77.57 AnnotationA seller is not relieved of liability if the purchaser’s certificate on its face fails to state a legal basis for exempting the sale. DOR v. Moebius Printing Co., 89 Wis. 2d 610, 279 N.W.2d 213 (1979). 77.5877.58 Returns and payments. 77.58(1)(1) The taxes imposed by this subchapter for each calendar quarter are due and payable on the last day of the month next succeeding the calendar quarter for which imposed except that: 77.58(1)(a)(a) If the amount of tax for any calendar quarter exceeds $1,200, the department may require by written notice to the taxpayer that the taxes imposed on and after the date specified in the notice are due and payable on the last day of the month next succeeding the calendar month for which imposed. 77.58(1)(b)(b) If the amount of tax for any calendar quarter exceeds $3,600, the department may require by written notice to the taxpayer that the taxes imposed on and after the date specified in the notice are due and payable on the 20th day of the month next succeeding the calendar month for which imposed. The payment is timely if it fulfills the requirements under s. 77.61 (14). 77.58(1m)(1m) Persons who owe amounts under this subchapter shall pay them by mailing or delivering them to the department or, if the department prescribes another method of submitting or another destination, those persons shall pay those amounts in that other method or to that other destination. 77.58(2)(2) A return shall be filed by the last day of the month next succeeding each calendar quarter for taxes imposed for the preceding calendar quarter except that: 77.58(2)(a)(a) If payments are required to be made monthly and are due and payable on the last day of the month next succeeding the calendar month for which imposed under sub. (1) (a), a return shall be filed by the last day of the month next succeeding each calendar month for taxes imposed for the preceding calendar month. 77.58(2)(b)(b) If payments are required to be made monthly and are due and payable on the 20th day of the month next succeeding the calendar month for which imposed under sub. (1) (b), a return shall be filed by the 20th day of the month next succeeding each calendar month for taxes imposed for the preceding calendar month. 77.58(2)(c)(c) Returns and payments under this section are timely if they meet the requirements under s. 77.61 (14). 77.58(2)(d)(d) Except for a seller who uses a certified service provider, a seller who registers through the streamlined sales tax governing board’s central registration system and indicates at the time of registration that it anticipates making no sales into this state is not required to file a return in this state until such time as it makes a taxable sale that is sourced to this state under s. 77.522. Once a seller to which this provision applies makes a taxable sale that is sourced to this state under s. 77.522, that seller is required to file a return that is due by the last day of the month following the last day of the calendar quarter in which the sale occurred and shall continue to file returns by the last day of the month following the last day of each calendar quarter thereafter, unless the seller is notified in writing by the department of a different filing frequency. 77.58(3)(a)(a) Except as provided in sub. (2) (d), for purposes of the sales tax a return shall be filed by every seller. Except as provided in sub. (2) (d), for purposes of the use tax a return shall be filed by every retailer engaged in business in this state and by every person purchasing tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or services, the storage, use or other consumption of which is subject to the use tax, who has not paid the use tax due to a retailer required to collect the tax. If a qualified subchapter S subsidiary is not regarded as a separate entity under ch. 71, the owner of that subsidiary shall elect to either include the information for that subsidiary on the owner’s return or file a separate electronic return for that entity. If a single-owner entity is disregarded as a separate entity under ch. 71, the owner shall elect to either include the information from the entity on the owner’s return or file a separate electronic return for that entity. If an owner that owns more than one entity that is disregarded as a separate entity under ch. 71 elects to file a separate return for one of its disregarded entities, the owner shall file separate returns for all of its disregarded entities. Returns filed under this paragraph shall be signed by the person required to file the return or by a duly authorized agent but need not be verified by oath. 77.58(3)(b)(b) The return shall show the amount of the taxes for the period covered by the return and such other information as the department deems necessary for the proper administration of this subchapter. 77.58(4)(4) The person required to file the return shall deliver the return together with a remittance of the amount of the tax due to the office of the department or such other place as the department designates in the manner and form prescribed by the department. 