Bill Text: NY S01985 | 2013-2014 | General Assembly | Amended
Bill Title: Clarifies the recordkeeping requirements for the earned income tax credit and the enhanced earned income tax credit.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-29 - PRINT NUMBER 1985A [S01985 Detail]
Download: New_York-2013-S01985-Amended.html
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K ________________________________________________________________________ 1985--A 2013-2014 Regular Sessions I N S E N A T E (PREFILED) January 9, 2013 ___________ Introduced by Sen. CARLUCCI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Govern- ment Operations -- recommitted to the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee AN ACT to amend the tax law, in relation to clarifying the recordkeeping requirements for the earned income tax credit and the enhanced earned income tax credit THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM- BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: 1 Section 1. Subsection (d) of section 606 of the tax law is amended by 2 adding a new paragraph 8 to read as follows: 3 (8) INCOME DOCUMENTATION. ANY TAXPAYER WHO RECEIVES MORE THAN FIFTY 4 PERCENT OF HIS OR HER INCOME IN CASH WHO IS CLAIMING THE CREDIT UNDER 5 THIS SUBSECTION MAY FOLLOW THE INCOME DOCUMENTATION STANDARDS SET FORTH 6 IN SECTION SIX HUNDRED FIFTY-EIGHT-A OF THIS ARTICLE WHEN APPLICABLE. 7 S 2. Subsection (d-1) of section 606 of the tax law is amended by 8 adding a new paragraph 9 to read as follows: 9 (9) ANY TAXPAYER WHO RECEIVES MORE THAN FIFTY PERCENT OF HIS OR HER 10 INCOME IN CASH WHO IS CLAIMING THE CREDIT UNDER THIS SUBSECTION MAY 11 PROVE HIS OR HER INCOME BY FOLLOWING THE INCOME DOCUMENTATION STANDARDS 12 SET FORTH IN SECTION SIX HUNDRED FIFTY-EIGHT-A OF THIS ARTICLE WHEN 13 APPLICABLE. 14 S 3. The tax law is amended by adding a new section 658-a to read as 15 follows: 16 S 658-A. INCOME DOCUMENTATION CONCERNING THE EARNED INCOME CREDIT. IN 17 CONJUNCTION WITH THE REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN THIS CHAPTER, THE 18 PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL APPLY TO ANY TAXPAYER CLAIMING THE EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD00956-02-4 S. 1985--A 2 1 EARNED INCOME CREDIT AS SET FORTH IN SUBSECTION (D) OF SECTION SIX 2 HUNDRED SIX OF THIS ARTICLE. 3 (A) INCOME DOCUMENTATION STANDARDS FOR CASH EARNERS. IF THE TAXPAYER 4 IS EMPLOYED IN ONE OR MORE OCCUPATIONS WHERE SUCH TAXPAYER RECEIVES MORE 5 THAN FIFTY PERCENT OF HIS OR HER INCOME IN CASH, SUCH TAXPAYER MAY PROVE 6 HIS OR HER INCOME BY PRODUCING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING VERIFICATIONS: 7 (1) PERMANENT BOOKS, ACCOUNTS OR RECORDS KEPT IN A MANNER CONSISTENT 8 WITH THE RECORDKEEPING PRACTICES OF THE INDUSTRY IN WHICH THE TAXPAYER 9 WORKS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "PERMANENT BOOKS, ACCOUNTS OR 10 RECORDS" SHALL MEAN PAPER OR ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS THAT REFLECT THE 11 AMOUNT AND SOURCE OF ALL INCOME EARNED FROM PAID EMPLOYMENT. 12 (A) EXAMPLES OF PERMANENT BOOKS, ACCOUNTS OR RECORDS SHALL INCLUDE, 13 BUT SHALL NOT BE LIMITED TO (I) BANK STATEMENTS FROM FINANCIAL INSTI- 14 TUTIONS, (II) ELECTRONIC LEDGERS OR SPREADSHEETS THAT DOCUMENT THE DATE 15 OF EACH ENTRY, OR (III) HANDWRITTEN ACCOUNTS MAINTAINED IN A BOUND 16 LEDGER. 17 (B) A DIFFERENT LEDGER SHALL BE MAINTAINED FOR EACH TAX YEAR'S CASH 18 EARNINGS RECORDS, AND EACH RECORD SHALL BE MAINTAINED FOR AT LEAST THREE 19 YEARS AFTER THE TAX YEAR FOR WHICH IT WAS SUBMITTED. 20 (C) ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR HANDWRITTEN LEDGERS. (I) A HANDWRITTEN 21 LEDGER DOCUMENTING THE TAXPAYER'S INCOME SHALL LIST, IN CHRONOLOGICAL 22 ORDER, AN ENTRY FOR EACH TRANSACTION FOR WHICH SUCH TAXPAYER EARNS MONEY 23 WITH INFORMATION THAT INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO: 24 (I) THE AMOUNT OF MONEY EARNED; 25 (II) THE APPROXIMATE TIME AND DATE ON WHICH THE MONEY WAS EARNED; AND 26 (III) A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OR LIST OF THE TASK OR TASKS PERFORMED FOR 27 THE MONEY EARNED. 