Tax Delinquents – Public Notice

Pursuant to House Bill 7225Aaa, the Rhode Island Tax Administrator is now authorized by state law to publish a list of delinquent taxpayers who owe at least $50,000 of state tax, both personal income tax and certain business taxes, and whose taxes have been unpaid for a period in excess of ninety (90) days following the date their tax was due.

Previously, the Rhode Island Tax Administrator was authorized by state law to publish a list of the top one hundred (100) delinquents owing the largest amount of state tax.  The TOP 100 lists [personal and business] can be accessed from the TOP 100 Tax Delinquents web page.

The Division of Taxation is in the process of sending out Delinquent Taxpayer Publication Notifications to those delinquent taxpayers who owe at least $50,000 of state tax.  Taxpayers have thirty (30) days from the date of the notice to resolve their debt.  Once that thirty (30) day period expires, the TOP 100 lists will be replaced with the new Tax Delinquents lists of those taxpayers owing at least $50,000 of state tax who did not resolve their debt.

The law authorizes the Tax Administrator to publish these lists on the Rhode Island Division of Taxation’s website:

  • The first list includes those delinquent taxpayers who owe at least $50,000 of state personal income tax;
  • The second list includes those delinquent taxpayers who owe at least $50,000 of certain state business taxes including, but not limited to, sales, meals and beverage, withholding, corporate, and health care taxes.

Like all states, Rhode Island relies on tax revenue to provide vital public services – from public safety and transportation to health care and education. When someone fails to pay the tax that is owed by law, everyone suffers, and honest taxpayers must shoulder an extra burden.

More than 23 states nationwide – including Connecticut and Massachusetts – use similar public notice lists to help collect unpaid taxes.

Posting the lists is a way to encourage tax delinquents to pay what they owe, come back into compliance with the law, and ease the burden on the overwhelming majority of taxpayers who pay what they owe and pay it on time.

Neena S. Savage
Tax Administrator
 

Resources

Statute: R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-1-34

 

Contact Us

Compliance and Collections
Email:   Tax.Collections@tax.ri.gov
Phone:  401.574.8941
Fax:      401.574.8915