77.58(5)(5) The department, if it deems it necessary to ensure payment to or facilitate the collection by the state of the amount of taxes, may require returns and payments of the amount of taxes for other than quarterly periods. The department may, if satisfied that the revenues will be adequately safeguarded, permit returns and payments of the amount of taxes for other than quarterly periods. Such returns or payments shall be due or payable by the last day of the month next succeeding the end of the reporting or paying period, except that the department may require by written notice to the taxpayer that the returns or payments shall be due or payable by the 20th day of the month next succeeding the end of the reporting or paying period. Any person who discontinues business or who does not hold a valid permit under s. 77.52 (9) prior to the end of a reporting period shall, within 30 days after such discontinuance or after the date on which the person ceases to hold a valid permit, file a return and pay the taxes due from the beginning of such reporting period. If a business is discontinued and a final report thereon has been made covering all payments due or refunds claimed as provided in this section, the account shall be closed, the seller’s permit terminated and, notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, no further reports may be required. 77.58(6)(6) For the purposes of the sales tax, the sales price from rentals, licenses, or leases of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) shall be reported and the tax paid in accordance with such rules as the department prescribes. 77.58(6m)(a)(a) The department may, in cases where it is satisfied that an undue hardship would otherwise result, permit the reporting of a sales price or purchase price on some basis other than the accrual basis. 77.58(6m)(b)(b) The entire sales price of credit transactions shall be reported in the period in which the sale is made without reduction in the amount of tax payable by the retailer by reason of the retailer’s transfer at a discount of any open account, note, conditional sales contract, lease contract, or other evidence of indebtedness. 77.58(7)(7) The department for good cause may extend for not to exceed one month the time for making any return or paying any amount required to be paid by this subchapter. The extension may be granted at any time provided a request therefor is filed with the department within or prior to the period for which the extension is requested. 77.58(8)(8) In any case in which a retailer who has accepted a resale or exemption certificate is subsequently required to pay a sales or use tax measured by the sale, the retailer may recover the amount of the tax as a debt due from the person who furnished such certificate. 77.58(9a)(9a) In addition to filing a return as provided in this section, a person described under s. 77.524 (3), (4), or (5) shall provide to the department any information that the department considers necessary for the administration of this subchapter, in the manner prescribed by the department, except that the department may not require that the person provide such information to the department more than once every 180 days. 77.58577.585 Return adjustments. 77.585(1)(a)(a) In this subsection, “bad debt” means the portion of the sales price or purchase price that the seller has previously reported as taxable under this subchapter, and for which the seller has paid the tax, and that the seller may claim as a deduction under section 166 of the Internal Revenue Code. “Bad debt” does not include financing charges or interest, sales or use taxes imposed on the sales price or purchase price, uncollectible amounts on tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) that remain in the seller’s possession until the full sales price or purchase price is paid, expenses incurred in attempting to collect any debt, debts sold or assigned to 3rd parties for collection, and repossessed property or items. 77.585(1)(b)(b) A seller may claim as a deduction on a return under s. 77.58 the amount of any bad debt that the seller writes off as uncollectible in the seller’s books and records and that is eligible to be deducted as a bad debt for federal income tax purposes, regardless of whether the seller is required to file a federal income tax return. A seller who claims a deduction under this paragraph shall claim the deduction on the return under s. 77.58 that is submitted for the period in which the seller writes off the amount of the deduction as uncollectible in the seller’s books and records and in which such amount is eligible to be deducted as bad debt for federal income tax purposes. If the seller subsequently collects in whole or in part any bad debt for which a deduction is claimed under this paragraph, the seller shall include the amount collected in the return filed for the period in which the amount is collected and shall pay the tax with the return. 