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Records, Returns And Notices

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(35 ILCS 5/Art. 5 heading)

ARTICLE 5. RECORDS, RETURNS AND NOTICES.

(35 ILCS 5/501) (from Ch. 120, par. 5-501)

Sec. 501. Notice or Regulations Requiring Records, Statements and Special Returns.

(a) In general. Every person liable for any tax imposed by this Act shall keep such records, render such statements, make such returns and notices, and comply with such rules and regulations as the Department may from time to time prescribe. Whenever in the judgment of the Director it is necessary, he may require any person, by notice served upon such person or by regulations, to make such returns and notices, render such statements, or keep such records, as the Director deems sufficient to show whether or not such person is liable for tax under this Act.

(b) Reportable transactions. For each taxable year in which a taxpayer is required to make a disclosure statement under Treasury Regulations Section 1.6011-4 (26 CFR 1.6011-4) (including any taxpayer that is a member of a consolidated group required to make such disclosure) with respect to a reportable transaction (including a listed transaction) in which the taxpayer participated in a taxable year for which a return is required under Section 502 of this Act, such taxpayer shall file a copy of such disclosure with the Department. Disclosure under this subsection is required to be made by any taxpayer that is a member of a unitary business group that includes any person required to make a disclosure statement under Treasury Regulations Section 1.6011-4. Disclosure under this subsection is required with respect to any transaction entered into after February 28, 2000 that becomes a listed transaction at any time, and shall be made in the manner prescribed by the Department. With respect to transactions in which the taxpayer participated for taxable years ending before December 31, 2004, disclosure shall be made by the due date (including extensions) of the first return required under Section 502 of this Act due after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly. With respect to transactions in which the taxpayer participated for taxable years ending on and after December 31, 2004, disclosure shall be made in the time and manner prescribed in Treasury Regulations Section 1.6011-4(e). Notwithstanding the above, no disclosure is required for transactions entered into after February 28, 2000 and before January 1, 2005 (i) if the taxpayer has filed an amended Illinois income tax return which reverses the tax benefits of the potential tax avoidance transaction, or (ii) as a result of a federal audit the Internal Revenue Service has determined the tax treatment of the transaction and an Illinois amended return has been filed to reflect the federal treatment.

(Source: P.A. 93-840, eff. 7-30-04.)

(35 ILCS 5/502) (from Ch. 120, par. 5-502)

Sec. 502. Returns and notices.

(a) In general. A return with respect to the taxes imposed by this Act shall be made by every person for any taxable year:

(1) for which such person is liable for a tax imposed by this Act, or
(2) in the case of a resident or in the case of a corporation which is qualified to do business in this State, for which such person is required to make a federal income tax return, regardless of whether such person is liable for a tax imposed by this Act. However, this paragraph shall not require a resident to make a return if such person has an Illinois base income of the basic amount in Section 204(b) or less and is either claimed as a dependent on another person's tax return under the Internal Revenue Code, or is claimed as a dependent on another person's tax return under this Act.

Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1), a nonresident (other than, for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2011, a nonresident required to withhold tax under Section 709.5) whose Illinois income tax liability under subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d) of Section 201 of this Act is paid in full after taking into account the credits allowed under subsection (f) of this Section or allowed under Section 709.5 of this Act shall not be required to file a return under this subsection (a).

(b) Fiduciaries and receivers.

(1) Decedents. If an individual is deceased, any return or notice required of such individual under this Act shall be made by his executor, administrator, or other person charged with the property of such decedent.
(2) Individuals under a disability. If an individual is unable to make a return or notice required under this Act, the return or notice required of such individual shall be made by his duly authorized agent, guardian, fiduciary or other person charged with the care of the person or property of such individual.
(3) Estates and trusts. Returns or notices required of an estate or a trust shall be made by the fiduciary thereof.
(4) Receivers, trustees and assignees for corporations. In a case where a receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, or assignee, by order of a court of competent jurisdiction, by operation of law, or otherwise, has possession of or holds title to all or substantially all the property or business of a corporation, whether or not such property or business is being operated, such receiver, trustee, or assignee shall make the returns and notices required of such corporation in the same manner and form as corporations are required to make such returns and notices.

