Loading...
In addition to all other powers granted to the commissioner of finance under this chapter, the commissioner is hereby authorized and empowered:
1. To make, adopt and amend rules and regulations appropriate to the carrying out of this chapter and the purposes thereof.
2. To compromise disputed claims in connection with taxes hereby imposed.
3. To delegate his or her functions hereunder to any officer or employee of the department of finance.
4. To prescribe reasonable methods, approved by the New York superintendent of insurance, for determining the amounts of premiums subject to the tax.
5. To require any foreign or alien insurer subject to the tax to keep detailed records of the premiums in a manner reasonably designed to show the amounts thereof subject to the tax and to furnish such information on request.
6. To assess, determine, revise and adjust the tax imposed under this chapter.
7. To audit the reports of any insurer.
There shall be paid to the department of finance for the use and benefit of the fire department of the city, on or before the first day of March, in each year by every foreign and alien fire insurance corporation, association or individuals which insure property against loss or damage by fire, the sum of two percent of all gross direct premiums less return premiums which, during the year ending on the preceding thirty-first day of December, shall have been received by any such insurer for any insurance against loss or damage by fire in the city. Any such insurer which in any year shall cease or terminate doing business in the city shall pay the tax for such year within thirty days after such cessation or termination.
Each insurer required to pay a tax under this chapter shall, at the time such tax is paid or payable, whichever is sooner, render to the commissioner of finance a verified report setting forth such information as may be required by the commissioner for the determination of the tax and the proper administration of this chapter. The commissioner of finance shall prescribe the form and furnish the necessary forms to enable such insurers to make such reports. The commissioner or the commissioner's designated representative or the tax appeals tribunal or its designated representative shall have power to examine any such insurer under oath and to require the production by such insurer of all books and papers as the commissioner or the tax appeals tribunal may deem necessary. All expenses of collecting such tax shall be paid by the commissioner of finance from the funds received under this chapter prior to the distribution thereof as hereinafter authorized.
(a) Interest on underpayments. If any amount of tax is not paid on or before the last date prescribed for payment (without regard to any extension of time granted for payment), interest on such amount at the underpayment rate set by the commissioner of finance pursuant to subdivision (g) of this section, or, if no rate is set, at the rate of seven and one-half percent per annum, shall be paid for the period from such last date to the date of payment. In computing the amount of interest to be paid, such interest shall be compounded daily. Interest under this subdivision shall not be paid if the amount thereof is less than one dollar.
(b) (1) Failure to file return.
(A) In case of failure to file a return under this chapter on or before the prescribed date (determined with regard to any extension of time for filing), unless it is shown that such failure is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, there shall be added to the amount required to be shown as tax on such return five percent of the amount of such tax if the failure is for not more than one month, with an additional five percent for each additional month or fraction thereof during which such failure continues, not exceeding twenty-five percent in the aggregate.
(B) In the case of a failure to file a return of tax within sixty days of the date prescribed for filing of such return (determined with regard to any extension of time for filing), unless it is shown that such failure is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, the addition to tax under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall not be less than the lesser of one hundred dollars or one hundred percent of the amount required to be shown as tax on such return.
(C) For purposes of this paragraph, the amount of tax required to be shown on the return shall be reduced by the amount of any part of the tax which is paid on or before the date prescribed for payment of the tax and by the amount of any credit against the tax which may be claimed upon the return.
(2) Failure to pay tax shown on return. In case of failure to pay the amount shown as tax on a return required to be filed under this chapter on or before the prescribed date (determined with regard to any extension of time for payment), unless it is shown that such failure is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, there shall be added to the amount shown as tax on such return one-half of one percent of the amount of such tax if the failure is not for more than one month, with an additional one-half of one percent for each additional month or fraction thereof during which such failure continues, not exceeding twenty-five percent in the aggregate. For the purpose of computing the addition for any month the amount of tax shown on the return shall be reduced by the amount of any part of the tax which is paid on or before the beginning of such month and by the amount of any credit against the tax which may be claimed upon the return. If the amount of tax required to be shown on a return is less than the amount shown as tax on such return, this paragraph shall be applied by substituting such lower amount.
(3) Failure to pay tax required to be shown on return. In case of failure to pay any amount in respect of any tax required to be shown on a return required to be filed under this chapter which is not so shown (including a determination made pursuant to section 11-906 of this chapter) within ten days of the date of a notice and demand therefor, unless it is shown that such failure is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, there shall be added to the amount of tax stated in such notice and demand one-half of one percent of such tax if the failure is not for more than one month, with an additional one-half of one percent for each additional month or fraction thereof during which such failure continues, not exceeding twenty-five percent in the aggregate. For the purpose of computing the addition for any month, the amount of tax stated in the notice and demand shall be reduced by the amount of any part of the tax which is paid before the beginning of such month.
(4) Limitations on additions.
