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 State of Wisconsin                Important Rate Changes! 
 Department of Revenue              Manitowoc County begins January 1, 2025 
                                    Milwaukee County tax increases January 1, 2024 
                                   
                                     City of Milwaukee tax begins January 1, 2024 
                                    Menominee County tax begins April 1, 2020  
  
                                    Baseball stadium district tax ends March 31, 2020  
                                    Outagamie County tax begins January 1, 2020  
                                    Calumet County tax begins April 1, 2018  
                                    Brown County tax begins January 1, 2018 
                                    Kewaunee County tax begins April 1, 2017 
                                    Sheboygan County tax begins January 1, 2017 
                                   See the Sales Tax Rate Chart for more information. 
                                    
 Filing Claims 

 for Refund of 

 Sales or Use Tax 
  
 Includes information on: Who may file claims for refund Which form to use Time limitations for filing Interest Penalties 
  
 Publication 216 (10/12) 
                                                                                                  
                                                                                      Printed on 
                                                                                  Recycled Paper 
                                                                                                   



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                                               Table of Contents 
                                                                                             PAGE 
 I. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................1                 
 II. WHICH SALES ARE SUBJECT TO SALES AND USE TAXES?.................................................1                                                            
 III. WHO MAY FILE CLAIMS FOR REFUND? ...................................................................................1                                        
      A. Sellers ...............................................................................................................................................1 
      B. Buyers ..............................................................................................................................................2   
 IV.  HOW TO FILE A CLAIM ..................................................................................................................3                     
      A. Sellers ...............................................................................................................................................3 
      B. Buyers ..............................................................................................................................................3   
 V.   TIME LIMITATIONS FOR FILING ................................................................................................4                               
      A. Sellers ...............................................................................................................................................5 
      B. Buyers ..............................................................................................................................................7   
 VI. INTEREST .........................................................................................................................................10         
      A. Refunded to Seller..........................................................................................................................10           
      B. Refunded to Buyer .........................................................................................................................10            
 VII. OTHER ............................................................................................................................................... 11    
      A. Buyer and Seller May Not Both Obtain Refunds of Tax ............................................................... 11 
      B. Offsetting a Refund Against Any Debts ......................................................................................... 11 
      C. Department of Revenue to Act on Claim ....................................................................................... 11 
      D. Seller to Refund Tax and Interest to Buyers or the Department of Revenue ................................. 11 
VIII. PENALTIES .......................................................................................................................................12         
      A. Incorrect Claim for Refund ............................................................................................................12                
      B. Failure to Return Tax to Buyer or Department ..............................................................................12                            
      C. Failure to Produce Records ............................................................................................................12                
 IX. SPECIAL SITUATIONS NOT REQUIRING THE SELLER TO FILE A CLAIM FOR 
      REFUND .............................................................................................................................................12 
      A. Sale Returns and Price Adjustments ..............................................................................................12                      
      B. Bad Debts .......................................................................................................................................13      
      C. Tax Paid on Purchase of Leased Property ......................................................................................14                         
      D. Tax-Paid Purchases Resold ............................................................................................................14                 
 X. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS............................................................................................................14                           
 
APPENDIX 
      Form S-220, Form BCR, Buyer's Claim for Refund of Wisconsin State, County and 

         Stadium Sales Taxes 
      Form S-220a, Schedule P, Attachment to Form BCR, Buyer's Claim for Refund of Wisconsin 
         State, County and Stadium Sales Taxes 
 



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                                                                       Filing Claims for Refund of Sales or Use Tax 
 
I.  INTRODUCTION                                            II.  WHICH SALES ARE SUBJECT TO 
                                                                 SALES AND USE TAXES? 
This publication explains who may file a claim for re-
fund of  Wisconsin state,  county, and  stadium sales  or   Sales, licenses, leases, and rentals of the following 
use tax. It also includes information relating to forms,    property, items, and goods are subject to the 5% Wis-
time limitations for filing, interest, and penalties.       consin state sales tax, unless an exemption applies: 

