(1) If the Department of Revenue determines pursuant to ORS § 305.270 that the amount of the tax due is less than the amount theretofore paid, the excess shall be refunded by the department with interest at the rate established under ORS § 305.220 for a period beginning 45 days after the due date of the return or the date the tax was paid, or, in the case of a return filed under ORS § 118.100, the date that the return is filed, whichever is later, and ending at the time the refund is made.

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(2)(a) The department may not allow or make a refund after three years from the time the return was filed, or two years from the time the tax (or a portion of the tax) was paid, whichever period expires later, unless before the expiration of this period a claim for refund is filed by the taxpayer in compliance with ORS § 305.270. In any case, if the original return is not filed within three years of the due date, excluding extensions, of the return, the department may allow or make a refund only of amounts paid within two years from the date of the filing of the claim for refund. If a refund is disallowed for the tax year during which excess tax was paid for any reason set forth in this subsection, the department may not allow the excess as a credit against any tax occurring on a return filed for a subsequent year.

(b) The department may not make a refund if the tax owed, after offsets, is less than $1.

(c) If a taxpayer would qualify under section 6511(h) of the Internal Revenue Code for a suspension of the running of the periods specified for filing a claim for refund of federal income tax, the period specified in paragraph (a) of this subsection shall also be suspended.

(d) The department may not pay an employee interest on a refund of a tax withheld by an employer if the interest would be for any period prior to the time the employee files a personal income tax return for the tax year involved or for any period prior to the day that is 45 days after the date when the employee’s annual return for that year was filed or was due, whichever is later.

(e) The department may not pay interest on a refund of estimated tax paid under ORS § 314.505 to 314.525 or 316.557 to 316.589 if the interest would be for any period prior to the time the taxpayer files a tax return for the tax year involved or for any period prior to the day that is 45 days after the date when the tax return for that year was filed or was due, whichever is later.

(f) The amount of the refund, exclusive of interest on the refund, may not exceed the portion of the tax paid during the period preceding the filing of the claim or, if no claim is filed, then during the period preceding the allowance of the refund during which a claim might have been filed. Where there has been an overpayment of any tax imposed, the amount of the overpayment and interest on the overpayment shall be credited against any tax, penalty or interest then due from the taxpayer, and only the balance shall be refunded.

(g) Except as provided in ORS § 305.265 (12), if, pursuant to a notice of deficiency or assessment, the taxpayer pays the amount specified in the notice, or any part thereof, and if, upon appeal, the Oregon Tax Court or the Oregon Supreme Court orders that all or any part of the deficiency amount specified in the notice and paid by the taxpayer be refunded, the amount so ordered to be refunded shall bear interest at the rate established for refunds in ORS § 305.220. Interest shall be computed from the date of payment to the department. Nothing in this subsection shall require that interest be paid upon any amount for any period for which interest upon the same amount for the same period is required to be paid under ORS § 305.419.

(3)(a) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in ORS § 305.265 or 305.270 or subsection (1) or (2) of this section, if, prior to the expiration of the period prescribed in subsection (2) of this section, the department and the taxpayer consent in writing to the refund of tax after the expiration of the period prescribed:

(A) The department shall make the refund prior to the expiration of the period agreed upon; and

(B) The department may not make or allow a refund after the expiration of the period agreed upon unless a claim for refund is filed by the taxpayer before the expiration of the period agreed upon in compliance with the manner prescribed by the department. The period so agreed upon may be extended by subsequent agreements in writing made before the expiration of the period previously agreed upon.

(b) The department may consent to extend the period during which a refund may be made only if the taxpayer has consented to the assessment of additional tax, if additional taxes are determined upon audit, after the expiration of the applicable period prescribed in ORS § 314.410 (1) to (3).

(4)(a) If the claim for credit or refund relates to an overpayment on account of the deductibility by the taxpayer, or by a partnership, of the worthlessness of a share of stock in a corporation, of the right to subscribe for or to receive a share of stock in a corporation, or of a debt, in lieu of the three-year period of limitation prescribed in subsection (2) of this section, the period shall be seven years from the date prescribed by law for the filing of the return for the year with respect to which the claim is made.

