MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2013 Regular Session
To: Ways and Means
By: Representative Zuber
House Bill 764
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 27-65-33, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972,
TO REMOVE THE PROVISION THAT REQUIRES A TAXPAYER WHO IS REQUIRED TO COLLECT
SALES TAXES AND WHO HAS AN AVERAGE MONTHLY SALES TAX LIABILITY OF AT LEAST A
CERTAIN AMOUNT TO PAY A PORTION OF HIS SALES TAX LIABILITY FOR THE MONTH OF
JUNE ON OR BEFORE JUNE 25; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section
27-65-33, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
* * *[Until July 1, 2013, this section shall read as follows:]
27-65-33. (1) * * *
The taxes levied by this chapter shall be due and payable on or before the
twentieth day of the month next succeeding the month in which the tax accrues,
except as otherwise provided. Returns and payments placed in the mail must be
postmarked by the due date in order to be considered timely filed, except when
the due date falls on a weekend or holiday, returns and payments placed in the
mail must be postmarked by the first working day following the due date in
order to be considered timely filed. The taxpayer shall make a return showing
the gross proceeds of sales or the gross income of the business, and any and
all allowable deductions, or exempt sales, and compute the tax due for the
period covered.
As compensation for
collecting sales and use taxes, complying fully with the applicable statutes,
filing returns and supplements thereto and paying all taxes by the twentieth of
the month following the period covered, the taxpayer may discount and retain
two percent (2%) of the liability on each return subject to the following
limitations:
(a) The compensation
or discount shall not apply to taxes levied under the provisions of Sections 27-65-19
and 27-65-21, or on charges for ginning cotton under Section 27-65-23.
(b) The compensation
or discount shall not apply to taxes collected by a county official or state
agency.
(c) The compensation
or discount shall not exceed Fifty Dollars ($50.00) per month, or Six Hundred
Dollars ($600.00) per calendar year, per business location on each state sales
tax return, or on each use tax return.
(d) The compensation
or discount shall not apply to any wholesale tax, the rate of which is equal to
or greater than the tax rate applicable to retail sales of the same property or
service. The retailer of such items shall be entitled to the compensation
based on the tax computed on retail sales before application of the credit for
any tax paid to the wholesaler, jobber, or other person.
(e) The compensation
or discount allowed and taken for any filing period may be reassessed and
collected when an audit of a taxpayer's records reveals a tax deficiency for
that period.
* * * (2) A taxpayer required to collect sales taxes under
this chapter and having an average monthly sales tax liability of at least
Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000.00) for the preceding calendar year shall pay
to the Department of Revenue on or before June 25, 2003, and on or before the
twenty‑fifth day of June of each succeeding year thereafter, an amount
equal to at least seventy‑five percent (75%) of such taxpayer's estimated
sales tax liability for the month of June of the current calendar year, or an
amount equal to at least seventy‑five percent (75%) of the taxpayer's
sales tax liability for the month of June of the preceding calendar year.
Payments required to be made under this subsection must be received by the
Department of Revenue no later than June 25 in order to be considered timely
made. A taxpayer that fails to comply with the requirements of this subsection
may be assessed a penalty in an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the
difference between any amount the taxpayer pays pursuant to this subsection and
the taxpayer's actual sales tax liability for the month of June for which the
estimated payment was required to be made. Payments made by a taxpayer under
this subsection shall not be considered to be collected for the purposes of any
sales tax diversions required by law until the taxpayer files a return for the
actual sales taxes collected during the month of June. This subsection shall
not apply to any agency, department or instrumentality of the United States,
any agency, department, institution, instrumentality or political subdivision
of the State of Mississippi, or any agency, department, institution or
instrumentality of any political subdivision of the State of Mississippi.
Payments made pursuant to this subsection for the month of June 2003, shall be
deposited by the Department of Revenue into the Budget Contingency Fund created
under Section 27‑103‑301, and payments made pursuant to this
subsection for the month of June 2004, and each succeeding year thereafter,
shall be deposited by the Department of Revenue into the State General Fund.
( * * *(3)2) All returns shall be sworn to by
the taxpayer, if made by an individual, or by the president, vice president,
secretary or treasurer of a corporation, or authorized agent, if made on behalf
of a corporation. If made on behalf of a partnership, joint venture, association,
trust, estate, or in any other group or combination acting as a unit, any
individual delegated by such firm shall swear to the return on behalf of the
taxpayer. The commissioner may prescribe methods by which the taxpayer may
swear to his return.
( * * *(4)3) The commissioner may promulgate
rules and regulations to require or permit filing periods of any duration, in
lieu of monthly filing periods, for any taxpayer or group thereof.
