prevented, the depository institution required to prevent transfer or other disposition shall send a notice by first-class mail to each person named on a deposit, other credits, or personal property included in the notice from the board, provided a current address for each person is available to the institution. This notice shall inform each person as to the reason for preventing transfer or disposition of the deposit or other credits or personal property, the amount thereof which is prevented from transfer or other disposition, and the date by which that amount is to be remitted to the board. An institution may assess the deposit or other credits or personal property of each person receiving this notice a reasonable service charge not to exceed three dollars ($3).
  (d) Notwithstanding any other provision, with respect to a deposit in a bank or other credits or personal property in the possession or under the control of a bank or a state or federal savings and loan association, the aggregate amount of deposits, credits, or personal property to be withheld shall be an amount equal to two times the amount of the tax, interest, or penalty due from the person. If, during the effective period of the notice to withhold, any person so notified makes any transfer or disposition of the property or debts required to be withheld, to the extent of the value of the property or the amount of the debts thus transferred or paid he or she shall be liable to the state for any indebtedness due under this part from the person with respect to whose obligation the notice was given if solely by reason of that transfer or disposition the state is unable to recover the indebtedness of the person with respect to whose obligation the notice was given.

(a) Subject to the limitations in subdivisions (b) and (c), the board may by notice of levy, served personally or by first-class mail, require all persons having in their possession, or under their control, any credits or other personal property belonging to a retailer or other person liable for any amount under this part to withhold from such credits or other personal property the amount of any tax, interest, or penalties due from such retailer or other person, or the amount of any liability incurred by them under this part, and to transmit the amount withheld to the board at such times as it may designate. The notice of levy shall have the same effect as a levy pursuant to a writ of execution.
  (b) The person served shall continue to withhold pursuant to the notice of levy until the amount specified in the notice, including accrued interest, has been paid in full, until the notice is withdrawn, or until one year from the date the notice is received, whichever occurs first.
  (c) The amount required to be withheld is the lesser of the following:
  (1) The amount due stated on the notice.
  (2) The amount of each payment due or becoming due to the retailer or other person liable during the period of the levy.
  (d) For the purposes of this section, the term "payments" does not include earnings as that term is defined in subdivision (a) of Section 706.011 of the Code of Civil Procedure or funds in a deposit account as defined in paragraph (29) of subdivision (a) of Section 9102 of the Commercial Code. The term "payments" does include any of the following:
  (1) Payments due for services of independent contractors, dividends, rents, royalties, residuals, patent rights, mineral or other natural rights.
  (2) Payments or credits due or becoming due periodically as a result of an enforceable obligation to the retailer or other person liable for the tax.
  (3) Any other payments or credits due or becoming due the retailer or other person liable as the result of written or oral contracts for services or sales whether denominated as wages, salary, commission, bonus, or otherwise.
  (e) In the case of a financial institution, to be effective, the notice shall state the amount due from the taxpayer and shall be delivered or mailed to the branch or office of the financial institution where the credits or other property is held, unless another branch or office is designated by the financial institution to receive the notice.

(a) Notwithstanding Article 7 (commencing with Section 706.151) of Chapter 5 of Title 9 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, if the board determines upon receiving information from a retailer or other person liable for any amount under this part that the person's employer withheld earnings for taxes pursuant to Section 6703 and failed to remit the withheld earnings to the board, the employer shall be liable for the amount not remitted. The board's determination shall be based on payroll documents or other substantiating evidence furnished by the person liable for the tax.
  (b) Upon its determination, the board shall mail notice to the employer at its last known address that upon failure to remit the withheld earnings to the board within 15 days of the date of its notice to the employer, the employer shall be liable for that amount which was withheld and not remitted.
  (c) If the employer fails to remit the amount withheld to the board upon notice, that amount for which the employer is liable shall be determined, collected, and paid as though it were a tax deficiency. The amount may be assessed at any time prior to seven years from the first day that the unremitted amount, in the aggregate, was first withheld. Interest shall accrue on that amount from the first day that the unremitted amount, in the aggregate, was first withheld.
  (d) When the determination against the employer is final and due and payable, the person's account shall be immediately credited with an amount equal to that determined amount as though it were a payment received by the board on the first date that the unremitted amount, in the aggregate, was first withheld by the employer.
  (e) Collection against the person liable for the tax is stayed for both the following amount and period:
  (1) An amount equal to the amount determined by the board under subdivision (a).
  (2) The earlier of the time the credit is applied to the person's account pursuant to subdivision (d) or the determination against the employer is withdrawn or revised and the person is notified by the board thereof.
  (f) If under this section an amount that was withheld and not remitted to the board is final and due and payable by the employer and credited to the person's account, this remedy shall be the exclusive remedy for the person to recover that amount from the employer.
  (g) This section shall apply to determinations made by the board on or after the effective date of the act adding this section.