Section 130.535  Payment of the Tax, Including Quarter Monthly Payments in Certain Instances

a)         Except as noted hereinafter, at the same time that a tax return required by the provisions of the Act is filed with the Department, the taxpayer shall pay the tax that is due with such return to the Department.

b)         Before October 1, 2000, if the taxpayer's average monthly tax liability to the Department under the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, the Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, excluding any liability for prepaid sales tax to be remitted in accordance with Section 2d of the Act, was $10,000 or more during the preceding 4 complete calendar quarters, he shall file a return with the Department each month by the 20^th day of the month next following the month during which such tax liability is incurred and shall make payments to the Department on or before the 7^th, 15^th, 22^nd and last day of the month during which such liability is incurred. If the month during which such tax liability is incurred begins on or after January 1, 1988 and prior to January 1, 1989, each payment shall be in an amount equal to 22.5% of the taxpayer's actual liability for the month or 25% of the taxpayer's liability for the same calendar month of the preceding year. If the month during which such tax liability is incurred begins on or after January 1, 1989, and prior to January 1, 1996, each payment shall be in an amount equal to 22.5% of the taxpayer's actual liability for the month or 25% of the taxpayer's liability for the same calendar month of the preceding year or 100% of the taxpayer's actual liability for the quarter monthly reporting period. If the month during which such tax liability is incurred begins on or after January 1, 1996, each payment shall be in an amount equal to 22.5% of the taxpayer's actual liability for the month or 25% of the taxpayer's liability for the same calendar month of the preceding year. The amount of such payments shall be credited against the final tax liability of the taxpayer's return for that month.  Prior to January 1, 1999, if any such payment is not paid at the time or in the amount required in this subsection, then the taxpayer's 2%, 2.1% or 1.75% vendors' discount shall be reduced by 2%, 2.1% or 1.75% of the difference between the minimum amount due as a payment and the amount of such quarter monthly payment actually and timely paid, and the taxpayer shall be liable for penalties and interest on such difference except insofar as the taxpayer has previously made payments for that month to the Department in excess of the minimum payments previously due as provided in this Section.  Beginning on and after January 1, 1999, if any such payment is not paid at the time or in the amount required in this subsection, then the taxpayer shall be liable for penalties and interest on the difference between the minimum amount due as a payment and the amount of such quarter monthly payment actually and timely paid, except insofar as the taxpayer has previously made payments for that month to the Department in excess of the minimum payments previously due as provided in this Section.

On and after October 1, 2000, if the taxpayer's average monthly tax liability to the Department under the Act, the Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Service Use Tax Act, excluding any liability for prepaid sales tax to be remitted in accordance with Section 2d of the Act, was $20,000 or more during the preceding 4 complete calendar quarters, he shall file a return with the Department each month by the 20^th day of the month next following the month during which such tax liability is incurred and shall make payment to the Department on or before the 7^th, 15^th, 22^nd and last day of the month during which such liability is incurred. (Section 3 of the Act)

c)         Before October 1, 2001, without regard to whether a taxpayer is required to make quarter monthly payments as specified above, any taxpayer who is required by Section 2d of this Act to collect and remit prepaid taxes and has collected prepaid taxes which average in excess of $25,000 per month during the preceding 2 complete calendar quarters, shall file a return with the Department as required by Section 2f and shall make payments to the Department on or before the 7th, 15th, 22nd and last day of the month during which such liability is incurred. If the month during which such tax liability is incurred begins on or after January 1, 1987, each payment shall be in an amount equal to 22.5% of the taxpayer's actual liability for the month or 26.25% of the taxpayer's liability for the same calendar month of the preceding year.  The amount of such quarter monthly payments shall be credited against the final tax liability of the taxpayer's return for that month filed under this Section or Section 2f, as the case may be.  Once applicable, the requirement of the making of quarter monthly payments to the Department pursuant to this paragraph shall continue until such taxpayer's average monthly prepaid tax collections during the preceding 2 complete calendar quarters is $25,000 or less.  If any such quarter monthly payment is not paid at the time or in the amount required, the taxpayer shall be liable for penalties and interest on such difference, except insofar as the taxpayer has previously made payments for that month in excess of the minimum payments previously due. (Section 3 of the Act)