( * * *(5)4) The commissioner may require the
execution and filing by the taxpayer with the commissioner of a good and
solvent bond with some surety company authorized to do business in Mississippi
as surety thereon in an amount double the aggregate tax liability by such
taxpayer for any previous three (3) months' period within the last calendar
year or estimated three (3) months' tax liability. The bond is to be
conditioned for the prompt payment of such taxes as may be due for each such
return.
( * * *(6)5) The commissioner, for good cause,
may grant such reasonable additional time within which to make any return
required under the provisions of this chapter as he may deem proper, but the
time for filing any return shall not be extended beyond the twentieth of the
month next succeeding the regular due date of the return without the imposition
of interest at the rate of one percent (1%) per month or fractional part of a
month from the time the return was due until the tax is paid.
( * * *(7)6) For persistent, willful, or
recurring failure to make any return and pay the tax shown thereby to be due by
the time specified, there shall be added to the amount of tax shown to be due
ten percent (10%) damages, or interest at the rate of one percent (1%) per
month, or both.
( * * *(8)7) Any taxpayer may, upon making
application therefor, obtain from the commissioner an extension of time for the
payment of taxes due on credit sales until collections thereon have been made.
When such extension is granted, the taxpayer shall thereafter include in each
monthly or quarterly report all collections made during the preceding month or
quarter, and shall pay the taxes due thereon at the time of filing such
report. Such permission may be revoked or denied at the discretion of the
commissioner when, in his opinion, a total sales basis will best reflect the
taxable income or expedite examination of the taxpayer's records.
( * * *(9)8) Any taxpayer reporting credit
sales before collection thereof has been made may take credit on subsequent
returns or reports for bad debts actually charged off, if such amounts charged
off have previously been included in taxable gross income or taxable gross
proceeds of sales, as the case may be, and the tax paid thereon. However, any
amounts subsequently collected on accounts that have been charged off as bad
debts shall be included in subsequent reports and the tax shall be paid
thereon.
( * * *(10)9) In cases where an extension of
time has been granted by the commissioner for payment of taxes due on credit
sales and the taxpayer thereafter discontinues the business, such taxpayer
shall be required to file with the commissioner within ten (10) days, or such
further time as the commissioner may direct, from the date of the
discontinuance of such business, a special report showing the amounts of any credit
sales which have not been included in determining the measure of the tax
previously paid and any other information with reference to credit sales as the
commissioner may require. The commissioner shall thereupon investigate the
facts with reference to credit sales and the condition of the accounts, and
shall determine, from the best evidence available, the value of all open
accounts, notes, or other evidence of debt arising from credit sales. The
value of all notes, open accounts and other evidence of debt, as thus
determined by the commissioner, shall be used in determining the amount of the
tax for which such taxpayer shall be liable. When the amount of the tax shall
have been ascertained, the taxpayer shall be required to pay the same within
ten (10) days or such further time as the commissioner may allow,
notwithstanding the fact that such note or accounts may still remain
uncollected.
* * *
[From
and after July 1, 2013, this section shall read as follows:]
27‑65‑33.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the taxes levied by this
chapter shall be due and payable on or before the twentieth day of the month
next succeeding the month in which the tax accrues, except as otherwise
provided. Returns and payments placed in the mail must be postmarked by the
due date in order to be considered timely filed, except when the due date falls
on a weekend or holiday, returns and payments placed in the mail must be
postmarked by the first working day following the due date in order to be
considered timely filed. The taxpayer shall make a return showing the gross
proceeds of sales or the gross income of the business, and any and all
allowable deductions, or exempt sales, and compute the tax due for the period
covered.
As
compensation for collecting sales and use taxes, complying fully with the
applicable statutes, filing returns and supplements thereto and paying all
taxes by the twentieth of the month following the period covered, the taxpayer
may discount and retain two percent (2%) of the liability on each return
subject to the following limitations:
(a)
The compensation or discount shall not apply to taxes levied under the
provisions of Sections 27‑65‑19 and 27‑65‑21, or on
charges for ginning cotton under Section 27‑65‑23.
(b)
The compensation or discount shall not apply to taxes collected by a county
official or state agency.
(c)
The compensation or discount shall not exceed Fifty Dollars ($50.00) per month,
or Six Hundred Dollars ($600.00) per calendar year, per business location on each
state sales tax return, or on each use tax return.
(d)
The compensation or discount shall not apply to any wholesale tax, the rate of
which is equal to or greater than the tax rate applicable to retail sales of
the same property or service. The retailer of such items shall be entitled to
the compensation based on the tax computed on retail sales before application
of the credit for any tax paid to the wholesaler, jobber or other person.
(e)
The compensation or discount allowed and taken for any filing period may be
reassessed and collected when an audit of a taxpayer's records reveals a tax
deficiency for that period.
