(a) General. The tax commission may prescribe regulations as to the keeping of records, the content and form of returns and statements, and the filing of copies of federal income tax returns and determinations. The tax commission may require any person, by regulation or notice served upon such person, to make such returns, render such statements, or keep such records, as the tax commission may deem sufficient to show whether or not such person is liable under this chapter for tax or for collection of tax.
(b) Identifying numbers.
(1) When required by regulations prescribed by the tax commission:
(A) Inclusion in returns. Any person required under the authority of this chapter to make a return, statement, or other document shall include in such return, statement or other document such identifying number as may be prescribed for securing proper identification of such person.
(B) Furnishing number to other persons. Any person with respect to whom a return, statement or other document is required under the authority of this chapter to be made by another person shall furnish to such other person such identifying number as may be prescribed for securing his or her proper identification.
(C) Furnishing number of another person. Any person required under the authority of this chapter to make a return, statement, or other document with respect to another person shall request from such other person, and shall include in any such return, statement, or other document, such identifying number as may be prescribed for securing proper identification of such other person.
(2) Limitation.
(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a return of any person with respect to his or her liability for tax, or any statement or other document in support thereof, shall not be considered for purposes of subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph one of this subdivision as a return, statement or other document with respect to another person.
(B) For purposes of subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph one of this subdivision, a return of an estate or trust with respect to its liability for tax, and any statement or other document in support thereof, shall be considered as a return, statement, or other document with respect to each beneficiary of such estate or trust.
(3) Requirement of information. For purposes of this section, the tax commission is authorized to require such information as may be necessary to assign an identifying number to any person.
(c) Partnerships and S corporations.
(1) Partnerships. Every partnership having a city resident partner shall make a return for the taxable year setting forth all items of income, gain, loss and deduction and such other pertinent information as the tax commission may by regulations and instructions prescribe. Such return shall be filed on or before the fifteenth day of the fourth month following the close of each taxable year except that the due date for the return of a partnership consisting entirely of nonresident aliens shall be the date prescribed for the filing of its federal partnership return for the taxable year. For purposes of this paragraph, "taxable year" means a year or a period which would be a taxable year of the partnership if it were subject to tax under this chapter.
(2) S corporations. Every S corporation for which the election provided for in subsection (a) of section six hundred sixty of the tax law is in effect shall make a return setting forth all items of income, loss and deduction and such other pertinent information as the tax commission may by regulations and instructions prescribe. Such return shall be filed on or before the fifteenth day of the third month following the close of each taxable year.
(d) Information at source. The tax commission may prescribe regulations and instructions requiring returns of information to be made and filed on or before February twenty-eighth of each year as to the payment or crediting in any calendar year of amounts of six hundred dollars or more to any taxpayer under this chapter. Such returns may be required of any persons, including lessees or mortgagors of real or personal property, fiduciaries, employers, and all officers and employees of this state, or of any municipal corporation or political subdivision of this state, having the control, receipt, custody, disposal or payment of interest, rents, salaries, wages, premiums, annuities, compensations, remunerations, emoluments or other fixed or determinable gains, profits or income, except interest coupons payable to bearer. A duplicate of the statement as to tax withheld on wages, required to be furnished by an employer to an employee, shall constitute the return of information required to be made under this section with respect to such wages.
(e) Notice of qualification as receiver, etc. Every receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, assignee for benefit of creditors, or other like fiduciary shall give notice of his or her qualification as such to the tax commission, as may be required by regulation.
(f) [Repealed.]
(g) Requirements applicable to tax return preparer.
(1) Signature of tax return preparer. Any individual who is a tax return preparer and prepares any return or claim for refund, shall sign such return or claim for refund in accordance with regulations or instructions prescribed by the commissioner of taxation and finance.
(2) Furnishing identifying numbers. Any return or claim for refund which is prepared by a tax return preparer shall include the identifying number of the preparer required by paragraph one of this subdivision to sign such return or claim for refund. In addition, where such individual preparer is an employee of an employer which is a tax return preparer with respect to such return or claim for refund, or where such preparer is a partner in a partnership which is a tax return preparer with respect to such return or claim for refund, then such return or claim for refund shall also include the identifying number of such employer or partnership. Such identifying numbers shall be as prescribed by the commissioner of taxation and finance in order to secure the proper identification of such individual preparer, partnership of employer. The responsibility for the inclusion of such identifying numbers shall be as set forth in paragraph two of subdivision (t) of section 11-1785.