28 (II) SUCH RECORD MAY INCLUDE ENTRIES FOR WORK-RELATED EXPENSES AND 29 EACH SUCH ENTRY SHALL INCLUDE, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO: 30 (I) THE AMOUNT OF THE WORK-RELATED EXPENSE; 31 (II) THE APPROXIMATE TIME AND DATE THE WORK-RELATED EXPENSE WAS 32 INCURRED; 33 (III) THE NATURE OF THE WORK-RELATED EXPENSE; AND 34 (IV) THE DATE ON WHICH THE ENTRY WAS MADE. 35 (III) AN ENTRY FOR ANY TRANSACTION SHALL BE MADE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE 36 AFTER THE TRANSACTION OCCURRED. 37 (2) ADDITIONAL ACCEPTABLE INCOME VERIFICATION DOCUMENTS. IN THE 38 ABSENCE OF PERMANENT BOOKS, ACCOUNTS OR RECORDS, A TAX FILER MAY VERIFY 39 INCOME BY PRODUCING TWO OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: 40 (A) A SIGNED LETTER FROM THE TAXPAYER'S EMPLOYER STATING WAGES PAID; 41 (B) STATEMENTS FROM A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT DEMONSTRATE REGULAR 42 DEPOSITS OF EARNINGS; 43 (C) RECEIPTS FROM WORK SUPPLIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO UNIFORMS 44 AND MATERIALS NEEDED TO COMPLETE A SPECIFIC JOB; 45 (D) RECEIPTS FROM LICENSING OR CERTIFICATION FEES, MEMBERSHIP DUES, OR 46 OTHER PROFESSIONAL DUES; 47 (E) RECEIPTS FROM WORK-RELATED EXPENSES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO 48 TRANSPORTATION COSTS AND CHILD CARE; 49 (F) A SWORN AFFIDAVIT, SIGNED BY THE TAXPAYER, STATING SUCH TAXPAYER'S 50 POSITION OR TITLE, THE NUMBER OF WEEKS WORKED, THE NUMBER OF HOURS 51 WORKED PER WEEK, THE WAGES EARNED, AND A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK 52 PERFORMED. A SEPARATE NOTARIZED AFFIDAVIT SHALL BE COMPLETED FOR EACH 53 JOB; 54 (G) AN INCOME AND EXPENSES WORKSHEET COMPLETED WITH A CERTIFIED TAX 55 PROFESSIONAL. S. 1985--A 3 1 (B) ERRORS OR OMISSIONS. OMISSIONS OR FAILURES TO CORRECT ENTRIES 2 SHALL NOT BE SUFFICIENT IN AND OF THEMSELVES TO RENDER A TAXPAYER'S 3 RECORDS AS INADEQUATE TO VALIDATE SUCH TAXPAYER'S INCOME FOR THE RELE- 4 VANT TAX YEAR. 5 (C) PRESUMPTION OF ACCURACY AND COMPLETENESS. (1) PROVIDED THAT THE 6 MINIMUM STANDARDS SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION ARE MET, AND UNLESS THE 7 DEPARTMENT HAS AFFIRMATIVE EVIDENCE TO DIRECTLY CONTRADICT THE TAXPAY- 8 ER'S RETURN, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PRESUME THE ACCURACY AND COMPLETENESS 9 OF THE RECORD AND THE GOOD FAITH OF THE TAXPAYER. 10 (2) THE PARTICULAR FORMAT OF THE RECORD SHALL NOT BE USED AS EVIDENCE 11 OF INSUFFICIENT RECORDKEEPING OR BAD FAITH ON THE PART OF THE TAXPAYER. 12 (3) A MID-YEAR CHANGE IN THE FORMAT OF RECORDKEEPING WITHIN A SINGLE 13 LEDGER SHALL NOT BE CONSIDERED EVIDENCE OF INCOMPLETE RECORDKEEPING OR 14 BAD FAITH IF SUCH CHANGE INDICATES AN ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE UPON RECORD- 15 KEEPING. 16 (D) REPORT. (1) ON OR BEFORE JUNE THIRTIETH NEXT SUCCEEDING THE DATE 17 ON WHICH THIS SECTION SHALL HAVE BECOME A LAW, AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, 18 THE COMMISSIONER SHALL SUBMIT A WRITTEN REPORT REGARDING TAXPAYERS WHO 19 CLAIM THE EARNED INCOME CREDIT AS SET FORTH IN SUBSECTION (D) OF SECTION 20 SIX HUNDRED SIX OF THIS ARTICLE AND WHO ARE PAID PRINCIPALLY IN CASH. 21 (2) THE REPORT MUST CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ABOUT THE EARNED 22 INCOME CREDIT CLAIMED UNDER THIS ARTICLE DURING THE PREVIOUS CALENDAR 23 YEAR: 24 (A) THE NUMBER OF CASH EARNERS CLAIMING THE CREDIT; 25 (B) THE NUMBER OF CASH EARNERS CLAIMING THE CREDIT WHO ARE SENT DESK 26 AUDIT INQUIRY LETTERS; 27 (C) THE NUMBER OF RESPONSES TO THE AUDIT INQUIRY LETTERS THAT THE 28 DEPARTMENT RECEIVES; 29 (D) THE NUMBER OF CASH EARNERS CLAIMING THE CREDIT WHO ARE AUDITED AND 30 RECEIVE THE CREDIT AS A RESULT; AND 31 (E) THE NUMBER OF CASH EARNERS CLAIMING THE CREDIT WHO ARE AUDITED AND 32 ARE DENIED THE CREDIT AS A RESULT. 33 (3) THE CREDIT REPORT MAY ALSO CONTAIN ANY OTHER INFORMATION THAT THE 34 COMMISSIONER DEEMS TO BE USEFUL IN EVALUATING THE USE OF THE CREDIT BY 35 CASH EARNERS. THE INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THE CREDIT REPORT WILL BE 36 BASED ON THE INFORMATION FILED WITH THE DEPARTMENT DURING THE PREVIOUS 37 CALENDAR YEAR, TO THE EXTENT THAT IT IS PRACTICABLE TO USE THAT INFORMA- 38 TION. 39 S 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after 40 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the commissioner of 41 taxation and finance is authorized to make any addition, amendment 42 and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation 43 of this act on its effective date on or before such date.