On and after October 1, 2001, without regard to whether a taxpayer is required to make quarter monthly payments as specified above, any taxpayer who is required by Section 2d of the Act to collect and remit prepaid taxes and has collected prepaid taxes that average in excess of $20,000 per month during the preceding 4 complete calendar quarters shall file a return with the Department as required by Section 2f and shall make payments to the Department on or before the 7th, 15th, 22nd and last day of the month during which the liability is incurred.  Each payment shall be in an amount equal to 22.5% of the taxpayer's actual liability for the month or 25% of the taxpayer's liability for the same calendar month of the preceding year.  The amount of the quarter monthly payments shall be credited against the final tax liability of the taxpayer's return for that month filed under this Section or Section 2f of the Act, as the case may be.  Once applicable, the requirement of the making of quarter monthly payments to the Department pursuant to this paragraph shall continue until the taxpayer's average monthly prepaid tax collections during the preceding 4 complete calendar quarters (excluding the month of highest liability and the month of lowest liability) is less than $19,000 or until such taxpayer's average monthly liability to the Department as computed for each calendar quarter of the 4 preceding complete calendar quarters is less than $20,000.  If any such quarter monthly payment is not paid at the time or in the amount required, the taxpayer shall be liable for penalties and interest on such difference, except insofar as the taxpayer has previously made payments for that month in excess of the minimum payments previously due. (Section 3 of the Act)

d)         If any such payment or deposit provided for herein exceeds the taxpayer's present and probable future liabilities under the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, the Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act and the Service Use Tax Act, the Department shall, if requested by the taxpayer, issue to the taxpayer a credit memorandum, which may be submitted by the taxpayer to the Department in payment of tax liability subsequently to be remitted by the taxpayer to the Department or be assigned by the taxpayer to a similar taxpayer under the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, the Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act or the Service Use Tax Act.  If no such request is made, the taxpayer may credit such excess payment against tax liability subsequently to be remitted to the Department under the Act, the Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act or the Service Use Tax Act.  If the Department subsequently determines that all or any part of the credit taken was not actually due to the taxpayer, the taxpayer's 2.1% and 1.75% vendor's discount shall be reduced by 2.1% or 1.75% of the difference between the credit taken and that actually due, and that taxpayer shall be liable for penalties and interest on such difference.

e)         For the purposes of this Section, the phrase "preceding 4 complete calendar quarters" means the preceding 4 complete calendar quarters for which returns would have been filed or should have been filed for the last month of the 4 quarter period since, until then, the making of the required computations for the 4 quarter period would be impossible.  For example, the preceding 4 complete calendar quarters with reference to a November 1, 1976, date would actually have ended June 30, 1976, since most returns for the last month of that 4 quarter period would not have to have been filed until July 31, 1976, and the preceding 4 complete calendar quarters with reference to a July 1, 1977, date would actually end March 31, 1977, since most returns for the last month of that 4 quarter period would not have to be filed until April 30, 1977.  The calendar quarters are January through March, April through June, July through September and October through December.

f)         Beginning October 1, 1993, a taxpayer who has an average monthly tax liability of $150,000 or more shall make all payments required by rules of the Department (see 86 Ill. Adm. Code 750 "Payment of Taxes by Electronic Funds Transfer") by electronic funds transfer.  Beginning October 1, 1994, a taxpayer who has an average monthly tax liability of $100,000 or more shall make all payments required by rules of the Department by electronic funds transfer. Beginning October 1, 1995, a taxpayer who has an average monthly tax liability of $50,000 or more shall make all payments required by rules of the Department by electronic funds transfer.

g)         Beginning October 1, 2000, a taxpayer who has an annual tax liability of $200,000 or more shall make all payments required by rules of the Department by electronic funds transfer (see 86 Ill. Adm. Code 750).  The term "annual tax liability" shall be the sum of the taxpayer's liabilities under the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, and all other State and local occupation and use tax laws administered by the Department, for the immediately preceding calendar year. (Section 3 of the Act)

(Source:  Amended at 26 Ill. Reg. 5369, effective April 1, 2002)