(2)
A taxpayer required to collect sales taxes under this chapter and having an
average monthly sales tax liability of at least Fifty Thousand Dollars
($50,000.00) for the preceding calendar year shall pay to the Department of
Revenue on or before June 25, 2014, and on or before the twenty‑fifth day
of June of each succeeding year thereafter, an amount equal to at least seventy‑five
percent (75%) of such taxpayer's estimated sales tax liability for the month of
June of the current calendar year, or an amount equal to at least seventy‑five
percent (75%) of the taxpayer's sales tax liability for the month of June of
the preceding calendar year. For the purposes of calculating a taxpayer's
estimated sales tax liability for the month of June of the current calendar
year, the taxpayer does not have to include taxes due on credit sales for which
the taxpayer has not received payment before June 20. Payments required to be
made under this subsection must be received by the Department of Revenue no
later than June 25 in order to be considered timely made. A taxpayer that
fails to comply with the requirements of this subsection may be assessed a
penalty in an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the difference between any
amount the taxpayer pays pursuant to this subsection and the taxpayer's actual
sales tax liability for the month of June for which the estimated payment was
required to be made. Payments made by a taxpayer under this subsection shall
not be considered to be collected for the purposes of any sales tax diversions
required by law until the taxpayer files a return for the actual sales taxes
collected during the month of June. This subsection shall not apply to any
agency, department or instrumentality of the United States, any agency,
department, institution, instrumentality or political subdivision of the State
of Mississippi, or any agency, department, institution or instrumentality of
any political subdivision of the State of Mississippi.
(3)
All returns shall be sworn to by the taxpayer, if made by an individual, or by
the president, vice president, secretary or treasurer of a corporation, or
authorized agent, if made on behalf of a corporation. If made on behalf of a
partnership, joint venture, association, trust, estate, or in any other group
or combination acting as a unit, any individual delegated by such firm shall
swear to the return on behalf of the taxpayer. The commissioner may prescribe
methods by which the taxpayer may swear to his return.
(4)
The commissioner may promulgate rules and regulations to require or permit
filing periods of any duration, in lieu of monthly filing periods, for any
taxpayer or group thereof.
(5)
The commissioner may require the execution and filing by the taxpayer with the
commissioner of a good and solvent bond with some surety company authorized to
do business in Mississippi as surety thereon in an amount double the aggregate
tax liability by such taxpayer for any previous three‑month period within
the last calendar year or estimated three (3) months' tax liability. The bond
is to be conditioned for the prompt payment of such taxes as may be due for
each such return.
(6)
The commissioner, for good cause, may grant such reasonable additional time
within which to make any return required under the provisions of this chapter
as he may deem proper, but the time for filing any return shall not be extended
beyond the twentieth of the month next succeeding the regular due date of the
return without the imposition of interest at the rate of one percent (1%) per
month or fractional part of a month from the time the return was due until the
tax is paid.
(7)
For persistent, willful or recurring failure to make any return and pay the tax
shown thereby to be due by the time specified, there shall be added to the
amount of tax shown to be due ten percent (10%) damages, or interest at the
rate of one percent (1%) per month, or both.
(8)
Any taxpayer may, upon making application therefor, obtain from the
commissioner an extension of time for the payment of taxes due on credit sales
until collections thereon have been made. When such extension is granted, the
taxpayer shall thereafter include in each monthly or quarterly report all
collections made during the preceding month or quarter, and shall pay the taxes
due thereon at the time of filing such report. Such permission may be revoked
or denied at the discretion of the commissioner when, in his opinion, a total
sales basis will best reflect the taxable income or expedite examination of the
taxpayer's records.
(9)
Any taxpayer reporting credit sales before collection thereof has been made may
take credit on subsequent returns or reports for bad debts actually charged
off, if such amounts charged off have previously been included in taxable gross
income or taxable gross proceeds of sales, as the case may be, and the tax paid
thereon. However, any amounts subsequently collected on accounts that have
been charged off as bad debts shall be included in subsequent reports and the
tax shall be paid thereon.
(10)
In cases where an extension of time has been granted by the commissioner for
payment of taxes due on credit sales and the taxpayer thereafter discontinues
the business, such taxpayer shall be required to file with the commissioner
within ten (10) days, or such further time as the commissioner may direct, from
the date of the discontinuance of such business, a special report showing the
amounts of any credit sales which have not been included in determining the
measure of the tax previously paid and any other information with reference to
credit sales as the commissioner may require. The commissioner shall thereupon
investigate the facts with reference to credit sales and the condition of the
accounts, and shall determine, from the best evidence available, the value of
all open accounts, notes or other evidence of debt arising from credit sales.
The value of all notes, open accounts and other evidence of debt, as thus
determined by the commissioner, shall be used in determining the amount of the
tax for which such taxpayer shall be liable. When the amount of the tax shall
have been ascertained, the taxpayer shall be required to pay the same within
ten (10) days or such further time as the commissioner may allow,
notwithstanding the fact that such note or accounts may still remain
uncollected.
SECTION 2. This act
shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.