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (3):

(A) if a husband and wife file a joint federal income tax return for a taxable year ending before December 31, 2009, they shall file a joint return under this Act for such taxable year and their liabilities shall be joint and several;
(B) if a husband and wife file a joint federal income tax return for a taxable year ending on or after December 31, 2009, they may elect to file separate returns under this Act for such taxable year. The election under this paragraph must be made on or before the due date (including extensions) of the return and, once made, shall be irrevocable. If no election is timely made under this paragraph for a taxable year:

(i) the couple must file a joint return under this Act for such taxable year,
(ii) their liabilities shall be joint and several, and
(iii) any overpayment for that taxable year may be withheld under Section 909 of this Act or under Section 2505-275 of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois and applied against a debt of either spouse without regard to the amount of the overpayment attributable to the other spouse; and

(C) if the federal income tax liability of either spouse is determined on a separate federal income tax return, they shall file separate returns under this Act.

(2) If neither spouse is required to file a federal income tax return and either or both are required to file a return under this Act, they may elect to file separate or joint returns and pursuant to such election their liabilities shall be separate or joint and several.
(3) If either husband or wife is a resident and the other is a nonresident, they shall file separate returns in this State on such forms as may be required by the Department in which event their tax liabilities shall be separate; but if they file a joint federal income tax return for a taxable year, they may elect to determine their joint net income and file a joint return for that taxable year under the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection as if both were residents and in such case, their liabilities shall be joint and several.
(4) Innocent spouses.

(A) However, for tax liabilities arising and paid prior to August 13, 1999, an innocent spouse shall be relieved of liability for tax (including interest and penalties) for any taxable year for which a joint return has been made, upon submission of proof that the Internal Revenue Service has made a determination under Section 6013(e) of the Internal Revenue Code, for the same taxable year, which determination relieved the spouse from liability for federal income taxes. If there is no federal income tax liability at issue for the same taxable year, the Department shall rely on the provisions of Section 6013(e) to determine whether the person requesting innocent spouse abatement of tax, penalty, and interest is entitled to that relief.
(B) For tax liabilities arising on and after August 13, 1999 or which arose prior to that date, but remain unpaid as of that date, if an individual who filed a joint return for any taxable year has made an election under this paragraph, the individual's liability for any tax shown on the joint return shall not exceed the individual's separate return amount and the individual's liability for any deficiency assessed for that taxable year shall not exceed the portion of the deficiency properly allocable to the individual. For purposes of this paragraph:

(i) An election properly made pursuant to Section 6015 of the Internal Revenue Code shall constitute an election under this paragraph, provided that the election shall not be effective until the individual has notified the Department of the election in the form and manner prescribed by the Department.
(ii) If no election has been made under Section 6015, the individual may make an election under this paragraph in the form and manner prescribed by the Department, provided that no election may be made if the Department finds that assets were transferred between individuals filing a joint return as part of a scheme by such individuals to avoid payment of Illinois income tax and the election shall not eliminate the individual's liability for any portion of a deficiency attributable to an error on the return of which the individual had actual knowledge as of the date of filing.
(iii) In determining the separate return amount or portion of any deficiency attributable to an individual, the Department shall follow the provisions in subsections (c) and (d) of Section 6015 of the Internal Revenue Code.
(iv) In determining the validity of an individual's election under subparagraph (ii) and in determining an electing individual's separate return amount or portion of any deficiency under subparagraph (iii), any determination made by the Secretary of the Treasury, by the United States Tax Court on petition for review of a determination by the Secretary of the Treasury, or on appeal from the United States Tax Court under Section 6015 of the Internal Revenue Code regarding criteria for eligibility or under subsection (d) of Section 6015 of the Internal Revenue Code regarding the allocation of any item of income, deduction, payment, or credit between an individual making the federal election and that individual's spouse shall be conclusively presumed to be correct. With respect to any item that is not the subject of a determination by the Secretary of the Treasury or the federal courts, in any proceeding involving this subsection, the individual making the election shall have the burden of proof with respect to any item except that the Department shall have the burden of proof with respect to items in subdivision (ii).
(v) Any election made by an individual under this subsection shall apply to all years for which that individual and the spouse named in the election have filed a joint return.
(vi) After receiving a notice that the federal election has been made or after receiving an election under subdivision (ii), the Department shall take no collection action against the electing individual for any liability arising from a joint return covered by the election until the Department has notified the electing individual in writing that the election is invalid or of the portion of the liability the Department has allocated to the electing individual. Within 60 days (150 days if the individual is outside the United States) after the issuance of such notification, the individual may file a written protest of the denial of the election or of the Department's determination of the liability allocated to him or her and shall be granted a hearing within the Department under the provisions of Section 908. If a protest is filed, the Department shall take no collection action against the electing individual until the decision regarding the protest has become final under subsection (d) of Section 908 or, if administrative review of the Department's decision is requested under Section 1201, until the decision of the court becomes final.

