Take advantage of Ohio's tax amnesty program

Think of the Christmas spirit of giving and good will, and the very last thing any rational person will think of is the Ohio Department of Taxation.
But in an announcement last week sure to brighten the holiday season for many a naughty and not-so-naughty delinquent taxpayer, the ODT said it plans to offer a tax amnesty program for six weeks beginning Jan. 1. It will begin accepting applications Thursday.
Under the program, taxpayers who intentionally or unintentionally cheated the Buckeye State out of its share of their earnings get a big break.
Benefits and taxes affected
The amnesty program allows individuals to turn in payments for unreported or under-reported tax delinquencies with no penalties and only 50 percent of the interest charges. Taxes covered under the program include:
UEmployer withholding taxes.
UState sales and use taxes.
UCorporate franchise taxes.
UPersonal income taxes.
UPass-through entity taxes.
UPersonal property taxes.
UIndividual and school-district income taxes.
UEmployer school district withholding taxes.
Of course, the premise of the program is not entirely altruistic. With the incentives of no penalties and few or no questions asked, the state hopes to rake in more than $10 million in otherwise potentially lost revenue during the program that runs through Feb. 15.
It also hopes to save the time and expense of tracking down tax scofflaws, a task that it is taking seriously and aggressively. ODT has allocated more resources to increase its effectiveness at finding and recovering delinquencies.
As the ODT warns on its amnesty Web site, "It's not a matter of if you'll have to pay, it's when -- and what better time than during a penalty-free, reduced interest amnesty period?"
Understandable delinquencies
The department acknowledges, too, that many Ohioans who are in arrears did not knowingly set out to cheat the Buckeye State. ODT estimates many people simply made inadvertent errors because of the increasing size and complexity of Ohio's tax code.
So why risk the penalties and other unnecessary grief? If you have not been notified by the state but think you may have shorted it on taxes owed in recent years, contact your tax adviser or ODT at (800) 304-3211. The Web site for the amnesty program is at www.taxamnestyohio.com
The amnesty Web site can help Ohioans determine whether they are eligible for the program. It has links to answer a potpourri of questions. Additionally, it includes tax scenarios, downloadable applications and forms, and a section providing contact information so that you may direct any further questions to a tax professional via telephone or e-mail.
We urge all Ohioans delinquent on their taxes to take advantage of the amnesty program. Who knows when the tax agency will spread such good will again?