FTB UPDATES LIST OF TOP 250 INCOME TAX DEBTS

Today the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) unveiled a new list of the state’s top 250 tax debtors who collectively owe more than $123 million in income taxes.  

“Unpaid taxes that are on the books should be used to help provide all Californians with services at the state and local levels,” said State Controller and FTB Chair John Chiang. “Hopefully, this action will encourage the taxpayers that owe taxes but do not pay them to come forward and quickly help the Franchise Tax Board remove their names from the list.”

FTB is required by law to post a list of the 250 largest state income tax debtors who owe more than $100,000 in tax, after notifying them that their delinquencies will become public. Approximately $4.2 million in payments were received since January 2008 from taxpayers seeking to prevent their names from being posted. More than $500,000 was collected last year when the original list was posted in October. 

Taxpayers who do make the list can have their information removed by paying the tax or agreeing to pay by installment. Tax liabilities under appeal, litigation, in bankruptcy proceedings, or under consideration for an Offer in Compromise are not included on the list. 

Individual taxpayers on the list can contact FTB at 866.418.3702 to resolve their accounts. Business taxpayers can call 866.914.5594. 

The complete list is updated annually on FTB’s Web site. The Board of Equalization has a similar list of the state’s top sales and use tax delinquencies.