                                                            A.  Tangible personal property; 
                    CAUTION 
                                                            B.  Coins or stamps of the United States that are sold, 
  The information in this publication reflects the po-          licensed, leased,  rented,  or traded as collector’s 
  sitions of the Wisconsin Department of Revenue of             items above their face value; 
  laws enacted  by the Wisconsin Legislature  and in 
  effect as of October 1, 2012. Laws enacted and in         C.  Leased tangible personal property that is affixed to 
  effect after that date, new administrative rules, and         real property, if the lessor has the right to remove 
  court decisions may  change  the interpretations in           the  leased property upon  breach or  termination of 
  this publication.                                             the lease agreement, unless the lessor of the leased 
                                                                property is also  the  lessor of  the  real property to 
                                                                which the leased property is affixed. 
For purposes of this publication, the following defini-
tions apply:                                                D.  Specified digital goods, additional digital goods, 
                                                                and digital codes. These digital goods are character-
“Seller” means a person selling, licensing, leasing,  or 
                                                                ized  by the fact that they  are transferred 
renting the property, items, or goods listed in Part II.A., 
                                                                electronically to the purchaser (i.e., accessed or ob-
B., C., and D., or selling, performing, or furnishing ser-
                                                                tained by the purchaser by means other than 
vices. Note: In certain situations, the term may include 
                                                                tangible storage media). “Specified digital goods” 
a certified service provider when acting on behalf of a 
                                                                means “digital audio works,” “digital audiovisual 
seller with respect to the seller’s sales and use tax func-
                                                                works,”  and “digital books.” “Additional digital 
tions. 
                                                                goods” means greeting cards, finished artwork, pe-
                                                                riodicals, video or electronic games, and 
“Buyer” means a person who acquires possession, own-
                                                                newspapers or other news or information products. 
ership,  title, enjoyment, or use the property,  items,  or 
                                                                See Publication 240  for a  description of the prod-
goods listed in Parts II.A., B., C., and D. or services for 
                                                                ucts that are included. 
a consideration. 
                                                                In addition, certain services are subject to the 5% 
A person  may be a buyer in some transactions  and a 
                                                                Wisconsin state sales tax. For a list of taxable ser-
seller in other transactions. 
                                                                vices, see Part X.B. of Publication 201. 
“Claim for refund,” as used in this publication, refers to 
a written request for a refund of sales or use taxes by a   III. WHO MAY FILE CLAIMS FOR 
buyer or seller pursuant to secs. 77.59(4) or (8m), Wis.         REFUND? 
Stats. (2009-10). 
                                                            A. Sellers 
Note: In certain situations, a seller is allowed to make 
adjustments to their current sales and use tax return ra-   A seller who paid sales or use taxes in error to the De-
ther than file a claim for refund for sales and use taxes   partment of Revenue may file a claim for refund. 
paid with  returns previously filed. See Part IX.  on 
page 12 for additional information.                             Caution: If a seller is refunded tax and interest by 
                                                                the Department of Revenue for tax collected from a 
                                                                buyer, the seller must return the tax and interest to 
                                                                the buyer or to the Department of Revenue within 

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Publication 216 
 
   90 days after the date of the refund or offset. Fail-    Important: For conditions (b), (c), and (d) 
   ure to return the tax  and  related  interest to the     below, the $50 requirement [as in condition 
   buyer or the Department of Revenue within the 90         (a) above] does not apply. 
   day period results in a  penalty of 25% of the 
   amount not returned, or may result in a penalty of    b. Seller has ceased operating business. 
   100% if due to fraud. 
                                                            If at the time of filing the claim the seller 
B. Buyers                                                   has ceased business,  the buyer  may file a 
                                                            claim for  refund with  the Department of 
   1. Tax Paid to Department of Revenue                     Revenue. 

