RCW 82.32.145
Limited liability business entity—Terminated, dissolved, abandoned, insolvent—Collection of unpaid trust fund taxes.
(1) Whenever the department has issued a warrant under RCW 82.32.210 for the collection of unpaid trust fund taxes from a limited liability business entity and that business entity has been terminated, dissolved, or abandoned, or is insolvent, the department may pursue collection of the entity's unpaid trust fund taxes, including penalties and interest on those taxes, against any or all of the responsible individuals. For purposes of this subsection, "insolvent" means the condition that results when the sum of the entity's debts exceeds the fair market value of its assets. The department may presume that an entity is insolvent if the entity refuses to disclose to the department the nature of its assets and liabilities.
(2) Personal liability under this section may be imposed for state and local trust fund taxes.
(3)(a) For a responsible individual who is the current or a former chief executive or chief financial officer, liability under this section applies regardless of fault or whether the individual was or should have been aware of the unpaid trust fund tax liability of the limited liability business entity.
(b) For any other responsible individual, liability under this section applies only if he or she willfully fails to pay or to cause to be paid to the department the trust fund taxes due from the limited liability business entity.
(4)(a) Except as provided in this subsection (4)(a), a responsible individual who is the current or a former chief executive or chief financial officer is liable under this section only for trust fund tax liability accrued during the period that he or she was the chief executive or chief financial officer. However, if the responsible individual had the responsibility or duty to remit payment of the limited liability business entity's trust fund taxes to the department during any period of time that the person was not the chief executive or chief financial officer, that individual is also liable for trust fund tax liability that became due during the period that he or she had the duty to remit payment of the limited liability business entity's taxes to the department but was not the chief executive or chief financial officer.
(b) All other responsible individuals are liable under this section only for trust fund tax liability that became due during the period he or she had the responsibility or duty to remit payment of the limited liability business entity's taxes to the department.
(5) Persons described in subsection (3)(b) of this section are exempt from liability under this section in situations where nonpayment of the limited liability business entity's trust fund taxes is due to reasons beyond their control as determined by the department by rule.
(6) Any person having been issued a notice of assessment under this section is entitled to the appeal procedures under RCW 82.32.160, 82.32.170, 82.32.180, 82.32.190, and 82.32.200.
(7) This section does not relieve the limited liability business entity of its trust fund tax liability or otherwise impair other tax collection remedies afforded by law.
(8) Collection authority and procedures prescribed in this chapter apply to collections under this section.
(9) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(a) "Chief executive" means: The president of a corporation; or for other entities or organizations other than corporations or if the corporation does not have a president as one of its officers, the highest ranking executive manager or administrator in charge of the management of the company or organization.
(b) "Chief financial officer" means: The treasurer of a corporation; or for entities or organizations other than corporations or if a corporation does not have a treasurer as one of its officers, the highest senior manager who is responsible for overseeing the financial activities of the entire company or organization.
(c) "Limited liability business entity" means a type of business entity that generally shields its owners from personal liability for the debts, obligations, and liabilities of the entity, or a business entity that is managed or owned in whole or in part by an entity that generally shields its owners from personal liability for the debts, obligations, and liabilities of the entity. Limited liability business entities include corporations, limited liability companies, limited liability partnerships, trusts, general partnerships and joint ventures in which one or more of the partners or parties are also limited liability business entities, and limited partnerships in which one or more of the general partners are also limited liability business entities.
(d) "Manager" has the same meaning as in RCW 25.15.006.
(e) "Member" has the same meaning as in RCW 25.15.006, except that the term only includes members of member-managed limited liability companies.
(f) "Officer" means any officer or assistant officer of a corporation, including the president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer.
(g)(i) "Responsible individual" includes any current or former officer, manager, member, partner, or trustee of a limited liability business entity with an unpaid tax warrant issued by the department.
