By Mike Le and Open Weaver Banks
The Indiana Department of State Revenue issued a Letter of Finding denying a taxpayer’s protest of throwback sales because the taxpayer failed to substantiate being subject to tax in multiple jurisdictions. For income tax purposes, Indiana requires the throwback of sales when tangible personal property is shipped from Indiana to a jurisdiction where a taxpayer is not subject to tax. The taxpayer argued that it was subject to tax in multiple jurisdictions because it was either included in its parent’s combined/unitary returns, employed employees who solicited sales in various states, or conducted business in foreign countries. The Department, however, concluded that the taxpayer failed to carry its burden and did not provide sufficient evidence to prove that it was subject to taxation in those jurisdictions. In particular, the Department determined that since the taxpayer filed a separate Indiana return, its Indiana-origin sales to states in which it was included in combined/unitary returns with its affiliates must be thrown back to Indiana. The Department also denied the taxpayer’s request for abatement of the negligence penalty, finding that the taxpayer failed to demonstrate that its actions were reasonable. Ind. Dep’t of State Rev., Ltr. Of Findings No. 02-20170298 (January 31, 2018).