The Louisiana Department of Revenue (LDR) is offering an amnesty program that runs through Nov. 14, 2014. Amnesty is available for businesses and individuals wishing to file unpaid returns or clear unpaid tax bills due for reporting periods prior to Jan. 1, 2014.
All taxes administered and collected by the LDR are eligible for the amnesty program except the following:
- Motor fuel tax
- Prepaid cell phone sales tax
- Oil field restoration (oil and gas), inspection, and supervision tax
- Penalties for failure to submit information reports not based on tax underpayment
Amnesty can be claimed for the following:
- Taxes for taxable periods that began before Jan. 1, 2014, and for which the taxpayer has not received a proposed assessment, notice of assessment, bill, notice, or demand for payment from the LDR
- Taxes due before Jan. 1, 2014, and for which the LDR has issued a proposed assessment, notice of assessment, bill, notice, or demand for payment prior to May 31, 2014
- Taxes for which the taxpayer and the LDR have entered into an agreement that runs through Dec. 31, 2014, to suspend the statute of limitations
The LDR will grant amnesty to eligible taxpayers who apply for the program and either pay or enter into an installment agreement for all of the tax, half the interest due, and any applicable fees and costs for tax reporting periods designated in the amnesty application. If the application is approved, penalties and the remaining half of the interest associated with the tax reporting periods for which amnesty is applied are waived. Applications can be completed on the Louisiana tax amnesty website.
Eligible taxpayers who have never filed in Louisiana must file all outstanding tax returns and must pay the tax and 50 percent of the interest owed.