(d) Partnerships. Every partnership having any base income allocable to this State in accordance with section 305(c) shall retain information concerning all items of income, gain, loss and deduction; the names and addresses of all of the partners, or names and addresses of members of a limited liability company, or other persons who would be entitled to share in the base income of the partnership if distributed; the amount of the distributive share of each; and such other pertinent information as the Department may by forms or regulations prescribe. The partnership shall make that information available to the Department when requested by the Department.

(e) For taxable years ending on or after December 31, 1985, and before December 31, 1993, taxpayers that are corporations (other than Subchapter S corporations) having the same taxable year and that are members of the same unitary business group may elect to be treated as one taxpayer for purposes of any original return, amended return which includes the same taxpayers of the unitary group which joined in the election to file the original return, extension, claim for refund, assessment, collection and payment and determination of the group's tax liability under this Act. This subsection (e) does not permit the election to be made for some, but not all, of the purposes enumerated above. For taxable years ending on or after December 31, 1987, corporate members (other than Subchapter S corporations) of the same unitary business group making this subsection (e) election are not required to have the same taxable year.

For taxable years ending on or after December 31, 1993, taxpayers that are corporations (other than Subchapter S corporations) and that are members of the same unitary business group shall be treated as one taxpayer for purposes of any original return, amended return which includes the same taxpayers of the unitary group which joined in filing the original return, extension, claim for refund, assessment, collection and payment and determination of the group's tax liability under this Act.

(f) For taxable years ending prior to December 31, 2014, the Department may promulgate regulations to permit nonresident individual partners of the same partnership, nonresident Subchapter S corporation shareholders of the same Subchapter S corporation, and nonresident individuals transacting an insurance business in Illinois under a Lloyds plan of operation, and nonresident individual members of the same limited liability company that is treated as a partnership under Section 1501 (a)(16) of this Act, to file composite individual income tax returns reflecting the composite income of such individuals allocable to Illinois and to make composite individual income tax payments. For taxable years ending prior to December 31, 2014, the Department may by regulation also permit such composite returns to include the income tax owed by Illinois residents attributable to their income from partnerships, Subchapter S corporations, insurance businesses organized under a Lloyds plan of operation, or limited liability companies that are treated as partnership under Section 1501(a)(16) of this Act, in which case such Illinois residents will be permitted to claim credits on their individual returns for their shares of the composite tax payments. This paragraph of subsection (f) applies to taxable years ending on or after December 31, 1987 and ending prior to December 31, 2014.

For taxable years ending on or after December 31, 1999, the Department may, by regulation, permit any persons transacting an insurance business organized under a Lloyds plan of operation to file composite returns reflecting the income of such persons allocable to Illinois and the tax rates applicable to such persons under Section 201 and to make composite tax payments and shall, by regulation, also provide that the income and apportionment factors attributable to the transaction of an insurance business organized under a Lloyds plan of operation by any person joining in the filing of a composite return shall, for purposes of allocating and apportioning income under Article 3 of this Act and computing net income under Section 202 of this Act, be excluded from any other income and apportionment factors of that person or of any unitary business group, as defined in subdivision (a)(27) of Section 1501, to which that person may belong.

For taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2008, every nonresident shall be allowed a credit against his or her liability under subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 for any amount of tax reported on a composite return and paid on his or her behalf under this subsection (f). Residents (other than persons transacting an insurance business organized under a Lloyds plan of operation) may claim a credit for taxes reported on a composite return and paid on their behalf under this subsection (f) only as permitted by the Department by rule.

(f-5) For taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2008, the Department may adopt rules to provide that, when a partnership or Subchapter S corporation has made an error in determining the amount of any item of income, deduction, addition, subtraction, or credit required to be reported on its return that affects the liability imposed under this Act on a partner or shareholder, the partnership or Subchapter S corporation may report the changes in liabilities of its partners or shareholders and claim a refund of the resulting overpayments, or pay the resulting underpayments, on behalf of its partners and shareholders.

(g) The Department may adopt rules to authorize the electronic filing of any return required to be filed under this Section.

(Source: P.A. 101-8, see Section 99 for effective date; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)

(35 ILCS 5/502.1)

Sec. 502.1. Use tax. Beginning with taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2010, individual purchasers with an annual use tax liability that does not exceed $600 may, in lieu of the filing and payment requirements of Section 10 of the Use Tax Act, file and pay in compliance with this Section.

