Sec. 12-39n. Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 12-39n. Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. There is created a Connecticut Taxpayer's Bill of Rights to guarantee that the rights, privacy, and property of Connecticut taxpayers are adequately safeguarded and protected during tax assessment, collection and enforcement processes administered under the revenue laws of this state. The rights afforded taxpayers to assure that their privacy and property are safeguarded and protected during tax assessment and collection are available only insofar as they are implemented in other parts of the general statutes or rules or regulations of the Department of Revenue Services. The rights so guaranteed Connecticut taxpayers in the general statutes and the departmental rules and regulations are:

      (1) The right to available information and prompt, accurate responses to questions and requests for tax assistance.

      (2) The right to request assistance from a taxpayer's rights advocate of the department, who shall be responsible for facilitating the resolution of taxpayer complaints and problems not resolved through the normal administrative channels within the department, including any taxpayer complaints regarding unsatisfactory treatment by department employees.

      (3) The right to be represented or advised by counsel or other qualified representatives at any time in administrative interactions with the department and the right to have audits, inspection of records and interviews conducted at reasonable times and places.

      (4) The right to obtain simple, nontechnical statements which explain the procedures, remedies, and rights available during audit, appeals, and collection proceedings, including, but not limited to, the rights pursuant to this Taxpayer's Bill of Rights and the right to be provided with a narrative description which explains the basis of audit changes, proposed assessments, assessments and denials of refunds; identifies any amount of tax, interest or penalty due; and states the consequences of the taxpayer's failure to comply with the notice.

      (5) The right to be informed of impending collection actions which require sale or seizure of property or freezing of assets, except jeopardy assessments, and the right to at least thirty days' notice in which to pay the liability or seek further review.

      (6) The right to have all other collection actions attempted before a jeopardy assessment unless delay will endanger collection and, after a jeopardy assessment, the right to have an immediate review of the jeopardy assessment.

      (7) The right to seek review, through formal or informal proceedings, of any adverse decisions relating to determinations in the audit or collections process.

      (8) The right to have the taxpayer's tax information kept confidential unless otherwise specified by law.

      (9) The right to procedures for requesting cancellation, release or modification of liens filed by the department and for requesting that any lien which is filed in error be so noted on the lien cancellation filed by the department, in public notice and in notice to any credit agency at the taxpayer's request.

      (10) The right to procedures which assure that the individual employees of the department are not paid, evaluated or promoted on the basis of the amount of assessments or collections from taxpayers.

      (11) The right to have the department begin and complete its audits in a timely and expeditious manner after notification of intent to audit.

      (May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-4, S. 67, 85; P.A. 95-160, S. 64, 69.)

      History: May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-4, S. 67 effective June 9, 1994; P.A. 95-160 revised effective date of May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-4 but without affecting this section.