      A buyer may file a claim for refund of use tax        Example: Buyer D erroneously paid $45 of 
      the buyer paid  in  error  to the Department of       sales tax to  Seller E  in January 2009. In 
      Revenue.                                              April 2011, Seller E  terminated the busi-
                                                            ness. Buyer D may  file  a claim  for refund 
      Example:  A manufacturer (buyer) purchased            with the Department of Revenue for the 
      equipment for $50,000 from an out-of-state            $45 of overpaid sales tax. 
      seller. The seller did not charge sales tax to the 
      buyer on the equipment.                               If the buyer also paid sales or use tax in er-
                                                            ror to sellers who have not ceased business, 
      On a consumer use tax return, the buyer report-       only the seller may file a claim for refund 
      ed and paid $2,500 of use tax to the Department       with the Department of Revenue  for  such 
      of Revenue on the equipment. At a later date,         tax, unless the buyer meets one of the other 
      the buyer realized that  its purchase of  the         conditions described in (a), (c), or (d). 
      equipment qualified for exemption from sales 
      and use tax since it is used exclusively and di-   c. Buyer is being field audited. 
      rectly by the buyer in manufacturing. 
                                                            If a buyer being  field  audited by  the De-
      The manufacturer (buyer) may file a claim for         partment of Revenue paid sales or use tax 
      refund with the Department of Revenue for the         in error to sellers or to the Department of 
      $2,500 of  use tax  paid in error to  the  Depart-    Revenue, the buyer may file a claim for re-
      ment of Revenue.                                      fund with the Department of Revenue. 

   2. Tax Paid to a Seller                                  Example: Buyer F is being field audited for 
                                                            the period of January 2007 through Decem-
      A buyer may file a claim for refund of sales and      ber 2010. Buyer F erroneously paid $1,000 
      use tax paid in error to a seller under any of the    of sales tax to Seller G in November 2009. 
      following four conditions: 
                                                            While Buyer F is being field audited, Buy-
      a. The claim for refund totals $50 or more of         er F may file  a claim for refund for  the 
          tax.                                              $1,000 of sales tax erroneously paid in No-
                                                            vember 2009. The auditor will include this 
          “$50 or  more of tax” means that the total        overpayment in the audit determination, if 
          tax relating to all transactions contained in     the claim is filed in advance of the pro-
          the claim for refund filed with the Depart-       posed audit report. 
          ment of Revenue is $50 or more. 
                                                         d. Periods covered in the claim for refund are 
          Example: Buyer A erroneously paid $40 of          within  the statute of limitations  for buyer, 
          sales tax to Seller B and $30 of sales tax to     but are closed to seller. 
          Seller C. Buyer A may file  a  claim  for re-
          fund with the Department of Revenue for 
          the $70 of overpaid sales tax. 

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                                                                    Filing Claims for Refund of Sales or Use Tax 
 