77.585(1)(c)(c) For purposes of computing a bad debt deduction or reporting a payment received on a previously claimed bad debt, any payment made on a debt or on an account is applied first to the price of the tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or service sold, and the proportionate share of the sales tax on that property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or service, and then to interest, service charges, and other charges related to the sale. 77.585(1)(d)(d) A seller may obtain a refund of the tax reported for any bad debt amount deducted under par. (b) that exceeds the amount of the seller’s taxable sales as provided under s. 77.59 (4), except that the period for making a claim as determined under s. 77.59 (4) begins on the date on which the return on which the bad debt could be claimed would have been required to be submitted to the department under s. 77.58. 77.585(1)(e)(e) If a seller is using a certified service provider, the certified service provider may claim a bad debt deduction under this subsection on the seller’s behalf if the seller has not claimed and will not claim the same deduction. A certified service provider who receives a bad debt deduction under this subsection shall credit that deduction to the seller and a certified service provider who receives a refund under this subsection shall submit that refund to the seller. 77.585(1)(f)(f) If a bad debt relates to the retail sales of tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or taxable services that were sourced to this state and to one or more other states, as determined under s. 77.522, the total amount of such bad debt shall be apportioned among the states to which the underlying sales were sourced in a manner prescribed by the department to arrive at the amount of the deduction under par. (b). Effective date noteNOTE: Sub. (1) is renumbered, in part, amended, in part, and created, in part, eff. 7-1-2078 by 2013 Wis. Act 229, as affected by 2015 Wis. Act 55, ss. 4750 and 9437 (2L), and 2017 Wis. Act 59, ss. 2265 and 9438 (2), to read: Effective date text(1) (a) In this subsection:
Effective date text1. “Bad debt” means the portion of the sales price or purchase price that the seller has previously reported as taxable under this subchapter, and for which the seller has paid the tax, and that the seller or lender may claim as a deduction under section 166 of the Internal Revenue Code. “Bad debt” does not include financing charges or interest, sales or use taxes imposed on the sales price or purchase price, uncollectible amounts on tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) that remain in the seller’s possession until the full sales price or purchase price is paid, expenses incurred in attempting to collect any debt, debts sold or assigned to 3rd parties for collection, not including dual purpose credit debts and private label credit debts, and repossessed property or items.
Effective date text2. “Dual purpose credit card” means a credit card that may be used as a private label credit card or to make purchases from persons other than the seller whose name or logo appears on the card or the seller’s affiliates or franchisees, if the credit card issuer is able to determine the sales receipts of the seller and the seller’s affiliates or franchisees apart from any sales receipts of unrelated persons.
Effective date text3. “Dual purpose credit debt” means accounts and receivables that result from credit sale transactions using a dual purpose credit card, but only to the extent the account or receivable balance resulted from purchases made from the seller whose name or logo appears on the card.
Effective date text4. a. “Lender” means any person who owns a private label credit debt, an interest in a private label credit debt, a dual purpose credit debt, or an interest in a dual purpose credit debt, if the person purchased the debt or interest directly from a seller who remitted the tax imposed under this subchapter or from a third party or if the person originated the debt or interest pursuant to the person’s contract with the seller who remitted the tax imposed under this subchapter or with a third party.
Effective date textb. “Lender” includes any person who is a member of the same affiliated group, as defined under section 1504 of the Internal Revenue Code, as a lender or is an assignee or other transferee of a lender.
Effective date text5. “Private label credit card” means any charge card or credit card that identifies a seller’s name or logo on the card and that may be used only for purchases from that seller or from any of the seller’s affiliates or franchisees.
Effective date text6. “Private label credit debt” means accounts and receivables that result from credit sale transactions using a private label credit card, but only to the extent the account or receivable balance resulted from purchases made from the seller whose name or logo appears on the card.