(ii) "Responsible individual" also includes any current or former employee or other individual, but only if the individual had the responsibility or duty to remit payment of the limited liability business entity's unpaid trust fund tax liability reflected in a tax warrant issued by the department.
(iii) Whenever any taxpayer has one or more limited liability business entities as a member, manager, or partner, "responsible individual" also includes any current and former officers, members, or managers of the limited liability business entity or entities or of any other limited liability business entity involved directly in the management of the taxpayer. For purposes of this subsection (9)(g)(iii), "taxpayer" means a limited liability business entity with an unpaid tax warrant issued against it by the department.
(h) "Trust fund taxes" means taxes collected from purchasers and held in trust under RCW 82.08.050, including taxes imposed under RCW 82.08.020, 82.08.150, and 82.51.010.
(i) "Willfully fails to pay or to cause to be paid" means that the failure was the result of an intentional, conscious, and voluntary course of action.
[ 2020 c 301 § 6; 2015 c 188 § 121; 2012 c 39 § 8; 2010 1st sp.s. c 23 § 801; 1995 c 318 § 2; 1987 c 245 § 1.]
NOTES:
Automatic expiration date and tax preference performance statement exemption—2020 c 301: See RCW 82.51.900.
Effective date—2015 c 188: See RCW 25.15.903.
Construction—Effective date—2012 c 39: See notes following RCW 82.08.155.
Effective date—2010 1st sp.s. c 23: See note following RCW 82.32.655.
Findings—Intent—2010 1st sp.s. c 23: See notes following RCW 82.04.220.
Effective date—1995 c 318: See note following RCW 82.04.030.
Structure Revised Code of Washington
Chapter 82.32 - General Administrative Provisions.
82.32.010 - Application of chapter stated.
82.32.023 - Definition of product for agreement purposes.
82.32.026 - Registration—Seller's agent—Streamlined sales and use tax agreement.
82.32.030 - Registration certificates—Threshold levels—Central registration system.
82.32.033 - Registration certificates—Special events—Promoter's duties—Penalties—Definitions.
82.32.052 - Interest and penalties—Waiver for amounts unpaid as of February 1, 2011.
82.32.055 - Interest and penalties—Waiver for military personnel.
82.32.057 - Application of interest to delinquent taxes—Extensions.
82.32.062 - Additional offset for excess payment of sales tax.
82.32.085 - Electronic funds transfer—Generally.
82.32.087 - Direct pay permits.
82.32.090 - Late payment—Disregard of written instructions—Evasion—Penalties.
82.32.105 - Waiver or cancellation of penalties or interest—Rules.
82.32.110 - Examination of books or records—Subpoenas—Contempt of court.
82.32.117 - Application for court approval of subpoena prior to issuance—No notice required.
82.32.120 - Oaths and acknowledgments.
82.32.130 - Notice and orders—Service.
82.32.135 - Notice, assessment, other information—Electronic delivery.
82.32.140 - Taxpayer quitting business—Liability of successor.
82.32.150 - Contest of tax—Prepayment required—Restraining orders and injunctions barred.
82.32.160 - Correction of tax—Administrative procedure—Conference—Determination by department.
82.32.170 - Reduction of tax after payment—Petition—Conference—Determination by department.
82.32.180 - Court appeal—Procedure.
82.32.190 - Stay of collection pending suit—Interest.
82.32.200 - Stay of collection—Bond—Interest.
82.32.210 - Tax warrant—Filing—Lien—Effect.
82.32.212 - Tax warrant—Notice of lien.
82.32.215 - Revocation of certificate of registration.
82.32.220 - Execution of warrant—Levy upon property—Satisfaction.
82.32.230 - Agent of the department of revenue may execute.
82.32.237 - Notice and order to withhold and deliver—Continuing lien—Effective date.
82.32.240 - Tax constitutes debt to the state—Priority of lien.
82.32.245 - Search for and seizure of property—Warrant—Procedure.
82.32.260 - Payment condition to dissolution or withdrawal of corporation.