(3) Furnishing copy to taxpayer. Any person who is a tax return preparer with respect to any return or claim for refund shall furnish a completed copy of such return or claim for refund to the taxpayer not later than the time such return or claim for refund is presented for such taxpayer's signature.
(4) Copy or list to be retained by tax return preparer. Any person who is a tax return preparer with respect to any return or claim for refund shall for a three year retention period described in paragraph nine of this subdivision:
(A) retain a completed copy of such return or claim for refund, or retain, on a list, the name and identification number of the taxpayer for whom such return or claim was prepared, and
(B) make such copy or list available for inspection upon request by the commissioner of taxation and finance.
(5) Tax return preparer defined. For purposes of this chapter, the term "tax return preparer" means any person who prepares for compensation, or who employs or engages one or more persons to prepare for compensation any return or claim for refund. The preparation of a substantial portion of a return or claim for refund shall be treated as if it were the preparation of such return or claim for refund. Where an employer and one or more employees of such employer are tax return preparers with respect to the same return or claim for refund, or where a partnership and one or more partners in such partnership are tax return preparers with respect to the same return or claim for refund, for purposes of paragraphs three and four of this subdivision, such employer or such partnership shall be deemed to be the sole tax return preparer. A person shall not be a "tax return preparer" merely because such person –
(A) furnishes typing, reproducing, or other mechanical assistance,
(B) prepares a return or claim for refund of the employer (or of an officer or employee of the employer) by whom he is regularly and continuously employed, or
(C) prepares as a fiduciary a return or claim for refund for any person.
(6) Person defined. For purposes of this subdivision, the term "person" includes an individual, corporation (including a dissolved corporation) or partnership.
(7) Return defined. For purposes of this subdivision, the term "return" shall mean any return required under this chapter.
(8) Claim for refund defined. For purposes of this subdivision, the term "claim for refund" shall mean a claim for refund of or credit against any tax imposed under this chapter, and shall include any claim for refund of any credit treated as an overpayment of tax under this chapter.
(9) Retention period defined. For purposes of this subdivision, the term "retention period" shall mean:
(A) in the case of a tax return, the period ending the later of three years after the due date of such return (without regard to extensions) or three years after the date such return was presented to the taxpayer for such taxpayer's signature, and
(B) in the case of a claim for refund, the period ending three years after such claim for refund was presented to the taxpayer for such taxpayer's signature.
(10) Mandatory electronic filing by certain tax return preparers.
(A) (i) If a tax return preparer prepared more than two hundred original returns during the calendar year beginning on January first, two thousand five, and if, in the calendar year beginning on January first, two thousand six, such tax return preparer prepares one or more authorized returns using tax software, then, for such calendar year two thousand six and for each subsequent calendar year thereafter, all authorized returns prepared by such tax return preparer shall be filed electronically, in accordance with instructions prescribed by the commissioner of taxation and finance.
(ii) If a tax return preparer prepared more than one hundred original returns during any calendar year beginning on or after January first, two thousand six, and if, in any succeeding calendar year such tax return preparer prepares one or more authorized returns using tax software, then, for such succeeding calendar year and for each subsequent calendar year thereafter, all authorized returns prepared by such tax return preparer shall be filed electronically, in accordance with instructions prescribed by the commissioner of taxation and finance.
(B) For purposes of this paragraph:
(i) "Electronic" means computer technology; provided, however, that the commissioner of taxation and finance may, in instructions, provide that use of barcode technology will also satisfy the mandatory electronic filing requirements of this section.
(ii) "Authorized return" means any return required under this article which the commissioner of taxation and finance has authorized to be filed electronically.
(iii) "Original return" means a return required under this article that is filed, without regard to extensions, during the calendar year for which that return is required to be filed.
(iv) "Tax software" means any computer software program intended for tax return preparation purposes.