Illinois amnesty program.

The Illinois tax amnesty will run from October 1, 2003 to November 17, 2003 and is applicable to any tax period ending after June 30, 1983 but before July 1, 2002. It also has some distinct provisions which require special attention. Unlike most amnesties, there is no application form. To participate, taxpayers should send full payment of taxes due for a tax-reporting period for a particular tax type, along with the appropriate returns, forms, and/or schedules to the Department of Revenue no later than November 17th. The amnesty applies to periods ending after June 30, 1983 and prior to July 1, 2002. If a taxpayer has a Protest pending before the Department’s Office of Administrative Hearings, fails to participate in amnesty, and the litigation proves unsuccessful, the taxpayer will be subject to the imposition of penalties and interest at 200% of the statutory rate. If the taxpayer is a party to any civil litigation pending in any Illinois court with respect to nonpayment, delinquency, or fraud in relation to any Illinois state tax, they will not be eligible for amnesty. Taxpayers may also select what tax types they choose to enter into the amnesty period; not all require disclosure in to in order to participate. Along with the law change, for periods after December 31, 2003, a new two-tiered interest rate will be imposed by the State. (Illinois Department of Revenue, Amnesty Regulations Section 521.101, 521.105, September 11, 2003)

Posted on September 15, 2003