Two recent announcements from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR) offer businesses taxpayers easier and expanded access to account information and give all taxpayers a limited-time opportunity to come into compliance.
Electronic Statements of Account Now Available
Earlier this month, the DOR announced a new component of e-TIDES, its online business tax system: the ability to electronically request and receive statements of accounts.
Previously, business taxpayers or tax practitioners were limited to requesting this information by phone or in writing, and would receive a hard copy of their statement via U.S. mail. Effective August 1, 2016, this electronic request and delivery method saves taxpayers time and cuts down on the expense of printing and mailing what often is a lengthy document. Now, electronic statements of account can be requested at any time, and the PDF version will be available for print or download within one business day.
Using the electronic statement, taxpayers can access real-time and detailed information about their accounts, including recent payments, outstanding liabilities or payments, open appeals, unused credits and more.
The DOR consulted business taxpayers and tax practitioners, including RKL’s State and Local Tax team, as it crafted this functionality to ensure the needs, insights and concerns of these groups were incorporated into the system. The result is a fast and easy-to-use tool that provides timely and comprehensive tax information critical to keeping client accounts up-to-date.
Taxpayers or practitioners should log in or register with e-TIDES to access the electronic statement option.
2017 Pennsylvania Tax Amnesty Program
Another new initiative from the DOR stems from the 2016-17 Pennsylvania budget agreement signed into law in July 2016. The budget provided for a 60-day period during which taxpayers could come into compliance with reduced interest and waived penalties.
The DOR recently issued the timeframe and specific guidelines for Pennsylvania’s Tax Amnesty Program. Between April 21, 2017 and June 19, 2017, business and individual taxpayers with delinquencies as of December 31, 2015, are eligible to file and pay tax liabilities with no penalties and only half the amount of interest imposed.
It is important to note that even though delinquencies from periods subsequent to December 31, 2015, are not eligible for the beneficial treatment of the 2017 Amnesty Program, they must be filed in order for the taxpayer to be admitted into the program.
The 2017 Tax Amnesty Program will apply to a wide range of tax types, from sales and use to gross receipts and corporate net income. The DOR published a full list of eligible tax types in its program guidelines and frequently asked questions, with more information to follow as the start date approaches.
These two recent developments are significant for taxpayer transparency and compliance. RKL’s State and Local Tax team is here to help businesses access electronic statements or provide more detailed information on the 2017 Tax Amnesty Program as it become available. Contact us to start the conversation.
