Section 7-1-69 - Civil penalty for failure to pay tax or file a return. - New Mexico Statutes

7-1-69. Civil penalty for failure to pay tax or file a return.

A.     Except as provided in Subsection C of this section, in the case of failure due to negligence or disregard of department rules and regulations, but without intent to evade or defeat a tax, to pay when due the amount of tax required to be paid, to pay in accordance with the provisions of Section 7-1-13.1 NMSA 1978 when required to do so or to file by the date required a return regardless of whether a tax is due, there shall be added to the amount assessed a penalty in an amount equal to the greater of: 

(1)     two percent per month or any fraction of a month from the date the tax was due multiplied by the amount of tax due but not paid, not to exceed twenty percent of the tax due but not paid; 

(2)     two percent per month or any fraction of a month from the date the return was required to be filed multiplied by the tax liability established in the late return, not to exceed twenty percent of the tax liability established in the late return; or 

(3)     a minimum of five dollars ($5.00), but the five-dollar ($5.00) minimum penalty shall not apply to taxes levied under the Income Tax Act [7-2-1 NMSA 1978] or taxes administered by the department pursuant to Subsection B of Section 7-1-2 NMSA 1978.  

B.     No penalty shall be assessed against a taxpayer if the failure to pay an amount of tax when due results from a mistake of law made in good faith and on reasonable grounds.  

C.     If a different penalty is specified in a compact or other interstate agreement to which New Mexico is a party, the penalty provided in the compact or other interstate agreement shall be applied to amounts due under the compact or other interstate agreement at the rate and in the manner prescribed by the compact or other interstate agreement.  

D.     In the case of failure, with willful intent to evade or defeat a tax, to pay when due the amount of tax required to be paid, there shall be added to the amount fifty percent of the tax or a minimum of twenty-five dollars ($25.00), whichever is greater, as penalty.  

E.     If demand is made for payment of a tax, including penalty imposed pursuant to this section, and if the tax is paid within ten days after the date of such demand, no penalty shall be imposed for the period after the date of the demand with respect to the amount paid.  

F.     If a taxpayer makes electronic payment of a tax but the payment does not include all of the information required by the department pursuant to the provisions of Section 7-1-13.1 NMSA 1978 and if the department does not receive the required information within five business days from the later of the date a request by the department for that information is received by the taxpayer or the due date, the taxpayer shall be subject to a penalty of two percent per month or any fraction of a month from the fifth day following the date the request is received.  If a penalty is imposed under Subsection A of this section with respect to the same transaction for the same period, no penalty shall be imposed under this subsection.  

G.     No penalty shall be imposed on: 

(1)     tax due in excess of tax paid in accordance with an approved estimated basis pursuant to Section 7-1-10 NMSA 1978;  

(2)     tax due as the result of a managed audit; or 

(3)     tax that is deemed paid by crediting overpayments found in an audit or managed audit of multiple periods pursuant to Section 7-1-29 NMSA 1978.