Effective date text(b) A seller may claim as a deduction on a return under s. 77.58 the amount of any bad debt that the seller or lender writes off as uncollectible in the seller’s or lender’s books and records and that is eligible to be deducted as a bad debt for federal income tax purposes, regardless of whether the seller or lender is required to file a federal income tax return. A seller who claims a deduction under this paragraph shall claim the deduction on the return under s. 77.58 that is submitted for the period in which the seller or lender writes off the amount of the deduction as uncollectible in the seller’s or lender’s books and records and in which such amount is eligible to be deducted as bad debt for federal income tax purposes. If the seller or lender subsequently collects in whole or in part any bad debt for which a deduction is claimed under this paragraph, the seller shall include the amount collected in the return filed for the period in which the amount is collected and shall pay the tax with the return.
Effective date text(bm) For purposes of par. (b), a seller may compute the seller’s bad debt deduction using an estimate, if the department approves the method for computing the estimate. The department may audit the seller’s books and records to review the estimate and adjust the estimate as necessary to reflect the actual allowable bad debt amount.
Effective date text(c) For purposes of computing a bad debt deduction or reporting a payment received on a previously claimed bad debt, any payment made on a debt or on an account is applied first to the price of the tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or service sold, and the proportionate share of the sales tax on that property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or service, and then to interest, service charges, and other charges related to the sale. If payment is received on an account for which the balance reflects multiple sales transactions, the payment is applied to the sales transactions in the same order in which the sales transactions occurred.
Effective date text(d) A seller may obtain a refund of the tax reported for any bad debt amount deducted under par. (b) that exceeds the amount of the seller’s taxable sales as provided under s. 77.59 (4), except that the period for making a claim as determined under s. 77.59 (4) begins on the date on which the return on which the bad debt could be claimed would have been required to be submitted to the department under s. 77.58.
Effective date text(e) If a seller is using a certified service provider, the certified service provider may claim a bad debt deduction under this subsection on the seller’s behalf if the seller has not claimed and will not claim the same deduction. A certified service provider who receives a bad debt deduction under this subsection shall credit that deduction to the seller and a certified service provider who receives a refund under this subsection shall submit that refund to the seller.
Effective date text(f) If a bad debt relates to the retail sales of tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or taxable services that were sourced to this state and to one or more other states, as determined under s. 77.522, the total amount of such bad debt shall be apportioned among the states to which the underlying sales were sourced in a manner prescribed by the department to arrive at the amount of the deduction under par. (b).
77.585(1g)(1g) A marketplace provider who collects and remits tax on behalf of a marketplace seller under s. 77.523 may claim a bad debt deduction under this subsection if either the marketplace provider or marketplace seller may claim a deduction under section 166 of the Internal Revenue Code for the sales transaction. A marketplace seller may not claim a deduction under this subsection for the same transaction. 77.585(2)(2) If a lessor of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) has reimbursed the vendor for the sales tax on the sale of the property, items, or goods by the vendor to the lessor, the tax due from the lessor on the rental receipts may be offset by a credit equal to the tax otherwise due on the rental receipts from the property, items, or goods for the reporting period. The credit shall expire when the cumulative rental receipts equal the sales price upon which the vendor paid sales taxes to this state. 77.585(3)(3) If a purchaser of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) has reimbursed the vendor of the property, items, or goods for the sales tax on the sale and subsequently, before making any use of the property, items, or goods other than retention, demonstration, or display while holding it for sale or rental, makes a taxable sale of the property, items, or goods the tax due on the taxable sale may be offset by the tax reimbursed. 