(b) If the claim described in paragraph (a) of this subsection is made after the expiration of the three-year period prescribed in subsection (2) of this section, the department may not allow interest with respect to any credit or refund determined to be due upon the claim for the period beginning at the close of the three-year period prescribed in subsection (2) of this section and ending at the expiration of six months after the date on which the claim is filed.

(5)(a) If the claim for credit or refund relates to an overpayment attributable to a net operating loss carryback or a net capital loss carryback, in lieu of the three-year period of limitation prescribed in subsection (2) of this section, the period shall be the period that ends three years after the time prescribed by law for filing the return (including extensions) for the taxable year of the net operating loss or net capital loss that results in such carryback. In the case of such a claim, the amount of the credit or refund may exceed the portion of the tax paid within the period provided in subsection (1), (2) or (3) of this section, whichever is applicable, to the extent of the amount of the overpayment attributable to the carryback. If the allowance of a credit or refund of an overpayment of tax attributable to a net operating loss carryback or a net capital loss carryback is otherwise prevented by the operation of any law or rule of law other than ORS § 305.150, relating to closing agreements, the credit or refund may be allowed or made if the claim for credit or refund is filed within the period provided in this subsection. To the extent that the carryback was not an issue in any proceeding in which the determination of a court, including the Oregon Tax Court, has become final, the claimed credit or refund applicable to that carryback may be allowed or made under this subsection.

(b) For purposes of subsection (1) or (2) of this section, if any overpayment of tax results from a carryback of a net operating loss or net capital loss, the overpayment shall be deemed not to have been made prior to the later of:

(A) The due date of the return for the taxable year in which such net operating loss or net capital loss arises;

(B) The date the return for the year in which the net operating loss or net capital loss arises is filed; or

(C) The date of filing of the return for the year to which the net operating loss or net capital loss is carried back.

(6) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in ORS § 305.265 or 305.270 or this section, if the taxpayer has agreed with the United States Commissioner of Internal Revenue for an extension, or a renewal of an extension, of the period for proposing and assessing deficiencies in federal income tax for any year, the period within which a claim for credit or refund may be filed or credit or refund allowed or made if no claim is filed shall be the period provided within subsections (1) to (5) of this section or six months after the date of the expiration of the agreed period for assessing deficiency in federal income tax, whichever period expires later.

(7) If a joint return is filed, the department may make separate refunds at the request of either spouse. The separate refunds shall bear the same proportion to the total refund as the adjusted gross income of each spouse bears to the adjusted gross income of both spouses, or as otherwise determined by the department.

(8) If a taxpayer entitled to a refund under subsection (1) of this section dies, the department may issue a draft for payment of such refund under the terms and conditions set out in ORS § 293.490 to 293.500 exercising the same powers and subject to the same restrictions pursuant to which the State Treasurer is authorized to pay the amounts of warrants, checks or orders under those statutes. [1957 c.632 § 15 (enacted in lieu of 316.615 and 317.415); 1969 c.166 § 4; 1969 c.405 § 2; 1971 c.354 § 5; 1971 c.507 § 2; 1975 c.593 § 16; 1977 c.870 § 44; 1982 s.s.1 c.16 § 8; 1983 c.162 § 54; 1985 c.61 § 3; 1985 c.602 § 6; 1985 c.603 § 1; 1985 c.802 § 19; 1987 c.293 § 60; 1987 c.647 § 1; 1989 c.626 § 4; 1991 c.457 § 17b; 1993 c.726 § 16; 1995 c.650 § 32; 1999 c.73 § 4; 1999 c.90 § 1a; 2001 c.641 § 3; 2005 c.48 § 1; 2005 c.210 § 2; 2007 c.568 § 20; 2011 c.526 § 25; 2017 c.278 § 9; 2019 c.359 § 2; 2021 c.37 § 1]