(a) As used in this section:
(1) “Combined tax liability” means the total amount of a taxpayer’s income tax liabilities to all municipal corporations in this state for a taxable year.
(2) “Estimated taxes” means the amount that the taxpayer reasonably estimates to be the taxpayer’s combined tax liability for the current taxable year.
(b) (1) Except as provided in subsection (b)(4) of this section, every taxpayer shall make a declaration of estimated taxes for the current taxable year, on the form prescribed by the tax commissioner, if the amount payable as estimated taxes is at least two hundred dollars ($200.00).
(2) Except as provided in subsection (b)(4) of this section, a taxpayer having a taxable year of less than twelve months shall make a declaration under rules prescribed by the commissioner.
(3) The declaration of estimated taxes shall be filed on or before the fifteenth day of the fourth month after the beginning of the taxable year or on or before the fifteenth day of the fourth month after the taxpayer becomes subject to tax for the first time.
(4) The tax commissioner may waive the requirement for filing a declaration of estimated taxes for any class of taxpayers after finding that the waiver is reasonable and proper in view of administrative costs and other factors.
(c) Each taxpayer shall file the declaration of estimated taxes with, and remit estimated taxes to, the tax commissioner at the times and in the amounts prescribed in subsection (c)(1) of this section. Remitted taxes shall be made payable to the treasurer of state.
(1) The required portion of the combined tax liability for the taxable year that shall be paid through estimated taxes shall be as follows:
A. On or before the fifteenth day of the fourth month after the beginning of the taxable year, twenty-two and one-half percent (22.5%) of the combined tax liability for the taxable year;
B. On or before the fifteenth day of the sixth month after the beginning of the taxable year, forty-five percent (45%) of the combined tax liability for the taxable year;
C. On or before the fifteenth day of the ninth month after the beginning of the taxable year, sixty-seven and one-half percent (67.5%) of the combined tax liability for the taxable year;
D. On or before the fifteenth day of the twelfth month of the taxable year, ninety percent (90%) of the combined tax liability for the taxable year.
(2) If the taxpayer determines that its declaration of estimated taxes will not accurately reflect the taxpayer’s tax liability for the taxable year, the taxpayer shall increase or decrease, as appropriate, its subsequent payments in equal installments to result in a more accurate payment of estimated taxes.
(3) A. Each taxpayer shall report on the declaration of estimated taxes the portion of the remittance that the taxpayer estimates that it owes to each municipal corporation for the taxable year.
B. Upon receiving a payment of estimated taxes under this section, the commissioner shall immediately forward the payment to the treasurer of state. The treasurer shall credit the payment in the same manner as in subsection (b) of Section 194.85 of this chapter.
(d) (1) In the case of any underpayment of estimated taxes, there shall be added to the taxes an amount determined at the rate per annum prescribed by Section 5703.47 of the ORC upon the amount of underpayment for the period of underpayment, unless the underpayment is due to reasonable cause as described in subsection (e) of this section. The amount of the underpayment shall be determined as follows:
A. For the first payment of estimated taxes each year, twenty-two and one-half percent (22.5%) of the combined tax liability, less the amount of taxes paid by the date prescribed for that payment;
B. For the second payment of estimated taxes each year, forty-five percent (45%) of the combined tax liability, less the amount of taxes paid by the date prescribed for that payment;
C. For the third payment of estimated taxes each year, sixty-seven and one-half percent (67.5%) of the combined tax liability, less the amount of taxes paid by the date prescribed for that payment;
D. For the fourth payment of estimated taxes each year, ninety percent (90%) of the combined tax liability, less the amount of taxes paid by the date prescribed for that payment.
(2) The period of the underpayment shall run from the day the estimated payment was required to be made to the date on which the payment is made. For purposes of this section, a payment of estimated taxes on or before any payment date shall be considered a payment of any previous underpayment only to the extent the payment of estimated taxes exceeds the amount of the payment presently due.
(e) An underpayment of any portion of a combined tax liability shall be due to reasonable cause and the penalty imposed by this section shall not be added to the taxes for the taxable year if any of the following apply:
(1) The amount of estimated taxes that were paid equals at least ninety percent (90%) of the combined tax liability for the current taxable year, determined by annualizing the income received during the year up to the end of the month immediately preceding the month in which the payment is due.
(2) The amount of estimated taxes that were paid equals at least one hundred percent (100%) of the tax liability shown on the return of the taxpayer for the preceding taxable year, provided that the immediately preceding taxable year reflected a period of twelve months and the taxpayer filed a municipal income tax return for that year.
(Ord. C10-18. Passed 2-23-18.)