Virginia Code 58.1-105: Offers in compromise; Department may accept; authority and duty of Tax Commissioner
A. In all cases in which under the laws of this Commonwealth a prosecution is authorized for violation of the revenue laws and in all cases in which a penalty is imposed upon the taxpayer for failure to comply with the requirements of the tax laws, the Department shall in its discretion have authority to accept offers made in compromise of such prosecution and in compromise or in lieu of such penalties. An offer in lieu of the assessment of a penalty shall be deemed to be made by the filing of a return or payment of tax without payment of a penalty if information filed with the return or payment of tax or obtained from other sources demonstrates reasonable cause for the failure or omission for which the penalty would be imposed. The reason for the acceptance of such offers in compromise shall be preserved among the records of the Department.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 58.1-105
- Assessment: as used in this subtitle , shall include an assessment made pursuant to notice by the Department of Taxation and self-assessments made by a taxpayer upon the filing of a return or otherwise not pursuant to notice. See Virginia Code 58.1-1820
- Department: means the Department of Taxation. See Virginia Code 58.1-1
- in writing: include any representation of words, letters, symbols, numbers, or figures, whether (i) printed or inscribed on a tangible medium or (ii) stored in an electronic or other medium and retrievable in a perceivable form and whether an electronic signature authorized by Virginia Code 1-257
- Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
B. The Tax Commissioner may compromise and settle doubtful or disputed claims for taxes or tax liability of doubtful collectibility. An offer in compromise shall be deemed accepted only when the taxpayer is notified in writing of the acceptance by the Tax Commissioner. Whenever such a compromise and settlement is made, the Tax Commissioner shall make a complete record of the case showing the tax assessed, recommendations, reports and audits of departmental personnel, if any, the taxpayer’s grounds for dispute or contest together with all evidences thereof, and the amounts, conditions and settlement or compromise of same.
C. The Department may deposit into the state treasury all payments submitted with offers in compromise, unless the taxpayer specifically and clearly directs otherwise.
Code 1950, § 58-45; 1973, c. 446; 1984, c. 675; 1994, c. 800; 1996, cc. 640, 655.