California Revenue & Taxation Code Section 19322.1: Informal Claims for Refund

In situations where the taxpayer has not paid the tax in full but has otherwise filed a valid claim for refund, Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code Section 19322.1 allows a taxpayer to file an informal claim for refund tolling (delaying the expiration of) the statute of limitations. Practitioners should be aware of some of the common pitfalls associated with filing an informal refund claim, including situations involving taxpayers making payments under an installment agreement, the effective date of the statute and the Franchise Tax Board’s (FTB) Notice interpreting the statute.

(The remainder of this article can be accessed in the June 2006 edition of Lexis California Tax Practice Insights.)