           Example: In August 2012, Buyer H discov-          2. Form ST-12 
           ers that  it erroneously paid sales tax  to 
           Seller I in  July 2007. Seller I reported the     Sellers claiming a  refund  of sales or  use tax paid 
           sales tax on its July 2007 sales and use tax      to the Department of Revenue may use  a paper 
           return and paid the tax to the Department of      Form ST-12, Wisconsin Sales and Use Tax Return, 
           Revenue in August 2007.                           as an amended return. Form ST-12 and instructions 
                                                             are available from any  Department of Revenue 
           Buyer H files its Wisconsin corporate fran-       office,  or online, at:  revenue.wi.gov. Refer to 
           chise tax return on a fiscal year basis, with     page 6 of the instructions for Form ST-12 for more 
           its fiscal year ending June 30. Seller I files    information on  how to use  Form ST-12 as an 
           its Wisconsin corporate franchise tax return      amended return to file a claim for refund.  Paper 
           on a calendar year basis.                         amended returns  should be  sent  to: Wisconsin 
                                                             Department of Revenue, P. O. Box 8921, Madison, 
           The statutory deadline for Seller I to file a     WI 53708-8921. 
           claim expired on March 15, 2012, which is 
           four years from the unextended due date           3. Alternative Written Option 
           (that is,  March 15, 2008)  of its corporate 
           franchise tax return  for the  calendar year      In lieu of  an amended return,  a  seller  may  file a 
           2007.                                             claim for refund by sending a letter to the Depart-
                                                             ment of Revenue. Claims submitted in this manner 
           Buyer H may file a claim for refund of tax        must indicate the claimant’s name and address, sell-
           it paid  to Seller I in  July 2007. Buyer H       er’s  tax  account number, amount  of  the  claim, 
           must file this claim by September 17, 2012,       reporting period  for which the overpayment was 
           which is four years from the unextended           made, and a reason for the claim. A chronological 
           due  date (that is,  September 15, 2008) of       listing of all invoices included in the claim and cop-
           Buyer H’s 2007 corporate franchise tax re-        ies of applicable exemption certificates received 
           turn. Note:  September 15,  2012 falls on  a      from buyers should be attached to the letter. Claims 
           Saturday. The due date is the next business       for refund filed in this manner should be submitted 
           day.                                              to:  Wisconsin Department of Revenue,  Mail Stop 
                                                             5-144, P.O. Box 8906, Madison, WI 53708-8906. 
           Note: If the buyer also paid sales or use tax 
           to sellers in error which pertains to a period    Note:  The Department  will not accept  refund 
           which is within the statute of limitations for    claims made via email or over the telephone. 
           both  the buyer  and  seller, only the seller 
           may file a  claim  for refund  with  the  De-  B. Buyers 
           partment of Revenue for  such tax, unless 
           the buyer meets one of the other conditions       1. Tax Paid to a Seller: 
           described in (a), (b), or (c). 
                                                                Buyers that overpaid sales or use tax to a seller 
                                                                can file a claim for refund using one of the fol-
IV.   HOW TO FILE A CLAIM                                       lowing three methods: 
A. Sellers                                                      •   If you have filed a buyer's claim for refund 
                                                                    in the past – Use My Tax Account. 
   1. My Tax Account                                            •   If you have not filed a buyer's claim for re-
                                                                    fund before, file electronically. Select File a 
   Sellers  may  claim  a  refund  of  sales  and  use  
                                                                    buyer's claim for refund – sales tax. 
   taxes paid to the Department by amending a previ-
   ously  filed return using   My  Tax Account.  See            •   Use  paper  Form S-220, Buyer’s  Claim for 
   Amend a Return, using the following link:                        Refund of Wisconsin State, County, and 
   revenue.wi.gov/Pages/FAQS/mta-using-                             Stadium Sales Taxes, (also  known as 
   mta.aspx#filing for additional information.                      Form BCR).      Form S-220a,    Schedule P, 

