§ 8-5

As soon as practicable after any return is filed, the Department shall examine such return or amended return and shall correct such return according to its best judgment and information, which return so corrected by the Department shall be prima facie correct and shall be prima facie evidence of the correctness of the amount of tax due, as shown therein. Instead of requiring the licensee to file an amended return, the Department may simply notify the licensee of the correction or corrections it has made. Proof of such correction by the Department, or of the determination of the amount of tax due as provided in Sections 8-4 and 8-10, may be made at any hearing before the Department or in any legal proceeding by a reproduced copy of the Department's record relating thereto in the name of the Department under the certificate of the Director of Revenue. Such reproduced copy shall, without further proof, be admitted into evidence before the Department or in any legal proceeding and shall be prima facie proof of the correctness of the amount of tax due, as shown therein. If the return so corrected by the Department discloses the sale or use, by a licensed manufacturer or importing distributor, of alcoholic liquors as to which the tax provided for in this Article should have been paid, but has not been paid, in excess of the alcoholic liquors reported as being taxable by the licensee, and as to which the proper tax was paid the Department shall notify the licensee that it shall issue the taxpayer a notice of tax liability for the amount of tax claimed by the Department to be due, together with penalties at the rates prescribed by Sections 3-3, 3-5 and 3-6 of the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act, which amount of tax shall be equivalent to the amount of tax which, at the prescribed rate per gallon, should have been paid with respect to the alcoholic liquors disposed of in excess of those reported as being taxable. No earlier than 90 days after the due date of the return, the Department may compare filed returns, or any amendments thereto, against reports of sales of alcoholic liquor submitted to the Department by other manufacturers and distributors. If a return or amended return is corrected by the Department because the return or amended return failed to disclose the purchase of alcoholic liquor from manufacturers or distributors on which the tax provided for in this Article should have been paid, but has not been paid, the Department shall issue the taxpayer a notice of tax liability for the amount of tax claimed by the Department to be due, together with penalties at the rates prescribed by Sections 3-3, 3-5, and 3-6 of the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act. In a case where no return has been filed, the Department shall determine the amount of tax due according to its best judgment and information and shall issue the taxpayer a notice of tax liability for the amount of tax claimed by the Department to be due as herein provided together with penalties at the rates prescribed by Sections 3-3, 3-5 and 3-6 of the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act. If, in administering the provisions of this Act, a comparison of a licensee's return or returns with the books, records and physical inventories of such licensee discloses a deficiency which cannot be allocated by the Department to a particular month or months, the Department shall issue the taxpayer a notice of tax liability for the amount of tax claimed by the Department to be due for a given period, but without any obligation upon the Department to allocate such deficiency to any particular month or months, together with penalties at the rates prescribed by Sections 3-3, 3-5 and 3-6 of the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act, which amount of tax shall be equivalent to the amount of tax which, at the prescribed rate per gallon, should have been paid with respect to the alcoholic liquors disposed of in excess of those reported being taxable, with the tax thereon having been paid under which circumstances the aforesaid notice of tax liability shall be prima facie correct and shall be prima facie evidence of the correctness of the amount of tax due as shown therein; and proof of such correctness may be made in accordance with, and the admissibility of a reproduced copy of such notice of the Department's notice of tax liability shall be governed by, all the provisions of this Act applicable to corrected returns. If the licensee dies or becomes a person under legal disability at any time before the Department issues its notice of tax liability, such notice shall be issued to the administrator, executor or other legal representative, as such, of the deceased or licensee who is under legal disability. If such licensee or legal representative, within 60 days after such notice of tax liability, files a protest to such notice of tax liability and requests a hearing thereon, the Department shall give at least 7 days' notice to such licensee or legal representative, as the case may be, of the time and place fixed for such hearing and shall hold a hearing in conformity with the provisions of this Act, and pursuant thereto shall issue a final assessment to such licensee or legal representative for the amount found to be due as a result of such hearing. If a protest to the notice of tax liability and a request for a hearing thereon is not filed within 60 days after such notice of tax liability, such notice of tax liability shall become final without the necessity of a final assessment being issued and shall be deemed to be a final assessment. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, any amount paid as tax or in respect of tax paid under this Act shall be deemed assessed upon the date of receipt of payment. In case of failure to pay the tax, or any portion thereof, or any penalty provided for herein, when due, the Department may recover the amount of such tax, or portion thereof, or penalty in a civil action; or if the licensee dies or becomes a person under legal disability, by filing a claim therefor against his or her estate; provided that no such claim shall be filed against the estate of any deceased or of the licensee who is under legal disability for any tax or penalty or portion thereof except in the manner prescribed and within the time limited by the Probate Act of 1975, as amended. The collection of any such tax and penalty, or either, by any means provided for herein, shall not be a bar to any prosecution under this Act. In addition to any other penalty provided for in this Article, all provisions of the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act that are not inconsistent with this Act apply.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 103-9, eff. 1-1-24 .)