FTB 985 - Audit Protest Appeals (The process)

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Description

State of CaliforniaFranchise Tax BoardAudit / Protest / Appeals( T h e p r o c e s s )Mission of the Franchise Tax BoardT a b l e o f C o n t e n t sThe purpose of the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) is to collect the proper amount of tax revenue, and operate other programs entrusted to us, at the least cost; serve the public by continually improving the quality of our products and services; and Introduction / 3perform in a manner warranting the highest degree of public confidence in our integrity, efficiency, and fairness.Before the Audit / 4Audit Procedures / 5 Statement of Principles of Tax AdministrationAfter the Audit / 10 The primary function of FTB is to administer the Revenue and Taxation Code. Tax policy for raising revenue is determined by elected officials. Protesting a Notice of Proposed With this in mind, it is the duty of FTB to carry out that policy by correctly applying Assessment / 11the laws enacted by the Legislature; to determine the reasonable meaning of various code provisions in light of the legislative purpose in enacting them; and to perform Board of Equalization Appealsthis work in a fair and impartial manner, with neither a government nor a taxpayer Process / 13point of view.At the heart of administration is interpretation of the Code. It is the responsibility Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate’s of each person in FTB, charged with the duty of interpreting the law, to try to find Services / 14the true meaning of the statutory provision ...

Informations

• Publié par: Kinuc
• Nombre de lectures: 58
• Langue: English

Extrait

State of California Franchise Tax Board

Audit / Protest / Appeals ( T h e p r o c e s

T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s Introduction / 3 Before the Audit / 4

Audit Procedures / 5 After the Audit / 10 Protesting a Notice of Proposed Assessment / 11 Board of Equalization Appeals Process / 13 Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate’s Services / 14

Mission of the Franchise Tax Board The purpose of the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) is to collect the proper amount of tax revenue, and operate other programs entrusted to us, at the least cost; serve the public by continually improving the quality of our products and services; and perform in a manner warranting the highest degree of public confidence in our integrity, efficiency, and fairness.

Statement of Principles of Tax Administration The primary function of FTB is to administer the Revenue and Taxation Code. Tax policy for raising revenue is determined by elected officials. With this in mind, it is the duty of FTB to carry out that policy by correctly applying the laws enacted by the Legislature; to determine the reasonable meaning of various code provisions in light of the legislative purpose in enacting them; and to perform this work in a fair and impartial manner, with neither a government nor a taxpayer point of view. At the heart of administration is interpretation of the Code. It is the responsibility of each person in FTB, charged with the duty of interpreting the law, to try to find the true meaning of the statutory provision and not to adopt a strained construction in the belief that he or she is “protecting the revenue.” The revenue is properly protected only when the true meaning of the statute is ascertained and applied. FTB also has the responsibility of applying and administering the law in a reasonable, practical manner. Issues should only be raised when they have merit, never arbitrarily or for trading purposes. At the same time, employees should never hesitate to raise a meritorious issue. It is also important that care be exercised not to raise an issue or to ask a court to adopt a position inconsistent with an established FTB position. Administration should be both reasonable and vigorous. It should be conducted with as little delay as possible and with great courtesy and considerateness. It should never try to overreach, and should be reasonable within the bounds of law and sound administration. It should, however, be vigorous in requiring compliance with law and it should be relentless in its attack on unreal tax devices and fraud.

I n t r o d u c t i o n

We use a self-assessment system of taxation where it is your responsibility to accurately compute and report your tax lability on your tax return. Under California Revenue and Taxation Code (R&TC) Sections 19501 - 19504, FTB has developed audit programs to effectively and efficiently verify that you report the correct amount of tax due to the state of California. Our goal is to complete an audit within two years of our initial contact with you, four years from the date you file your tax return, or within a reasonable period as guided by circumstances of the audit.

Audit Objectives To meet our audit objectives, we strive to effectively and efficiently determine the correct amount of tax based on an analysis of relevant tax laws, regulations, and case law as applied to your facts. The procedures and techniques we use to timely complete an audit depend on audit standards and resource considerations. We can carry out our audit objectives and complete audits more quickly with cooperation, effective communication, and agreement from you.

Audit Process

An audit is a process to: › Identify tax issues. ›   Gather, evaluate, and document information. ›   Determine the correct tax under the law.

