| Cash-strapped state governments are offering | | | | under such an arrangement and liens and levies are |
| amnesty plans to encourage delinquent taxpayers to | | | | not sought. |
| bring their tax debt up to date. | | | | If you are interested in participating in such a program, |
| These states are willing to reduce or eliminate some | | | | contact your state’s department of Revenue and |
| tax penalties in order to get more funds into the state | | | | inquire about any tax amnesty offers. Be sure you |
| treasury. This is a two-way win for states low on | | | | know which taxes are included in the program, |
| funds. First of all, when an amnesty offer works and | | | | because some are generally left out. For example, |
| brings delinquent taxpayers forward to settle their debt | | | | the amnesty program in Arizona applies to individual |
| with the state, the state receives a much-needed | | | | and corporate income taxes, use taxes, sales taxes, |
| infusion of money. Secondly, the state does not have | | | | partnership taxes, withholding taxes, luxury and |
| to go through the expense and time it takes to track | | | | fiduciary taxes. The program in Connecticut includes |
| these taxpayers down and prosecute them for their | | | | most of these plus trust and estate income taxes, gift |
| refusal to pony up the dough. | | | | taxes, and attorney occupational taxes. |
| Arizona, Wisconsin, Connecticut, and New Jersey are | | | | If your state is not offering amnesty, you might still |
| among the states currently offering tax amnesty. | | | | have options. Perhaps, the fines, penalties, and |
| The process has caught on in some large metropolitan | | | | interest are negotiable if you kick up the taxes due in |
| cities such as Tucson and Los Angeles, where many | | | | full. Just be careful because the state and federal |
| taxpayers are deficient with their city taxes | | | | governments often share income tax information. If |
| Every government, whether it’s state or city, has | | | | your situation with your state taxes is going to cause |
| its own program with its own rules, but the outline is | | | | you trouble with the Internal Revenue Service, your |
| the same. The government offers an amnesty on | | | | answer may be to hire a tax resolution team to help |
| some part or the entire tax penalty to delinquent | | | | you get straight with all concerned parties. Whether it |
| taxpayers who are willing to step forward, within a | | | | is the state, the federal govern, or both, living as a tax |
| prescribed time period, and pay off their tax debt. | | | | dodge will eventually catch up with you. |
| Any prosecution of the taxpayer is usually dropped | | | | |