Beginning with taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2010, the Department shall print on its standard individual income tax form a provision indicating that if the taxpayer's annual individual use tax liability does not exceed $600, he or she may report and pay individual use tax liability at the same time as his or her individual income tax liability. If the taxpayer elects to report and pay his or her individual use tax liability at the same time as his or her standard individual income tax liability in accordance with this Section, then the use tax shown due on the return may be (i) treated as being due at the same time as the income tax obligation, (ii) assessed, collected, and deposited in the same manner as income taxes, and (iii) treated as an income tax liability for all purposes.

The individual income tax return instructions shall include information explaining the tax imposed under the Use Tax Act and informing taxpayers how to report and pay their use tax obligations, including specific information on how to report and pay individual use tax at the same time as the individual income tax return is filed.

This Section shall not apply to any amended return.

(Source: P.A. 96-1388, eff. 7-29-10.)

(35 ILCS 5/503) (from Ch. 120, par. 5-503)

Sec. 503. Signing of returns and notices.

(a) Signature presumed authentic. The fact that an individual's name is signed to a return or notice shall be prima facie evidence for all purposes that such document was actually signed by such individual. If a return is prepared by an income tax return preparer for a taxpayer, that preparer shall sign the return as the preparer of that return and include his or her PTIN, as defined in the State Tax Preparer Oversight Act, on the return. If a return is transmitted to the Department electronically, the Department may presume that the electronic return originator has obtained and is transmitting a valid signature document pursuant to the rules promulgated by the Department for the electronic filing of tax returns, or the Department may authorize electronic return originators to maintain the signature documents and associated documentation, subject to the Department's right of inspection at any time without notice, rather than transmitting those documents to the Department, and the Department may process the return.

(b) Corporations. A return or notice required of a corporation shall be signed by the president, vice-president, treasurer or any other officer duly authorized so to act or, in the case of a limited liability company, by a manager or member. In the case of a return or notice made for a corporation by a fiduciary pursuant to the provisions of Section 502(b)(4), such fiduciary shall sign such document. The fact that an individual's name is signed to a return or notice shall be prima facie evidence that such individual is authorized to sign such document on behalf of the corporation.

(c) Partnerships. A return or notice of a partnership shall be signed by any one of the partners or, in the case of a limited liability company, by a manager or member. The fact that a partner's name is signed to a return or notice shall be prima facie evidence that such individual is authorized to sign such document on behalf of the partnership or limited liability company.

(d) Joint fiduciaries. A return or notice signed by one of two or more joint fiduciaries will comply with the requirements of this Act. The fact that a fiduciary's name is signed to such document shall be prima facie evidence that such fiduciary is authorized to sign such document on behalf of the person from whom it is required.

(e) Failure to sign a return. If a taxpayer fails to sign a return within 30 days after proper notice and demand for signature by the Department, the return shall be considered valid and any amount shown to be due on the return shall be deemed assessed. Any overpayment of tax shown on the face of an unsigned return shall be considered forfeited if after notice and demand for signature by the Department the taxpayer fails to provide a signature and 3 years have passed from the date the return was filed. An overpayment of tax refunded to a taxpayer whose return was filed electronically shall be considered an erroneous refund under Section 912 of this Act if, after proper notice and demand by the Department, the taxpayer fails to provide a required signature document. A notice and demand for signature in the case of a return reflecting an overpayment may be made by first class mail. This subsection (e) shall apply to all returns filed pursuant to the Illinois Income Tax Act since 1969.

(Source: P.A. 99-641, eff. 1-1-17.)

(35 ILCS 5/504) (from Ch. 120, par. 5-504)

Sec. 504. Verification. Each return or notice required to be filed under this Act shall contain or be verified by a written declaration that it is made under the penalties of perjury. A taxpayer's signing a fraudulent return under this Act is perjury, as defined in Section 32-2 of the Criminal Code of 2012.

(Source: P.A. 97-1150, eff. 1-25-13.)

(35 ILCS 5/505) (from Ch. 120, par. 5-505)

Sec. 505. Time and Place for Filing Returns. (a) In general. Returns required by this Act shall be filed at such place as the Department may by regulations prescribe.

(1) Corporations. Except as provided in paragraph (3), corporate returns shall be filed on or before the 15th day of the third month following the close of the taxable year, unless, subject to the provisions of Section 602, the Director grants an extension or extensions of time (not to exceed 6 months in the aggregate) for such filing, or unless the income or loss of a taxpayer is reported for federal purposes on a return with a due date later than the 15th day of the third month following the close of the taxable year, in which case the same due date shall apply to the corresponding Illinois return.