77.585(4)(4) A seller may claim a deduction on any part of the sales price or purchase price that the seller refunds in cash or credit as a result of returned tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) or adjustments in the sales price or purchase price after the sale has been completed, if the seller has included the refunded price in a prior return made by the seller and has paid the tax on such price, and if the seller has returned to the purchaser in cash or in credit all tax previously paid by the purchaser on the amount of the refund at the time of the purchase. A deduction under this subsection shall be claimed on the return for the period in which the refund is paid. 77.585(5)(5) No reduction in the amount of tax payable by the retailer is allowable in the event that tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) sold on credit are repossessed except where the entire consideration paid by the purchaser is refunded to the purchaser or where a credit for a worthless account is allowable under sub. (1). 77.585(6)(6) A purchaser who is subject to the use tax on the storage, use, or other consumption of fuel may claim a deduction from the purchase price that is subject to the use tax for fuel taxes refunded by this state or the United States to the purchaser that is included in the purchase price of the fuel. 77.585(7)(7) For sales tax purposes, if a retailer establishes to the department’s satisfaction that the sales tax has been added to the total amount of the sales price and has not been absorbed by the retailer, the total amount of the sales price shall be the amount received exclusive of the sales tax imposed. 77.585(8)(a)(a) A sale or purchase involving transfer of ownership of tangible personal property, or items or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), is completed at the time when possession is transferred by the seller or the seller’s agent to the purchaser or the purchaser’s agent. For purposes of this paragraph, a common carrier or the U.S. postal service shall be considered the agent of the seller, regardless of any f.o.b. point and regardless of the method by which freight or postage is paid. 77.585(8)(b)1.1. Except as provided in subd. 2., a sale or purchase involving a digital good under s. 77.52 (1) (d) is completed at the time when possession is transferred by the seller or the seller’s agent to the purchaser or the purchaser’s agent or when the digital good is first used, whichever comes first. 77.585(8)(b)2.2. A sale or purchase of a product transferred electronically, including a digital good under s. 77.52 (1) (d), that is sold by subscription, is completed at the time when the payment for the subscription is due to the seller. For purposes of this subdivision, “subscription” means an agreement with a seller that grants the consumer the right to obtain products transferred electronically from within one or more product categories having the same tax treatment, in a fixed quantity or for a fixed period of time, or both. 77.585(10)(10) A retailer who receives an exemption certificate that complies with s. 77.52 (14) after reporting a sale covered by the exemption certificate as taxable, having paid the tax to the department, and having returned to the buyer in cash or in credit all tax previously paid by the buyer, may claim a deduction on the return filed for the reporting period in which the exemption certificate is received, for the sales price or purchase price previously reported as taxable. This subsection does not apply if the reporting period in which the exemption certificate is received is in a taxable year of the retailer that is subsequent to the taxable year of the retailer in which the sale covered by the exemption certificate occurred. For purposes of this subsection, the taxable year of the retailer is the same as the retailer’s taxable year under ch. 71. 77.585(11)(11) A marketplace seller may claim as a deduction on a return under s. 77.58 the amount of the sales price for which the marketplace seller received notification under s. 77.523 (2). 77.5977.59 Deficiency and refund determinations. 77.59(1)(1) The department may, by office audit, determine the tax required to be paid to the state or the refund due to any person pursuant to this subchapter. The determination may be made upon the basis of the facts contained in the return being audited or upon the basis of any other information within the department’s possession. The determination shall be presumed to be correct and the burden of proving it to be incorrect shall be upon the person challenging the correctness thereof. One or more such office audit determinations may be made of the amount due for any one or for more than one period. 77.59(2)(2) Except as provided in sub. (2g), the department may, by field audit, determine the tax required to be paid to the state or the refund due to any person under this subchapter. The determination may be made upon the basis of the facts contained in the return being audited or upon any other information in the department’s possession. The determination may be made on the basis of sampling, whether or not the person being audited has complete records of transactions and whether or not the person being audited consents. The department may examine and inspect the books, records, memoranda and property of any person in order to verify the tax liability of that person or of another person. The department may subpoena any person to give testimony under oath before it and to produce whatever books, records or memoranda are necessary in order to enable the department to