82.32.265 - Use of collection agencies to collect taxes outside the state.
82.32.270 - Accounting period prescribed.
82.32.280 - Tax declared additional.
82.32.290 - Unlawful acts—Penalties.
82.32.291 - Reseller permit—Unlawful use—Penalty—Rules.
82.32.300 - Department of revenue to administer—Chapters enforced by liquor and cannabis board.
82.32.310 - Immunity of officers, agents, etc., of the department of revenue acting in good faith.
82.32.330 - Disclosure of return or tax information.
82.32.340 - Chargeoff of uncollectible taxes—Destruction of files and records.
82.32.350 - Closing agreements authorized.
82.32.360 - Conclusive effect of agreements.
82.32.380 - Revenues to be deposited in general fund.
82.32.410 - Written determinations as precedents.
82.32.430 - Liability for tax rate calculation errors—Geographic information system.
82.32.440 - Project on sales and use tax exemption requirements.
82.32.470 - Transfer of sales and use tax on toll projects.
82.32.480 - Washington forest products commission—Disclosure of taxpayer information.
82.32.490 - Electronic database for use by mobile telecommunications service provider.
82.32.495 - Liability of mobile telecommunications service provider if no database provided.
82.32.500 - Determination of taxing jurisdiction for telecommunications services.
82.32.505 - Telecommunications services—Place of primary use.
82.32.510 - Scope of mobile telecommunications act—Identification of taxable and nontaxable charges.
82.32.515 - Applicability of telephone and telecommunications definitions.
82.32.520 - Sourcing of calls.
82.32.525 - Purchaser's cause of action for over-collected sales or use tax.
82.32.531 - Nexus—Trade convention attendance or participation.
82.32.532 - Digital products—Nexus.
82.32.533 - Digital products—Amnesty.
82.32.534 - Annual report requirement for tax preferences.
82.32.537 - Silicon smelters—Annual survey or report.
82.32.550 - "Commercial airplane," "component," and "superefficient airplane"—Definitions.
82.32.558 - Tax deferral—Eligible projects—Application.
82.32.559 - Tax deferral—Eligible projects—Deposit of funds.
82.32.580 - Sales and use tax deferral—Historic automobile museum.
82.32.590 - Annual tax performance reports—Failure to file.
82.32.600 - Annual tax performance reports—Electronic filing.
82.32.605 - Annual tax performance report—Hog fuel.
82.32.660 - Tax avoidance—Statutory application.
82.32.670 - Tax evasion by electronic means—Seizure and forfeiture.
82.32.680 - Tax evasion by electronic means—Search and seizure.
82.32.700 - Administration of the sales and use tax for hospital benefit zones.
82.32.715 - Monetary allowances—Streamlined sales and use tax agreement.
82.32.720 - Vendor compensation—Streamlined sales and use tax agreement.
82.32.725 - Amnesty—Streamlined sales and use tax agreement.
82.32.730 - Sourcing—Streamlined sales and use tax agreement.
82.32.740 - Taxability matrix—Liability—Streamlined sales and use tax agreement.
82.32.750 - Purchaser liability—Penalty—Streamlined sales and use tax agreement.
82.32.765 - Local revitalization financing—Reporting requirements.
82.32.770 - Sourcing compliance—Taxpayer relief—Collection and remittance errors.
82.32.780 - Reseller's permit—Taxpayer application.
82.32.783 - Reseller's permit—Contractor application.
82.32.784 - Reseller's permit—Information required.
82.32.785 - Reseller's permit—Voluntary electronic verification.
82.32.787 - Reseller's permit—Request for copies.
82.32.805 - Tax preferences—Expiration dates.
82.32.808 - Tax preferences—Performance statement requirement.
82.32.850 - Significant commercial airplane manufacturing—Tax preference—Contingent effective date.
82.32.860 - Liquefied natural gas—Estimated sales tax revenue.
82.32.865 - Nonresident vessel permit.