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Publication 216 
 
         Attachment to Buyer’s Claim for Refund of         Note: This applies to situations where the buyer 
         Wisconsin State, County, and Stadium Sales        is required to pay use tax to the agency prior to 
         Taxes, must be completed and attached to          registering or  titling property such as a  motor 
         Form S-220  for each seller to whom  the          vehicle,  boat, snowmobile, mobile  home not 
         buyer paid sales or use tax in error.             exceeding 45 feet in length, trailer, semitrailer, 
                                                           all-terrain vehicle or aircraft in Wisconsin. 
         Forms are available at  revenue.wi.gov  or 
         from any Department of  Revenue office.           In situations where the buyer paid sales tax to a 
         See Forms S-220 and S-220a at the end of          state  agency  as the retailer  of the property  or 
         this publication for copies of these forms.       taxable service purchased, the buyer should fol-
                                                           low the procedure under B.1. of this Part IV. 
  2. Tax Paid to Department of Revenue: 
                                                           The written request should include the follow-
     Buyers claiming a refund of use tax paid direct-      ing: 
     ly to  the Department of Revenue  may use 
                                                           •          A description of the transaction and reason 
     Form ST-12. 
                                                                      for the refund; 
     Refer to  page 6  of  the  instructions  for          •          A  copy  of the application  that the buyer 
     Form ST-12, available from any Department of                     originally completed (for example, a 
     Revenue office or online at revenue.wi.gov, for                  Form MV1,    Wisconsin Title  & License 
     more information on how to use Form ST-12 as                     Plate Application); and 
     an amended return  to file a claim  for  refund. 
     Amended returns  may be submitted  using  My          •          A copy of the cancelled check (if available). 
     Tax Account or sent to: Wisconsin Department 
     of Revenue, P. O. Box 8921, Madison, WI                          Example:  Buyer X purchased an  automo-
     53708-8921.                                                      bile from a private party. When registering 
                                                                      the automobile with DOT, Buyer X over-
     In lieu of Form ST-12, a buyer may file a claim                  paid  the  use  tax  by  $200.  Buyer X may 
     for refund by sending a letter to the Department                 request a refund of the overpayment in tax 
     of Revenue. The letter must indicate the claim-                  from the Department of Revenue by send-
     ant’s name and address, tax account number,                      ing  a written  request, including an 
     amount of the claim, reporting period for which                  explanation,  a  copy  of  the  original 
     the overpayment was made, and reason for the                     Form MV1, and the cancelled check verify-
     claim. A chronological listing of all invoices in-               ing payment. 
     cluded in the claim should be attached to  the 
     letter. Claims for refund submitted in this mat-   V. TIME LIMITATIONS FOR FILING 
     ter should be submitted  to:  Wisconsin 
     Department of Revenue, Mail Stop 5-144, P. O.      A claim for refund of a buyer or seller is timely filed if 
     Box 8906, Madison, WI 53708-8906.                  it is either: 
  3. Tax Paid to Another State Agency:                  •  received in person by a Department of Revenue 
                                                           employee on or before the due date, or 
     Buyers claiming a refund of use tax paid to an-    •  mailed (including the delivery by a delivery service 
     other state agency, such as the Department of 
                                                           designated under sec. 7502(f) of the Internal Reve-
     Transportation  (DOT) or the Department of 
                                                           nue  Code) (1) in a properly addressed envelope, 
     Natural  Resources (DNR),  must  submit their 
                                                           with postage  duly prepaid, (2) the envelope  is 
     request directly  to:  Wisconsin Department of 
                                                           postmarked, or marked or recorded electronically as 
     Revenue,  Mail Stop 5-144, P. O. Box 8906, 
                                                           provided under sec. 7502(f)(2)(c) of the IRC, before 
     Madison, WI 53708-8906 
                                                           midnight of the last day of the limitation period, and 
                                                           (3) the claim is actually received by the Department 

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                                                                  Filing Claims for Refund of Sales or Use Tax 
 
   of Revenue within five days after the last day of the          Seller J has until  April 15, 2013  to file a 
   limitation period.                                             claim for refund for the overpaid sales tax 
                                                                  reported on her January 2008 sales and use 
Note:  For purposes of  this publication, a “determina-           tax return. 
tion” means the net result (that is, refund or tax due) of 
a Department of Revenue audit. For example, the De-         2. Claims for Refund Office Audit Determina-
partment of Revenue may audit a claim for refund and           tion Was Made for the Transaction 
find additional tax and interest due on unreported pur-
chases of tangible personal property. If the refund            Claims for refund of the tax assessed by an of-
claimed, including interest,  is  greater than the  amount     fice audit may be filed within two years of the 
of tax and interest due, the net result is a refund. The       issuance of the notice of determination of sales 
taxpayer may file a claim for refund regarding the tax         or use tax assessed by office audit, if the seller 
paid (that is,  assessed  during audit and offset against      paid the tax and the tax was not protested by fil-
refund) within two years of that refund determination,         ing a petition for redetermination. 
as long as the taxpayer did not file of petition for rede-
termination.                                                   Example: In an office audit determination dated 
                                                               and  issued July 15, 2011, the Department of 
A. Sellers                                                     Revenue assessed Seller K $800 of sales tax on 
                                                               equipment Seller K sold to  Buyer L in June 
   As indicated in Parts V.A.1. to 4. on pages 5-7, the        2009. Seller K paid the $800 of sales tax on Ju-
   time limitations for a seller to file a claim for refund    ly 29, 2011, and did not file a petition  for 
   of sales or use tax depend on whether the seller was        redetermination. 
   audited by the Department of Revenue for the peri-
   od of the claim.                                            In January  2012, Buyer L provides Seller K 
                                                               with an exemption certificate, claiming the 
   1. Claims for Refund No Office Audit Deter-               manufacturing exemption on the equipment. 
      mination  Was Made for  the  Transaction and 
      No Field Audit Determination Was Made for                Seller K has until July 15, 2013 (two years from 
      Period of the Claim                                      the date the notice of office audit determination 
                                                               was issued) to file a claim for refund with the 
      If the transaction in the claim for refund (1) was       Department of Revenue  for the $800 of  tax, 
      not included in a prior office audit determina-          since the overpaid tax was part of the July 15, 
      tion  and (2) was not  in  the periods or years          2011 office audit determination. 
      included in a  prior field audit  determination 
      (neither (1) nor (2) occurred), claims for refund     3. Claims for Refund Field Audit Determina-
      may be filed as follows:                                 tion Was Made for Period of Claim 