(A) With respect to any return, the amount of the addition under paragraph one of this subdivision shall be reduced by the amount of the addition under paragraph two of this subdivision for any month to which an addition applies under both paragraphs one and two of this subdivision. In any case described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of this subdivision, the amount of the addition under such paragraph (1) shall not be reduced below the amount provided in such subparagraph.
(B) With respect to any return, the maximum amount of the addition permitted under paragraph three of this subdivision shall be reduced by the amount of the addition under paragraph one of this subdivision (determined without regard to subparagraph (B) of such paragraph (1)) which is attributable to the tax for which the notice and demand is made and which is not paid within ten days of such notice and demand.
(c) Underpayment due to negligence.
(1) If any part of an underpayment of tax is due to negligence or intentional disregard of this chapter or any rules and regulations hereunder (but without intent to defraud), there shall be added to the tax a penalty equal to five percent of the underpayment.
(2) There shall be added to the tax (in addition to the amount determined under paragraph (1) of this subdivision) an amount equal to fifty percent of the interest payable under subdivision (a) of this section with respect to the portion of the underpayment described in such paragraph (1) which is attributable to the negligence or intentional disregard referred to in such paragraph (1), for the period beginning on the last date prescribed by law for payment of such underpayment (determined without regard to any extension) and ending on the date of the assessment of the tax (or, if earlier, the date of the payment of the tax).
(d) Underpayment due to fraud.
(1) If any part of an underpayment of tax is due to fraud, there shall be added to the tax a penalty equal to fifty percent of the underpayment.
(2) There shall be added to the tax (in addition to the penalty determined under paragraph (1) of this subdivision) an amount equal to fifty percent of the interest payable under subdivision (a) of this section with respect to the portion of the underpayment described in such paragraph (1) which is attributable to fraud, for the period beginning on the last day prescribed by law for payment of such underpayment (determined without regard to any extension) and ending on the date of the assessment of the tax (or, if earlier, the date of the payment of the tax).
(3) The penalty under this subdivision shall be in lieu of any other addition to tax imposed by subdivision (b) or (c) of this section.
(e) Additional penalty. Any insurer who, with fraudulent intent, shall fail to pay any tax imposed by this chapter, or to make, render, sign or certify any return, or to supply any information within the time required by or under this chapter, shall be liable for a penalty of not more than one thousand dollars, in addition to any other amounts required under this chapter to be imposed, assessed and collected by the commissioner of finance. The commissioner of finance shall have the power, in his or her discretion, to waive, reduce or compromise any penalty under this subdivision.
(f) The interest and penalties imposed by this section shall be paid and disposed of in the same manner as other revenues from this chapter. Unpaid interest and penalties may be enforced in the same manner as the tax imposed by this chapter.
(g) (1) Authority to set interest rates. The commissioner of finance shall set the overpayment and underpayment rates of interest to be paid pursuant to subdivision (a) of this section and subdivision (a) of section 11-906 of this chapter, but if no such overpayment rate of interest are set, such rate or rates shall be deemed to be set at six percent per annum and such underpayment rate shall be deemed to be set at seven and one-half percent per annum. Such rates shall be the overpayment and underpayment rates prescribed in paragraph two of this subdivision but the underpayment rate shall not be less than seven and one-half percent per annum. Any such rates set by the commissioner of finance shall apply to taxes, or any portion thereof, which remain or become due or overpaid on or after the date on which such rates become effective and shall apply only with respect to interest computed or computable for periods or portions of periods occurring in the period in which such rates are in effect.
(2) General rule.
(A) Overpayment rate. The overpayment rate set under this subdivision shall be the sum of (i) the federal short-term rate as provided under paragraph three of this subdivision, plus (ii) two percentage points.
(B) Underpayment rate. The underpayment rate set under this subdivision shall be the sum of (i) the federal short-term rate as provided under paragraph three of this subdivision, plus (ii) seven percentage points.
(3) Federal short-term rate. For purposes of this subdivision:
(A) The federal short-term rate for any month shall be the federal short-term rate determined by the United States secretary of the treasury during such month in accordance with subsection (d) of section twelve hundred seventy-four of the internal revenue code for use in connection with section six thousand six hundred twenty-one of the internal revenue code. Any such rate shall be rounded to the nearest full percent (or, if a multiple of one-half of one percent, such rate shall be increased to the next highest full percent).
(B) Period during which rate applies.
(i) In general. Except as provided in clause (ii) of this subparagraph, the federal short-term rate for the first month in each calendar quarter shall apply during the first calendar quarter beginning after such month.
(ii) Special rule for the month of September, nineteen hundred eighty-nine. The federal short-term rate for the month of April, nineteen hundred eighty-nine shall apply with respect to setting the rate of interest for the month of September, nineteen hundred eighty-nine.
(4) Publication of interest rate. The commissioner of finance shall cause to be published in the city record, and give other appropriate general notice of, the interest rate to be set under this subdivision no later than twenty days preceding the first day of the calendar quarter during which such interest rate applies. The setting and publication of such interest rate shall not be included within paragraph (a) of subdivision five of section one thousand forty-one of the city charter relating to the definition of a rule.
Loading...