Ohio Code 718.05 – Annual return; filing
(A) An annual return with respect to the income tax levied by a municipal corporation shall be completed and filed by every taxpayer for any taxable year for which the taxpayer is liable for the tax. If the total credit allowed against the tax as described in division (D) of section 718.04 of the Revised Code for the year is equal to or exceeds the tax imposed by the municipal corporation, no return shall be required unless the municipal ordinance or resolution levying the tax requires the filing of a return in such circumstances.
Terms Used In Ohio Code 718.05
- Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
- Another: when used to designate the owner of property which is the subject of an offense, includes not only natural persons but also every other owner of property. See Ohio Code 1.02
- Audit: means the examination of a person or the inspection of the books, records, memoranda, or accounts of a person for the purpose of determining liability for a municipal income tax. See Ohio Code 718.01
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Decedent: A deceased person.
- Electronic funds transfer: The transfer of money between accounts by consumer electronic systems-such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and electronic payment of bills-rather than by check or cash. (Wire transfers, checks, drafts, and paper instruments do not fall into this category.) Source: OCC
- Employee: means an individual who is an employee for federal income tax purposes. See Ohio Code 718.01
- Employer: means a person that is an employer for federal income tax purposes. See Ohio Code 718.01
- Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
- Exempt income: means all of the following:
(1) The military pay or allowances of members of the armed forces of the United States or members of their reserve components, including the national guard of any state;
(2)(a) Except as provided in division (C)(2)(b) of this section, intangible income;
(b) A municipal corporation that taxed any type of intangible income on March 29, 1988, pursuant to Section 3 of…. See Ohio Code 718.01
- Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
- Generic form: means an electronic or paper form that is not prescribed by a particular municipal corporation and that is designed for reporting taxes withheld by an employer, agent of an employer, or other payer, estimated municipal income taxes, or annual municipal income tax liability or for filing a refund claim. See Ohio Code 718.01
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Income: means the following:
(1)(a) For residents, all income, salaries, qualifying wages, commissions, and other compensation from whatever source earned or received by the resident, including the resident's distributive share of the net profit of pass-through entities owned directly or indirectly by the resident and any net profit of the resident, except as provided in division (D)(5) of this section. See Ohio Code 718.01
- Municipal corporation: includes a joint economic development district or joint economic development zone that levies an income tax under section 715. See Ohio Code 718.01
- Ohio business gateway: means the online computer network system created under section 125. See Ohio Code 718.01
- Other payer: includes casino operators and video lottery terminal sales agents. See Ohio Code 718.01
- Person: includes individuals, firms, companies, joint stock companies, business trusts, estates, trusts, partnerships, limited liability partnerships, limited liability companies, associations, C corporations, S corporations, governmental entities, and any other entity. See Ohio Code 718.01
- Postal service: means the United States postal service. See Ohio Code 718.01
- Property: means real and personal property. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Qualified municipal corporation: means a municipal corporation that, by resolution or ordinance adopted on or before December 31, 2011, adopted Ohio adjusted gross income, as defined by section 5747. See Ohio Code 718.01
- state: means the state of Ohio. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Tax administrator: means , subject to division (U)(2) of this section, the individual charged with direct responsibility for administration of an income tax levied by a municipal corporation in accordance with this chapter, and also includes the following:
(a) A municipal corporation acting as the agent of another municipal corporation;
(b) A person retained by a municipal corporation to administer a tax levied by the municipal corporation, but only if the municipal corporation does not compensate the person in whole or in part on a contingency basis;
(c) The central collection agency or the regional income tax agency or their successors in interest, or another entity organized to perform functions similar to those performed by the central collection agency and the regional income tax agency. See Ohio Code 718.01
- Tax commissioner: means the tax commissioner appointed under section 121. See Ohio Code 718.01
- Tax return preparer: means any individual described in section 7701(a)(36) of the Internal Revenue Code and 26 C. See Ohio Code 718.01
- Taxable year: means the corresponding tax reporting period as prescribed for the taxpayer under the Internal Revenue Code. See Ohio Code 718.01
- Taxpayer: means a person subject to a tax levied on income by a municipal corporation in accordance with this chapter. See Ohio Code 718.01
- United States: includes all the states. See Ohio Code 1.59
(B) If an individual is deceased, any return or notice required of that individual shall be completed and filed by that decedent‘s executor, administrator, or other person charged with the property of that decedent.
(C) If an individual is unable to complete and file a return or notice required by a municipal corporation in accordance with this chapter, the return or notice required of that individual shall be completed and filed by the individual’s duly authorized agent, guardian, conservator, fiduciary, or other person charged with the care of the person or property of that individual.
(D) Returns or notices required of an estate or a trust shall be completed and filed by the fiduciary of the estate or trust.
(E) No municipal corporation shall deny spouses the ability to file a joint return.
(F)(1) Each return required to be filed under this section shall contain the signature of the taxpayer or the taxpayer’s duly authorized agent and of the person who prepared the return for the taxpayer, and shall include the taxpayer’s social security number or taxpayer identification number. Each return shall be verified by a declaration under penalty of perjury.