      •    Within four years after the unextended due          If the transaction occurred during the period or 
           date of the seller’s  Wisconsin  income  or         years included in a prior field audit determina-
           franchise tax return, or,                           tion, the time limitations for filing a claim for 
      •    If exempt from filing Wisconsin income or           refund for such transaction are as follows: 
           franchise  tax returns, within  four years of 
           the 15th day of the 4th month of the year           a. Transaction Not Assessed in Field Audit 
           following the close of the calendar or fiscal          Determination 
           year. 
                                                                  1)  Field  Audit Not  Appealed to Depart-
           Example:  Seller J, an  individual, overpaid               ment’s Resolution Unit 
           sales tax to the Department of Revenue on 
           her January 2008 sales and use tax return.                 Seller has until the earliest of the  fol-
           The unextended due date of Seller J’s 2008                 lowing to file a claim for refund: 
           income tax return is April 15, 2009. 

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Publication 216 
 
      •         Four years from the unextended             •       Four years from the unextended 
                due date of the  seller’s income or                due date of the  seller’s income or 
                franchise  tax  return  or  if  exempt             franchise  tax  return  or  if  exempt 
                from filing  Wisconsin income or                   from filing  Wisconsin income or 
                franchise tax returns,  within  four               franchise tax returns,  within  four 
                years of the 15th day of the 4th                   years of the 15th day of the 4th 
                month of the year following the                    month of the year following the 
                close of the calendar or fiscal year               close of the calendar or fiscal year 
                (or date extended by waiver under                  (or date extended by waiver under 
                sec. 77.59(3m), Wis. Stats.).                      sec. 77.59(3m), Wis. Stats.). 
      •         Date the amount of the notice of           •       Date the amount of the notice of 
                determination is paid.                             determination is paid (this does not 
                                                                   include  deposits of  tax  under 
      •         60 days after the date the seller re-
                                                                   sec. 77.59(6)(c),  Wis.  Stats.,  while 
                ceived the notice of determination. 
                                                                   appeal is pending). 
   2) Field Audit Determination Appealed to                •       60 days after the date the seller re-
      the Department’s Resolution Unit, But                        ceived the Resolution Unit’s notice 
      Not to Wisconsin Tax Appeals Commis-                         of redetermination, even though 
      sion                                                         seller files the appeal with the Wis-
                                                                   consin  Tax Appeals  Commission 
      Seller has until the earliest of the  fol-                   before the 60 days have expired. 
      lowing to file a claim for refund: 
                                                        b. Transaction Assessed  in Field Audit  De-
      •         Four years from the unextended 
                                                           termination 
                due date of the  seller’s income or 
                franchise  tax  return  or  if  exempt 
                                                           Claims for refund of the tax assessed by a 
                from filing  Wisconsin income or 
                                                           field audit may be filed within two years of 
                franchise tax returns,  within  four 
                                                           the issuance of the notice of determination 
                years of the 15th day of the 4th 
                                                           of sales or use tax assessed by field audit, if 
                month of the year following the 
                                                           the seller paid the tax and the tax was not 
                close of the calendar or fiscal year 
                                                           protested by filing a petition for redetermi-
                (or date extended by waiver under 
                                                           nation. 
                sec. 77.59(3m), Wis. Stats.). 
      •         Date the amount of the notice of           Example:  Seller O  is field audited  by the 
                determination is paid (this does not       Department of Revenue for the period Jan-
                include  deposits of  tax  under           uary 2008 through December 2011, and is 
                sec. 77.59(6)(c),  Wis.  Stats.,  while    assessed $5,000 of sales tax on sales made 
                appeal is pending).                        by Seller O. The notice of determination is 
                                                           dated and issued April 6, 2012. 
      •         60 days after the date the seller re-
                ceived the Resolution Unit’s notice        Seller O pays  the  $5,000 of  sales tax on 
                of redetermination.                        April 20, 2012, and does not file a petition 
                                                           for redetermination. 
   3) Seller Appeals  Field Audit  Determina-
      tion to          Wisconsin Tax Appeals               Seller O has until  April 7,  2014, to file a 
      Commission or Court                                  claim for  refund with  the Department of 
                                                           Revenue for all or part of the $5,000  of 
      Seller has until the earliest of the  fol-           sales tax assessed. (April 6, 2014, falls on a 
      lowing to file a claim for refund:                   Sunday. The due date is the following busi-
                                                           ness day.) 