verify the tax liability of that person or of another person. The determination shall be presumed to be correct and the burden of proving it to be incorrect shall be upon the person challenging its correctness. A determination by the department in a field audit becomes final at the expiration of the appeal periods provided in sub. (6), and the tax liability of the taxpayer for the period audited may not be subsequently adjusted except as provided in sub. (4) (b), (8) or (8m). If the taxpayer files or is required to file more than one return for the taxpayer’s fiscal year or for a calendar year, the determination made by field audit for that fiscal or calendar year shall be based on the receipts, purchases, deductions and exemptions for the entire fiscal or calendar year. 77.59(2g)(2g) The department shall promulgate rules to establish criteria applicable to field audits conducted under this subchapter for which an auditor uses a statistical sampling method whereby the auditor randomly selects a sample of transactions and uses probability theory to evaluate the sample results. The department shall establish criteria under this subsection to provide that any person with less than $10,000,000 in annual sales during any year at issue in a field audit may choose to have the audit conducted using statistical sampling as described in this subsection. In addition, the department shall establish criteria under this subsection that specifies the number of transactions necessary to qualify for statistical sampling and the maximum sample size. 77.59(2m)(2m) The department may audit, or may authorize others to audit, sellers and certified service providers who are registered with the department pursuant to the agreement, as defined in s. 77.65 (2) (a). 77.59(3)(3) The department may not make a determination of the tax liability of a person unless the department gives written notice of the determination to the person within 4 years after the due date of the person’s Wisconsin income or franchise tax return that corresponds to the date the sale or purchase was completed or, if exempt, within 4 years of the 15th day of the 4th month of the year following the close of the calendar or fiscal year that corresponds to the date the sale or purchase was completed; within 4 years of the dissolution of a corporation; or within 4 years of the date any sales and use tax return required to be filed for any period in that year was filed, whichever is later. The notice required under this subsection shall specify whether the determination is an office audit determination or a field audit determination, and the notice shall be in writing. If the department is unable to obtain service as provided in s. 73.03 (73m), publication of the notice as a class 3 notice, under ch. 985, is considered service of notice in any case where notice is required under this subchapter. 77.59(3m)(3m) If the taxpayer has consented in writing to the giving of notice of determination after the time under sub. (3), the notice may be given, and the taxpayer may file a claim for a refund, at any time prior to the expiration of the period agreed upon. The period so agreed upon may be extended by subsequent agreements in writing. 77.59(4)(a)(a) Except as provided in sub. (3m), at any time within 4 years after the due date of a person’s Wisconsin income or franchise tax return that corresponds to the date the sale or purchase was completed or, if exempt, within 4 years of the 15th day of the 4th month of the year following the close of the calendar or fiscal year that corresponds to the date the sale or purchase was completed, that person may, unless a determination by the department by office audit or field audit of a seller has been made, and unless a determination by office audit of a buyer other than an audit in which the tax that is the subject of the refund claim was not adjusted has been made, and unless a determination by field audit of the buyer has been made, file with the department a claim for refund of taxes paid to the department by that person. If the amount of the claim is at least $50 or if either the seller has ceased doing business, the buyer is being field audited, or the seller may no longer file a claim, the buyer may, within the period under this subsection, file a claim with the department for a refund of the taxes paid to the seller. A claim is timely if it fulfills the requirements under s. 77.61 (14). A buyer may claim a refund under this paragraph only on a form prescribed by the department, only by signing that form, and only if the seller signs the form unless the department waives that requirement. If both a buyer and a seller file a valid claim for the same refund, the department may pay either claim. The claim for refund shall be regarded as a request for determination. The determination thus requested shall be made by the department within one year after the claim for refund is received by it unless the person has consented in writing to an extension of the one-year time period prior to its expiration. 