Determine the correct tax under the law.

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Each audit follows audit standards and resource considerations for: Legality -Ensure audit activities and determination of the correct tax agree with established laws and legal interpretations. Objectivity -Examine all relevant, available facts fairly, reasonably, practically, and without bias. Timeliness -Conduct and complete audits with minimal delay and inconvenience to taxpayers. Supportability -Adequately support the determination of the correct tax with facts and law.

Our Auditor’s Standard of Excellence ›   Correctly apply and administer the tax laws. ›   Conduct audits: Within the limits of the law. That are timely, courteous, respectful, and non-instrusive. With minimal burden and cost.

B e f o r e t h e A u d i t

When we receive your tax return, we must determine whether we should accept your tax return as filed, or start an audit. In order to make this decision, our auditors review the following items: › Federal and state tax returns.   ›   Prior audit history. ›   Income exclusions and deductions. ›   Public information. ›   Internal Revenue Service data.

A u d i t P r o c e d u r e s

Desk or Field Audit

Audits may be conducted either through desk audits or field audits. We most often perform a desk audit through written letters and secure emails. In contrast, a field audit takes place at your residence, place of business, or another location that facilitates the examination of your tax documents. The auditor will review the complexity of the tax return and choose to conduct the audit in the manner that is the most effective and efficient. In general, we perform audits involving simple tax issues which require few supporting documents through a desk audit. Complex tax transactions and large corporation tax returns typically require field audits.

Location of Field Audit A field audit generally takes place at the location of the original books, records, and source documents. In the case of a sole proprietorship or business entity, this is usually your place of business. We can conduct field audits at an FTB office, or your representative’s office, if you do not have the appropriate work area or time available at your location, or as your circumstance guides.

Designated Representative

If your tax return is selected for audit, you have the right to have someone represent you during the audit. You can designate a representative (e.g., certified public accountant, enrolled agent, tax attorney, etc.) by completing FTB 3520, Power of Attorney Declaration for the   Franchise Tax Board and providing it to the auditor. Go to ftb.ca.gov and search for Power of Attorney for specific instructions on how to file a Power of Attorney Declaration.

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Initial Contact Letter

The initial contact letter explains that your tax return was selected for audit, identifies the issues under examination, provides the name of the auditor, and requests the name and contact information for you or your designated tax representative. For field audits, the initial contact letter also asks you to provide information to schedule an audit appointment.

Audit Appointments The auditor works with you to schedule audit appointments at times and locations convenient to you and that facilitate a timely completion of the audit. Throughout the audit, the auditor reviews deadlines with you and makes adjustments to keep the audit moving towards completion.

Audit Plan The audit plan: › Provides a road map of how the audit begins, progresses, and ends. › Identifies key potential audit issues. › Helps make the audit less burdensome, less costly, and less intrusive. We encourage your participation and input during the development of the audit plan, which may reduce your concern about what to expect during the audit. For example: › Both you and the auditor will efficiently manage the fact-gathering and issues  analysis together. › You are aware of deadlines and can work with the auditor to solve problems as  early as possible. › You can provide alternative solutions to issues, such as offering different  supporting documents.  

Opening Conference

The auditor may choose to hold an opening conference or you may request one. To set the groundwork necessary to conduct an effective and efficient audit and establish lines of communication, the auditor will: › Introduce the audit participants. › Agree on a general audit plan. › Discuss audit processes and procedures. › Agree upon expected time frames. › Start developing a rapport with the individuals working on the audit.

The auditor’s supervisor may attend as needed or at your request.

Information Document Request Information Document Requests (IDR) serve to gather the facts and documents necessary to understand and verify the items you reported on your tax return. This written request provides a record of communication between you or your representative and the auditor. The IDR provides a common understanding of the items that we have requested and the items we have not received. The auditor should make sure that you or your representative: › Understand what we have requested.   › Have the opportunity to provide the necessary information to substantiate the  items that you reported on your tax return.

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  Failure to respond to IDRs does not relieve you of your responsibility to substantiate the amounts reported on your tax return. The auditor maintains and updates a master IDR log and provides a copy to you.