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                                                              Filing Claims for Refund of Sales or Use Tax 
 
   4. Claims for Refund A Field Audit Determi-         Tax Paid to the Department of Revenue: 
      nation  Was Made and Customer Files Valid 
      Claim With Seller                                  1. Claims for Refund No Office Audit Deter-
                                                            mination  Was Made for  the  Transaction and 
      Even though a seller has been field audited,          No Field Audit Determination Was Made for 
      claims for refund may be filed within four years      Period of the Claim 
      after the unextended due date of  the seller’s 
      Wisconsin income or franchise tax return, or if       If the transaction in the claim for refund (1) was 
      exempt from filing Wisconsin income or fran-          not included in a prior office audit determina-
      chise tax returns, within four years of the 15th      tion  and (2) was not  in  the periods or years 
      day of the 4th month of the year following the        included in a  prior field audit  determination 
      close of the calendar or fiscal year, if the sell-    (neither (1) nor (2) occurred), claims for refund 
      er’s customers have  filed  valid claims  for         may be filed as follows: 
      refund with the seller.                               • Within four years after the unextended due 
                                                              date of the buyer’s  Wisconsin  income or 
      Example:  Seller Q, a sole proprietor, is  field 
                                                              franchise tax return, or, 
      audited by the Department of Revenue for the 
      period January  2006  through December  2009.         • If exempt from filing Wisconsin income or 
      Seller Q  is assessed $2,000 of use tax on              franchise  tax returns, within  four years of 
      equipment purchased by Seller Q from vendors            the 15th day of the 4th month of the year 
      located outside Wisconsin. The notice of field          following the close of the calendar or fiscal 
      audit determination is dated and issued June 11,        year (or date extended by waiver  under 
      2010. Seller Q does not file a petition for rede-       sec. 77.59(3m), Wis. Stats.). 
      termination. 
                                                              Example:  Buyer J, an individual, overpaid 
      Seller Q files its income tax return on a calen-        use tax to  the Department of Revenue on 
      dar year basis.                                         his  January 2008  sales  and  use tax return. 
                                                              The unextended due date of Buyer J’s 2008 
      In November 2011, Seller Q receives a request           income tax return is April 15, 2009. 
      from a church for a refund of $500 of sales tax 
      which it charged to the church on landscaping           Buyer J has until  April 15, 2013  to file a 
      services provided by Seller Q in July 2008. The         claim  for  refund  for  the  overpaid  use  tax 
      church has provided Seller Q with its certificate       reported on the January 2008 sales and use 
      of exempt status number. Seller Q reported the          tax return. 
      $500 of tax on its July 2008 sales and use tax 
      return.                                            2. Claims for Refund Office Audit Determina-
                                                            tion Was Made for the Transaction 
      Since Seller Q reported the $500 of tax on its 
      July 2008 sales and use tax return, Seller Q has      Claims for refund of the tax assessed by an of-
      until April 15, 2013 (four years from the unex-       fice audit may be filed within two years of the 
      tended due date of his 2008 income tax return),       issuance of the notice of determination of sales 
      to  file  a refund claim with the Department of       or use tax assessed by office audit, if the buyer 
      Revenue for the $500 of sales tax.                    paid the tax and the tax was not protested by fil-
                                                            ing a petition for redetermination. 
B. Buyers 
                                                            Example: In an office audit determination dated 
   As  indicated in  this  Part V.B. on pages 7-10, the     and  issued July 22, 2011, the Department of 
   time limitations for a buyer to file a claim for re-     Revenue assessed Buyer K $800 of use tax on 
   fund of sales or use tax  depend on whether  the         equipment Buyer K purchased in June  2009. 
   buyer was audited by  the  Department  of Revenue        Buyer K paid  the $800 of use  tax on July 29, 
   for the period of the claim. 