77.59(4)(b)(b) A claim for refund that is not to be passed along to customers under sub. (8m) may be made within 2 years of the determination of a tax assessed by office audit or field audit and paid if the tax was not protested by the filing of a petition for redetermination. No claim for refund may be allowed with regard to items that were not adjusted in the office audit or field audit. A claim is timely if it fulfills the requirements under s. 77.61 (14). If a claim is filed under this paragraph, the department may make an additional assessment in respect to any item that was a subject of the prior assessment. 77.59(5)(5) The department may offset the amount of any refund for a period, together with interest on the refund, against deficiencies for another period, and against penalties and interest on the deficiencies, or against any amount of whatever kind, due and owing on the books of the department from the person who is entitled to the refund. If the refund is to be paid to a buyer, the department may also set off amounts in the manner in which it sets off income tax and franchise tax refunds under s. 71.93 and may set off amounts for child support or maintenance or both in the manner in which it sets off income taxes under ss. 49.855 and 71.93 (3), (6) and (7). No person has any right to, or interest in, any refund under this chapter until setoff under ss. 49.855, 71.93, and 71.935 has been completed. 77.59(5m)(5m) A seller who receives a refund under sub. (4) (a) or (b) of taxes that the seller has collected from buyers, who collects amounts as taxes erroneously from buyers, but who does not remit such amounts to the state, or who is entitled to a refund under sub. (4) (a) or (b) that is offset under sub. (5), shall submit the taxes and related interest to the buyers from whom the taxes were collected, or to the department if the seller cannot locate the buyers, within 90 days after the date of the refund, after the date of the offset, or after discovering that the seller has collected taxes erroneously from the buyers. If the seller does not submit the taxes and related interest to the department or the buyers within that period, the seller shall submit to the department any part of a refund or taxes that the seller does not submit to a buyer or to the department along with a penalty of 25 percent of the amount not submitted or, in the case of fraud, a penalty equal to the amount not submitted. A person who collects amounts as taxes erroneously from buyers for a real property construction activity or nontaxable service may reduce the taxes and interest that he or she is required to submit to the buyer or to the department under this subsection for that activity or service by the amount of tax and interest subsequently due and paid on the sale of or the storage, use, or other consumption of tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) that are used by the person in that activity or service and transferred to the buyer. 77.59(5r)(5r) A seller that continues to collect tax erroneously on a product after receiving 2 or more written notices from the department indicating that the product is not taxable is entitled to an adjustment or refund of the tax collected only if the seller returns the tax and related interest to the buyers from whom the seller collected the tax. The seller shall submit the tax and related interest to the buyers, or to the department if the seller can not locate the buyers, no later than 90 days after the date of the adjustment or refund. If the seller does not submit the tax and related interest to the buyers or to the department by the end of the 90-day period, the seller is subject to the penalties described in sub. (5m). 77.59(6)(6) Except as provided in sub. (4) (b), a determination by the department is final unless, within 60 days after receipt of the notice of the determination, the taxpayer, or other person directly interested, petitions the department for a redetermination. A petition is timely if it fulfills the requirements under s. 77.61 (14). In the case of notice served by publication, the 60-day period commences with the last day of publication of the notice. 77.59(6)(a)(a) Within 6 months of the receipt by the department of the petition for redetermination, the department shall notify the petitioner of its redetermination. The redetermination shall become final 60 days after receipt by the petitioner of notice of the redetermination unless, within that 60-day period, the petitioner appeals the redetermination under par. (b). 77.59(6)(b)(b) Appeals from the department’s redeterminations shall be governed by the statutes applicable to income or franchise tax appeals but all appeals from decisions of the tax appeals commission with respect to the taxes imposed by this subchapter shall be appealed to the circuit court for Dane County or to the circuit court for the county where the taxpayer’s commercial domicile, as defined in s. 71.01 (1b), is located, where the taxpayer owns other property, or where the taxpayer transacts business in this state. 