(2) A tax administrator may require a taxpayer who is an individual to include, with each annual return, amended return, or request for refund required under this section, copies of only the following documents: all of the taxpayer’s Internal Revenue Service form W-2, “Wage and Tax Statements,” including all information reported on the taxpayer’s federal W-2, as well as taxable wages reported or withheld for any municipal corporation; the taxpayer’s Internal Revenue Service form 1040 or, in the case of a return or request required by a qualified municipal corporation, Ohio form IT-1040; and, with respect to an amended tax return or refund request, any other documentation necessary to support the refund request or the adjustments made in the amended return. An individual taxpayer who files the annual return required by this section electronically is not required to provide paper copies of any of the foregoing to the tax administrator unless the tax administrator requests such copies after the return has been filed.
(3) A tax administrator may require a taxpayer that is not an individual to include, with each annual net profit return, amended net profit return, or request for refund required under this section, copies of only the following documents: the taxpayer’s Internal Revenue Service form 1041, form 1065, form 1120, form 1120-REIT, form 1120F, or form 1120S, and, with respect to an amended tax return or refund request, any other documentation necessary to support the refund request or the adjustments made in the amended return.
A taxpayer that is not an individual and that files an annual net profit return electronically through the Ohio business gateway or in some other manner shall either mail the documents required under this division to the tax administrator at the time of filing or, if electronic submission is available, submit the documents electronically through the Ohio business gateway. The department of taxation shall publish a method of electronically submitting the documents required under this division through the Ohio business gateway on or before January 1, 2016. The department shall transmit all documents submitted electronically under this division to the appropriate tax administrator.
(4) After a taxpayer files a tax return, the tax administrator may request, and the taxpayer shall provide, any information, statements, or documents required by the municipal corporation to determine and verify the taxpayer’s municipal income tax liability. The requirements imposed under division (F) of this section apply regardless of whether the taxpayer files on a generic form or on a form prescribed by the tax administrator.
(G)(1)(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, each individual income tax return required to be filed under this section shall be completed and filed as required by the tax administrator on or before the date prescribed for the filing of state individual income tax returns under division (G) of section 5747.08 of the Revised Code. The taxpayer shall complete and file the return or notice on forms prescribed by the tax administrator or on generic forms, together with remittance made payable to the municipal corporation or tax administrator. No remittance is required if the amount shown to be due is ten dollars or less. A municipal corporation shall not require a qualifying employee whose income consists exclusively of exempt income described in division (C)(20)(b) or (c) of section 718.01 of the Revised Code to file a return under this section.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, each annual net profit return required to be filed under this section by a taxpayer that is not an individual shall be completed and filed as required by the tax administrator on or before the fifteenth day of the fourth month following the end of the taxpayer’s taxable year. The taxpayer shall complete and file the return or notice on forms prescribed by the tax administrator or on generic forms, together with remittance made payable to the municipal corporation or tax administrator. No remittance is required if the amount shown to be due is ten dollars or less.
(2)(a) Any taxpayer that has duly requested an automatic six-month extension for filing the taxpayer’s federal income tax return shall automatically receive an extension for the filing of a municipal income tax return. The extended due date of the municipal income tax return for a taxpayer that is an individual shall be the fifteenth day of the tenth month after the last day of the taxable year to which the return relates. The extended due date of the municipal income tax return for a taxpayer that is not an individual shall be the fifteenth day of the eleventh month after the last day of the taxable year to which the return relates.
(b) A taxpayer that has not requested or received a six-month extension for filing the taxpayer’s federal income tax return may request that the tax administrator grant the taxpayer a six-month extension of the date for filing the taxpayer’s municipal income tax return. If the request is received by the tax administrator on or before the date the municipal income tax return is due, the tax administrator shall grant the taxpayer’s requested extension.
(c) An extension of time to file under division (G)(2) of this section is not an extension of the time to pay any tax due unless the tax administrator grants an extension of that date.
(3) If the tax commissioner extends for all taxpayers the date for filing state income tax returns under division (G) of section 5747.08 of the Revised Code, a taxpayer shall automatically receive an extension for the filing of a municipal income tax return. The extended due date of the municipal income tax return shall be the same as the extended due date of the state income tax return.
(4) If the tax administrator considers it necessary in order to ensure the payment of the tax imposed by the municipal corporation in accordance with this chapter, the tax administrator may require taxpayers to file returns and make payments otherwise than as provided in this section, including taxpayers not otherwise required to file annual returns.
(5) If a taxpayer receives an extension for the filing of a municipal income tax return under division (G)(2), (3), or (4) of this section, the tax administrator shall not make any inquiry or send any notice to the taxpayer with regard to the return on or before the date the taxpayer files the return or on or before the extended due date to file the return, whichever occurs first.
