Penalty for failure to pay tax when due. Rate of interest. Deficiency assessment. Examination of returns. Collection. Liens.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 12-405d
in effect12-405d. Penalty for failure to pay tax when due. Rate of interest. Deficiency assessment. Examination of returns. Collection. Liens.
(a) If any taxpayer fails to pay the amount of tax reported to be due on his return or affidavit within the time specified under the provisions of section 12-405c, there shall be imposed a penalty equal to ten per cent of such amount due and unpaid, or fifty dollars, whichever is greater. Such amount shall bear interest at the rate of one and one-fourth per cent per month or fraction thereof, from the due date of such tax until the date of payment.
(b) If any taxpayer has not made his return within three months after the time specified under the provisions of section 12-405c, the commissioner may make such return at any time thereafter, according to the best information obtainable and according to the form prescribed. To the tax imposed upon the basis of such return, there shall be added an amount equal to ten per cent of such tax, or fifty dollars, whichever is greater. No taxpayer shall be subject to a penalty under both subsections (a) and (b) of this section in relation to the same tax period. The tax shall bear interest at the rate of one per cent per month or fraction thereof, from the due date of such tax until the date of payment.
(c) Subject to the provisions of section 12-3a, the commissioner may waive all or part of the penalties provided under this section when it is proven to his satisfaction that the failure to pay such tax was due to reasonable cause and was not intentional or due to neglect.
(d) The commissioner shall, within three years after the due date for the filing of such return or, in the case of a completed return filed after such due date, within three years after the date on which such return was received by him, examine such return and, in case any error is disclosed by such examination, shall within thirty days after such disclosure, notify the taxpayer thereof. When it appears that any part of the deficiency for which a deficiency assessment is made is due to negligence or intentional disregard of the provisions of this chapter or regulations promulgated thereunder, there shall be imposed a penalty equal to ten per cent of the amount of such deficiency assessment, or fifty dollars, whichever is greater. When it appears that any part of the deficiency for which a deficiency assessment is made is due to fraud or intent to evade the provisions of this chapter or regulations promulgated thereunder, there shall be imposed a penalty equal to twenty-five per cent of the amount of such deficiency assessment. No taxpayer shall be subject to more than one penalty under this subsection in relation to the same tax period. Any decision rendered by any federal court holding that a taxpayer has filed a fraudulent return with the Director of Internal Revenue shall subject the taxpayer to the penalty imposed by this section without the necessity of further proof thereof, except when it can be shown that the return to the state so differed from the return to the federal government as to afford a reasonable presumption that the attempt to defraud did not extend to the return filed with the state. The amount of such deficiency assessment shall bear interest at the rate of one and one-fourth per cent per month or fraction thereof which elapses from the date when the original tax became due and payable. Within thirty days of the mailing of such notice, the taxpayer shall pay to the commissioner, in cash or by check, draft or money order drawn to the order of the Commissioner of Revenue Services, any additional amount of tax shown to be due by the corrected return, or the taxpayer shall be paid by the State Treasurer, upon order of the Comptroller, any amount shown to be due him by such corrected return. The failure of the taxpayer to receive any timely mailed notice required by this subsection shall not relieve him of the obligation to pay the tax or any interest or penalties thereon. When, before the expiration of the time prescribed in this section for the examination of the return or the assessment of the tax, both the commissioner and the taxpayer have consented in writing to such examination or assessment after such time, the return may be examined and the tax may be assessed at any time prior to the expiration of the period agreed upon. The period so agreed upon may be extended by subsequent agreements in writing made before the expiration of the period previously agreed upon. The commissioner may also in such a case waive the statute of limitations against a claim for refund by such taxpayer.
(e) The amount of any tax, penalty or interest due and unpaid under the provisions of this chapter may be collected under the provisions of section 12-35. The warrant therein provided for shall be signed by the commissioner or his authorized agent. The amount of any such tax, penalty and interest shall be a lien, from the last day of the taxable year until discharged by payment, against all real estate of the taxpayer within the state and a certificate of such lien signed by the commissioner may be filed for record in the office of the clerk of any town in which such real estate is situated, provided no such lien shall be effective as against any bona fide purchaser or qualified encumbrancer of any interest in any such property. When any tax with respect to which a lien has been recorded under the provisions of this section has been satisfied, the commissioner, upon request of any interested party, shall issue a certificate discharging such lien, which certificate shall be recorded in the same office in which the lien was recorded. Any action for the foreclosure of such lien shall be brought by the Attorney General in the name of the state in the superior court for the judicial district in which the property subject to such lien is situated, or, if such property is located in two or more judicial districts, in the superior court for any one such judicial district, and the court may limit the time for redemption or order the sale of such property or issue such other or further decree as it judges equitable.
(f) Any person required under this chapter to pay any tax, or required under this chapter to make a return or affidavit, keep any records or supply any information, who wilfully fails to pay such tax, make such return or affidavit, keep such records, or supply such information, at the time required by law or regulations, shall, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than one year or both. As used in this subsection and subsection (g), “person” includes any officer or employee of a corporation or a member or employee of a partnership under a duty to perform, pay such tax, make such return or affidavit, keep such records or supply such information.
(g) Any person who wilfully delivers or discloses to the commissioner or his authorized agent any list, return, affidavit, account, statement, or other document, known by him to be fraudulent or false in any material matter, shall, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, be guilty of a class D felony. No person shall be charged with an offense under both subsections (f) and (g) of this section in relation to the same tax period but such person may be charged and prosecuted for both such offenses upon the same information.
(Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 81-4, S. 10, 32; P.A. 82-325, S. 3, 7; P.A. 84-481, S. 4; P.A. 85-501, S. 4; P.A. 88-314, S. 21, 54; P.A. 94-175, S. 6, 32; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-4, S. 57, 80, 85; P.A. 95-160, S. 64, 69; P.A. 13-258, S. 49.)
History: Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 81-4 effective January 27, 1982, and applicable to taxable years of estates commencing on or after January 1, 1982; P.A. 82-325 revised effective date of Nov. Sp. Sess. act but without affecting this section; P.A. 84-481 subdivided section and added language designated as Subsecs. (b) and (d); P.A. 85-501 added Subsec. (e) re collections and liens; P.A. 88-314 amended Subsec. (b) to provide that a taxpayer shall not be subject to penalty under both Subsec. (a) and Subsec. (b) and added Subsecs. (f) and (g) re penalties for any person who wilfully fails to pay the tax or make a return at the time required and for any person who wilfully delivers a return or other document known to be false in any material matter, effective July 1, 1988, and applicable to any tax which first becomes due and payable on or after said date, to any return or report due on or after said date, or in the case of any ongoing obligation imposed in accordance with said act, to the tax period next beginning on or after said date; P.A. 94-175 eliminated obsolete reference in Subsec. (f) to compliance with regulations, effective June 2, 1994; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-4 in Subsec. (b) reduced interest rate from 1.25% to 1% and provided that such interest may only be applied on the tax rather than on the tax and any penalty, effective July 1, 1995, and applicable to taxes due and owing on or after said date and also revised effective date of P.A. 94-175 but without affecting this section; P.A. 95-160 revised effective date of May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-4 but without affecting this section; P.A. 13-258 amended Subsec. (g) to change penalty from fine of not more than $5,000 or imprisonment of not more than 5 years or less than 1 year to a class D felony.
Source: Connecticut General Assembly (cga.ct.gov)URL: https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_218a.htm#sec_12-405dFetched: 10/20/2026