Audit Issue Presentation Sheet An Audit Issue Presentation Sheet (AIPS) details adjustments we propose to make to your reported tax. We prepare an AIPS for each audit issue and include a discussion of the facts, the relevant law, and the proposed adjustment. When examining several issues, the auditor may choose to prepare and distribute an AIPS for each individual issue upon completion of the examination of that particular issue. As such, you may receive several AIPS documents at various points throughout the audit process. The auditor maintains and updates a master AIPS log, and provides a copy to you.

Status Conference We hold status conferences to: › Review the audit plan. › Discuss how the audit is progressing. › Efficiently manage the fact and information gathering. › Work together to solve problems as early as possible in the process.

Closing Conference

We hold a closing conference to: › Discuss any items not already covered in status conferences. › Review the final audit results. › Outline the review process.

› Explain how we notify you of any changes made during the review process and  how we issue proposed assessments. › Provide rough estimates of time frames. Depending on the complexity of the audit, the auditor may choose to hold the closing conference in person, by telephone, or by letter.

Resolution of Disputes At any time during the audit process, you can contact the auditor’s supervisor to express your disagreement with any proposed tax changes and to work toward a resolution. We provide a list of audit supervisors in the audit plan that you receive at the beginning of the audit.

End of the Audit At the end of your audit, we provide you with the results in writing. We issue one or more of the following, as applicable: › A letter stating we accepted your tax return as you filed it and you do not owe any  additional tax. › A Notice of Proposed Assessment showing the additional tax we believe you owe. › A Notice of Overassessment or a Notice of Proposed Overassessment showing  the refund we owe you. › A Notice of Proposed Adjusted Carryover Amount showing how we reduced a  carryover item which did not result in any additional tax for the tax year  we examined. For all audit notices, you may protest or file an appeal if you do not agree with our proposed adjustments. The auditor informs you of your protest or appeal rights, either in a closing letter or during the closing conference.

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A f t e r t h e A u d i t

If you receive a Notice of Proposed Assessment and agree with the proposed change to your tax as a result of the audit, there are various payment options available for you to pay the additional tax and interest shown on the proposed assessment. Our free online Web Pay allows you to authorize payment from your bank account. Go to ftb.ca.gov and search for payment options for more information. For a fee, you can pay using major credit cards. Call 800 2PAY TAX (800.272.9829) or go   to officialpayments.com . We will update your account to reflect the changes made at audit. Do not submit Form 540X, Amended Individual Income Tax Return , or 100X, Amended Corporation Franchise or Income Tax Return .

Interest Charges Interest will continue to accrue from the date of the Notice of Proposed Assessment to the date we receive your payment. However, we will not charge any additional interest if we receive your payment in full within 15 days of the date on the notice. You do not lose your right to protest the proposed audit adjustments when you make payment. Filing a protest or appeal without making payment of the additional tax will not stop the accrual of interest. Due to workload constraints, it may take several months to resolve your protest and the accrual of interest will not stop during this protest period. The only way to avoid the imposition of additional interest is to make full payment within 15 days of the date on the notice. If we withdraw or reduce the amounts on our notice following your protest or appeal, we will pay interest on any overpaid amount as the law allows. (R&TC Sections 19041.5, 19335, and 19340 - 19343)

P r o t e s t i n g a N o t i c e o f P r o p o s e d A s s e s s m e n t

If you disagree with the proposed assessment, you can file a written protest with us by the protest by date shown on the front of the accompanying notice. If your protest is not postmarked by this date, the assessment will become final and we will bill you for the amount due, including penalties and interest. (R&TC Sections 19041 and 19042)

Your Protest Letter Your written protest must clearly state what you are protesting and must be postmarked by the protest by date shown on the front of the accompanying notice. Include: › Your name and address. › Your social security or taxpayer identification number. › The amounts and taxable years you are protesting. › A statement of facts. › Your explanation of why you believe our assessment is wrong. › Evidence/documentation that substantiates your position. › Your signature or your authorized representative’s signature. › Your daytime telephone number or your authorized representative’s name, daytime    telephone number, and mailing address. › A copy of the Notice of Proposed Assessment we sent you. › A completed FTB 3520, Power of Attorney Declaration for the Franchise Tax  Board, if you want someone to represent you during the protest process. Go to     ftb.ca.gov and search for Power of Attorney for specific instructions to complete  and file a Power of Attorney Declaration.

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