If a tax administrator violates division (G)(5) of this section, the municipal corporation shall reimburse the taxpayer for any reasonable costs incurred to respond to such inquiry or notice, up to one hundred fifty dollars.
Division (G)(5) of this section does not apply to an extension received under division (G)(2) of this section if the tax administrator has actual knowledge that the taxpayer failed to file for a federal extension as required to receive the extension under division (G)(2)(a) of this section or failed to file for an extension under division (G)(2)(b) of this section.
(6) To the extent that any provision in this division conflicts with any provision in section 718.052 of the Revised Code, the provision in that section prevails.
(H)(1) For taxable years beginning after 2015, a municipal corporation shall not require a taxpayer to remit tax with respect to net profits if the amount due is less than ten dollars.
(2) Except as provided in division (H)(3) of this section, any taxpayer not required to remit tax to a municipal corporation for a taxable year pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section shall file with the municipal corporation an annual net profit return under division (F)(3) of this section.
(3) A municipal corporation shall not require a person to file a net profit return under this section if the person’s income consists exclusively of exempt income described in division (C)(20)(a) of section 718.01 of the Revised Code.
(I)(1) If any report, claim, statement, or other document required to be filed, or any payment required to be made, within a prescribed period or on or before a prescribed date under this chapter is delivered after that period or that date by United States mail to the tax administrator or other municipal official with which the report, claim, statement, or other document is required to be filed, or to which the payment is required to be made, the date of the postmark stamped on the cover in which the report, claim, statement, or other document, or payment is mailed shall be deemed to be the date of delivery or the date of payment. “The date of postmark” means, in the event there is more than one date on the cover, the earliest date imprinted on the cover by the postal service.
(2) If a payment under this chapter is made by electronic funds transfer, the payment shall be considered to be made on the date of the timestamp assigned by the first electronic system receiving that payment.
(J) The amounts withheld by an employer, the agent of an employer, or an other payer as described in section 718.03 of the Revised Code shall be allowed to the recipient of the compensation as credits against payment of the tax imposed on the recipient by the municipal corporation, unless the amounts withheld were not remitted to the municipal corporation and the recipient colluded with the employer, agent, or other payer in connection with the failure to remit the amounts withheld.
(K) Each return required by a municipal corporation to be filed in accordance with this section shall include a box that the taxpayer may check to authorize another person, including a tax return preparer who prepared the return, to communicate with the tax administrator about matters pertaining to the return. The return or instructions accompanying the return shall indicate that by checking the box the taxpayer authorizes the tax administrator to contact the preparer or other person concerning questions that arise during the examination or other review of the return and authorizes the preparer or other person only to provide the tax administrator with information that is missing from the return, to contact the tax administrator for information about the examination or other review of the return or the status of the taxpayer’s refund or payments, and to respond to notices about mathematical errors, offsets, or return preparation that the taxpayer has received from the tax administrator and has shown to the preparer or other person.
(L) The tax administrator of a municipal corporation shall accept for filing a generic form of any income tax return, report, or document required by the municipal corporation in accordance with this chapter, provided that the generic form, once completed and filed, contains all of the information required by ordinance, resolution, or rules adopted by the municipal corporation or tax administrator, and provided that the taxpayer or tax return preparer filing the generic form otherwise complies with the provisions of this chapter and of the municipal corporation ordinance or resolution governing the filing of returns, reports, or documents.
(M) When income tax returns, reports, or other documents require the signature of a tax return preparer, the tax administrator shall accept a facsimile of such a signature in lieu of a manual signature.
(N)(1) As used in this division, “worksite location” has the same meaning as in section 718.011 of the Revised Code.
(2) A person may notify a tax administrator that the person does not expect to be a taxpayer with respect to the municipal corporation for a taxable year if both of the following conditions apply:
(a) The person was required to file a tax return with the municipal corporation for the immediately preceding taxable year because the person performed services at a worksite location within that municipal corporation.
(b) The person no longer provides services in the municipal corporation and does not expect to be subject to the municipal corporation’s income tax for the taxable year.
The person shall provide the notice in a signed affidavit that briefly explains the person’s circumstances, including the location of the previous worksite location and the last date on which the person performed services or made any sales within the municipal corporation. The affidavit also shall include the following statement: “The affiant has no plans to perform any services within the municipal corporation, make any sales in the municipal corporation, or otherwise become subject to the tax levied by the municipal corporation during the taxable year. If the affiant does become subject to the tax levied by the municipal corporation for the taxable year, the affiant agrees to be considered a taxpayer and to properly register as a taxpayer with the municipal corporation if such a registration is required by the municipal corporation’s resolutions, ordinances, or rules.” The person shall sign the affidavit under penalty of perjury.
(c) If a person submits an affidavit described in division (N)(2) of this section, the tax administrator shall not require the person to file any tax return for the taxable year unless the tax administrator possesses information that conflicts with the affidavit or if the circumstances described in the affidavit change. Nothing in division (N) of this section prohibits the tax administrator from performing an audit of the person.
Last updated September 22, 2023 at 9:39 AM