On June 5, 2019, the Illinois legislature enacted Public Act 101-0009 which includes comprehensive amnesty programs covering taxes administered by both the Illinois Department of Revenue (the âDepartmentâ) and the Office of the Secretary of State of Illinois (the âSecretary of Stateâ). Taxes covered by these programs include the corporate and individual income taxes, the Retailersâ Occupation Tax, the Use Tax, and the Illinois franchise tax. The amnesty programs run for the period October 1, 2019 through November 15, 2019, and, under both programs, 100% of penalties and interest will be waived in exchange for payment of any outstanding tax liability due. Unlike previous amnesty programs, taxpayers will not be punished for not participating — that is, Illinois will not impose double penalties and double interest on tax assessments issued after the amnesty period closes.
The Illinois legislature recently passed several tax related bills along with a budget. The tax changes are primarily reflected in Senate Bills 689 and 690. Governor Pritzker signed S.B. 689 on June 5, 2019 and is expected to sign S.B. 690 shortly. The following is a summary of some of the more significant tax changes applicable to businesses.
The Illinois Department of Revenue has big plans this holiday season to bring different types of unitary businesses that use different apportionment formulas together under a single, combined Illinois corporate income tax return. Like many states, Illinois corporate income taxpayers are generally required to file a unitary combined corporate income tax return. This combined reporting method aggregates in one tax return the income, deductions and apportionment factors generated by commonly owned corporations operating as a unitary group.
Holders of unclaimed property should take note that Illinoisâ state budget bill, SB 9, enacted July 7, 2017, includes significant changes to Illinoisâ unclaimed property law. Just days before it was enacted, the Illinois General Assembly amended SB 9 to include a modified version of the Uniform Law Commissionâs 2016 Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act. Illinoisâ new unclaimed property law will become effective January 1, 2018 and will repeal the stateâs current unclaimed property law, the Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act.Â