Virginia Law

A. Filing.

1. Amended returns claiming a refund of any tax administered by the Department of Taxation are governed by § 58.1-1823 of the Code of Virginia.

2. The amended return shall supply all the information required in an original return and, in addition, the taxpayer must attach a statement explaining the changes made and the reasons for the changes. If the refund claim is due to a change in federal taxable income or estate, the taxpayer must furnish a copy of the Revenue Agent's Report or other appropriate notice that the change has been accepted by the Internal Revenue Service.

a. When a dealer is applying for a refund of sales tax, the dealer shall attach a list of the purchasers from whom the tax was collected and to whom the refund and interest, if allowed, will be paid.

b. When a consumer is applying for a refund of sales or use tax assessed against a dealer or contractor, the consumer shall identify the dealer or contractor, explain the circumstances surrounding the payment by the consumer, and explain why the claim for refund could not or would not be made by the dealer or contractor.

3. See § 58.1-9 of the Code of Virginia for provisions relating to filing a return by mail.

B. Final determination. For the purposes of §§ 58.1-311 and 58.1-1823 of the Code of Virginia, any one of the following shall be deemed a final determination of a change in liability for the federal tax:

1. Payment or refund of any federal income or estate tax not the subject of any other final determination described in subdivision 2, 3, 4, or 5 of this subsection. The payment of a federal income or estate tax is a final determination for Virginia purposes even though a refund suit may be pending or contemplated that could result in another final determination.

2. The receipt of an assessment or other notice that the amount of deficiency or overassessment stated on federal Form 870 or similar form has been agreed to by the IRS.

3. The expiration of the 90-day time period (150-day period in the case of notice addressed to a person outside the states of the union and the District of Columbia) within which a petition for redetermination may be filed with the United States Tax Court with respect to a statutory notice of deficiency issued by the Internal Revenue Service, if a petition is not filed with that court within such time.

4. A closing agreement entered into with the Internal Revenue Service under § 7121 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 USC § 1 et seq.). The final determination shall occur when the taxpayer receives notice of the signing by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue.

5. A decision by the United States Tax Court, a United States district court, the U.S. Claims Court, a United States court of appeals, or the United States Supreme Court that has become final, or the date the court approves a voluntary agreement stipulating disposition of the case.

C. Assessment. The denial in whole or in part of a taxpayer's claim for refund, or the department's failure to act within three months, is treated as an assessment for the purpose of permitting a taxpayer to pursue other administrative and judicial remedies, but only as to matters first raised by the amended return. Therefore an amended return should not be filed if the claim for refund involves issues that were previously considered in the course of an audit, application for correction, or protective claim.