77.59(6)(c)(c) The department shall notify any person who files a petition for redetermination that the person may deposit the entire deficiency determination, including any penalty or interest, with the department when the petition is filed or at any time before the department makes its redetermination. Any deposited amount which is refunded shall bear interest at the rate of 3 percent per year during the time the funds were on deposit. A person may also pay any portion of a deficiency determination admitted to be correct and the payment shall be considered an admission of the validity of that portion of the deficiency determination and may not be recovered in an appeal or in any other action or proceeding. 77.59 Cross-referenceCross-reference: See also s. Tax 1.14, Wis. adm. code. 77.59(7)(7) If the department believes that the collection of any tax imposed by this subchapter will be jeopardized by delay, the department shall notify the person determined to owe the tax of the department’s intention to proceed under s. 71.91 (5) for collection of the amount determined to be owing, including penalties and interest. The department shall serve the notice as provided in s. 73.03 (73m), and the warrant of the department shall not issue if the person, within 10 days after such notice, furnishes a bond in such amount not exceeding double the amount determined to be owing and with such sureties as the department approves, conditioned upon the payment of so much of the taxes, interest, and penalties as shall finally be determined to be due. Nothing in this subsection affects the review of determinations of tax as provided in this subchapter, and any amounts collected under this subsection shall be deposited with the department and disbursed after final determination of the taxes as are amounts deposited under ss. 71.89 (1) and 71.90 (2). 77.59(8)(8) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, if a person fails to file a report or return required by this subchapter or files a false or fraudulent report or return with the intent in either case to defeat or evade tax required to be paid, the department may determine the proper tax due at any time and without regard to when such failure or filing occurred and without regard to whether a field audit determination was previously made. The department may, at any time, examine and inspect any of the books, records, memoranda, or property of any person and make whatever inquiry, including the subpoena of persons, necessary to the determination of whether a failure to file or a filing was with the intent to defeat or evade the tax. 77.59(8m)(8m) Within the time period under sub. (4), the department of revenue may refund excess taxes paid to it under this chapter, even if the person applying for the refund has been field audited in respect to those taxes, if the applicant’s customers have filed valid claims for refunds with the applicant and if the refund is passed along to those customers. 77.59(9)(a)(a) Except as provided in par. (b), if any person fails to file a return, the department shall make an estimate of the amount of the sales price of the person’s sales, or, as the case may be, of the amount of the total purchase price of tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or taxable service sold or purchased by the person, the sale by or the storage, use, or other consumption of which in this state is subject to sales or use tax. The estimate shall be made for the period in respect to which the person failed to make a return and shall be based upon any information which is in the department’s possession or may come into its possession. Upon the basis of this estimate the department shall compute and determine the amount required to be paid to the state, adding to the sum thus arrived at a penalty equal to 25 percent thereof. One or more such determinations may be made for one or for more than one period. When a business is discontinued a determination may be made at any time thereafter, within the periods specified in sub. (3), as to liability arising out of that business. 77.59(9)(b)(b) If a seller is not required to register and obtain a permit under s. 77.52 (7) or 77.53 (9), but has registered and obtained a permit under s. 77.52 (7) or 77.53 (9) and has failed to timely file a return that is due, the department shall notify the seller of the failure to file and provide the seller at least 30 days to file the return prior to making the estimate described in par. (a), except that if the seller has a history of not filing returns, or filing returns late, the department may make the estimate under par. (a) without providing such notice. 77.59(9m)(9m) If the department determines that a liability exists under this subchapter and that the liability may be owed by more than one person, the department may assess the entire amount to each person, specifying that it is assessing in the alternative. If the department determines that a liability exists under this subchapter and that the liability may be for either sales taxes or use taxes, the department may make an assessment for both taxes, specifying that it is assessing in the alternative. 77.59(9n)(a)(a) Notwithstanding s. 73.03 (47), and except as provided in par. (b), no seller or certified service provider is liable for tax, interest, or penalties imposed on a transaction under this subchapter if the seller or certified service provider charged and collected the incorrect amount of the sales or use tax as a result of relying on erroneous data provided in the databases under s. 73.03 (61) (e) and (f).