(2) Individuals, partnerships and fiduciaries. Except as provided in paragraph (3), individual, partnership and fiduciary returns shall be filed on or before the 15th day of the fourth month following the close of the taxable year, unless, subject to the provisions of Section 602, the Director grants an extension or extensions of time (not to exceed 6 months in the aggregate) for such filing, except that a final return of a decedent shall be filed at the time (including any extensions thereof) it would have been due if the decedent had not died.

(3) Certain Exempt Organizations. Organizations which are exempt from the Federal income tax by reason of Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code who determine base income for a taxable year under subsection (a) of Section 205 (other than an employees' trust described in Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code), shall file returns required by this Act on or before the 15th day of the 5th month following the close of the taxable year, unless, subject to the provisions of Section 602, the Director grants an extension or extensions of time (not to exceed 6 months in the aggregate) for such filing.

(b) Extension of time for filing federal return. When the taxpayer has been granted an extension or extensions of time within which to file his federal income tax return for any taxable year, the filing of a copy of such extension or extensions with the Department shall automatically extend the due date of the return with respect to the tax imposed by this Act for an equivalent period (plus an additional month beyond the federal extension in the case of corporations) if the requirements of Section 602 are met.

(c) Extension of time for filing when abroad. If an individual is living or traveling outside the United States and Puerto Rico on the 15th day of the 4th month following the close of his taxable year ending on or after December 31, 1983, the return required to be filed under Section 502 of this Act relative to that taxable year shall, in no event, be due prior to the 15th day of the 6th month following the close of that taxable year. In the case of a joint return filed in accordance with Section 502(c), the 2 month extension provided for in this subsection (c) is available if either spouse is living or traveling outside the United States and Puerto Rico on the 15th day of the 4th month following the close of the taxable year ending on or after December 31, 1983. Nothing in this subsection (c) shall be construed to extend the time in which the individual must pay the tax due under Section 601(a).

(Source: P.A. 84-1400.)

(35 ILCS 5/506) (from Ch. 120, par. 5-506)

Sec. 506. Federal Returns.

(a) In general. Any person required to make a return for a taxable year under this Act may, at any time that a deficiency could be assessed or a refund claimed under this Act in respect of any item reported or properly reportable on such return or any amendment thereof, be required to furnish to the Department a true and correct copy of any return which may pertain to such item and which was filed by such person under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.

(b) Changes affecting federal income tax. A person shall notify the Department if:

(1) the taxable income, any item of income or deduction, the income tax liability, or any tax credit reported in an original or amended federal income tax return of that person for any year or as determined by the Internal Revenue Service or the courts is altered by amendment of such return or as a result of any other recomputation or redetermination of federal taxable income or loss, and such alteration reflects a change or settlement with respect to any item or items, affecting the computation of such person's net income, net loss, or of any credit provided by Article 2 of this Act for any year under this Act, or in the number of personal exemptions allowable to such person under Section 151 of the Internal Revenue Code, or
(2) the amount of tax required to be withheld by that person from compensation paid to employees and required to be reported by that person on a federal return is altered by amendment of the return or by any other recomputation or redetermination that is agreed to or finally determined on or after January 1, 2003, and the alteration affects the amount of compensation subject to withholding by that person under Section 701 of this Act. Such notification shall be in the form of an amended return or such other form as the Department may by regulations prescribe, shall contain the person's name and address and such other information as the Department may by regulations prescribe, shall be signed by such person or his duly authorized representative, and shall be filed not later than 120 days after such alteration has been agreed to or finally determined for federal income tax purposes or any federal income tax deficiency or refund, tentative carryback adjustment, abatement or credit resulting therefrom has been assessed or paid, whichever shall first occur.

(Source: P.A. 97-507, eff. 8-23-11.)

(35 ILCS 5/506.5)

Sec. 506.5. Returns based on substitute W-2 forms. For a taxpayer who has received wages from an employer in Illinois, loses or was not provided a W-2 form, is unable to obtain a duplicate W-2 form from the employer, and subsequently obtains a substitute W-2 form from the Internal Revenue Service, it shall be presumed that tax was withheld under Article 7 of this Act in an appropriate amount based on the number of withholding exemptions used to determine the federal income tax withholding for the taxpayer if (i) the substitute W-2 form indicates the appropriate amount of federal taxes withheld, (ii) the taxpayer files a copy of the substitute W-2 form with his or her Illinois income tax return, and (iii) the taxpayer provides a mailing address to which any correspondence or refund, if any, may be sent.

(Source: P.A. 94-1074, eff. 12-26-06.)

(35 ILCS 5/507) (from Ch. 120, par. 5-507)

Sec. 507. (Repealed).