Section 5703.06. Claims - compromise or installment payment agreement - innocent spouse relief

(A) As used in this section, "claim" means a claim for an amount payable to this state that arises under a statute administered by the tax commissioner and that has been certified to the attorney general for collection under section 131.02 of the Revised Code.

(B) The tax commissioner and the attorney general shall consider the following standards when ascertaining with respect to a claim whether a compromise or payment-over-time agreement is in the best interests of the state under division (E) of section 131.02 of the Revised Code:

(1) There exists a doubt as to whether the claim can be collected.

(2) There exists a substantial probability that, upon payment of the claim and submission of a timely application for refund with respect to that payment, the commissioner would refund an amount that was illegally or erroneously paid.

(3) There exists an economic hardship such that a compromise or agreement would facilitate effective tax administration.

(4) There exists a joint assessment of spouses, one of whom is an innocent spouse, provided that any relief under this standard shall only affect the claim as to the innocent spouse. A spouse granted relief under 6015 of the Internal Revenue Code with regard to any income item is rebuttably presumed to be an innocent spouse with regard to that income item to the extent that income item is included in or otherwise affects the computation of the tax imposed under section 5747.02 of the Revised Code or any penalty or interest on that tax.

(5) Any other standard to which the commissioner and attorney general jointly agree.

(C) The rejection of a compromise or payment-over-time agreement proposed by a taxpayer with respect to a claim shall not be appealable.

(D) A compromise or payment-over-time agreement with respect to a claim shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of only the parties to the compromise or agreement, and shall not extinguish or otherwise affect the liability of any other person or governmental entity.

(E) A compromise or payment-over-time agreement with respect to a claim shall be void if the taxpayer defaults under the compromise or agreement or if the compromise or agreement was obtained by fraud or by misrepresentation of a material fact. Any amount that was due prior to the compromise or agreement and is unpaid shall remain due, and any interest that would have accrued in the absence of the compromise or agreement shall continue to accrue and be due.

Effective Date: 06-13-2002; 09-28-2006