                                                                                                       7 



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Publication 216 
 
     2011, and did not file a petition for redetermi-     • Four years from the unextended 
     nation.                                                due date of  the buyer’s income or 
                                                            franchise  tax  return  or  if  exempt 
     Buyer K has  until July 22, 2013,  (two years          from filing  Wisconsin income or 
     from the date the notice of office audit determi-      franchise tax returns,  within  four 
     nation was issued) to file a claim for refund          years of the 15th day of the 4th 
     with the Department of Revenue for the $800 of         month of the year following the 
     tax, since the tax was part of the July 22, 2011       close of the calendar or fiscal year 
     office audit determination.                            (or date extended by waiver under 
                                                            sec. 77.59(3m), Wis. Stats.). 
  3. Claims for Refund Field Audit Determina-
     tion Was Made for Period of Claim                    • Date the amount of the notice of 
                                                            determination is paid (this does not 
     If the transaction occurred during the period or       include  deposits of  tax  under 
     years included in a prior field audit determina-       sec. 77.59(6)(c),  Wis.  Stats.,  while 
     tion, the time limitations for filing a claim for      appeal is pending). 
     refund for such transaction are as follows:          • 60 days after the date the buyer re-
                                                            ceived the Resolution Unit’s notice 
     a. Transaction Not Assessed in Field Audit             of redetermination. 
        Determination 
                                                       3) Buyer Appeals Field Audit Determina-
        1)   Field  Audit Not  Appealed to Depart-        tion to  Wisconsin Tax Appeals 
             ment’s Resolution Unit                       Commission or Court 

             Buyer has until the earliest of the fol-     Buyer has until the earliest of the fol-
             lowing to file a claim for refund:           lowing to file a claim for refund: 
             •  Four years from the unextended            • Four years from the unextended 
                due date of  the buyer’s income or          due date of  the buyer’s income or 
                franchise  tax  return  or  if  exempt      franchise  tax  return  or  if  exempt 
                from filing  Wisconsin income or            from filing  Wisconsin income or 
                franchise tax returns,  within  four        franchise tax returns,  within  four 
                years of the 15th day of the 4th            years of the 15th day of the 4th 
                month of the year following the             month of the year following the 
                close of the calendar or fiscal year        close of the calendar or fiscal year 
                (or date extended by waiver under           (or date extended by waiver under 
                sec. 77.59(3m), Wis. Stats.).               sec. 77.59(3m), Wis. Stats). 
             •  Date the amount of the notice of          • Date the amount of the notice of 
                determination is paid.                      determination is paid (this does not 
             •  60 days after the date the buyer re-        include  deposits of  tax  under 
                ceived the notice of determination.         sec. 77.59(6)(c),  Wis.  Stats.,  while 
                                                            appeal is pending). 
        2)   Field Audit Determination Appealed to        • 60 days after the date the buyer re-
             the Department’s Resolution Unit, But          ceived the Resolution Unit’s notice 
             Not to Wisconsin Tax Appeals Commis-           of redetermination, even though the 
             sion                                           buyer files the appeal with the Wis-
                                                            consin  Tax Appeals  Commission 
             Buyer has until the earliest of the fol-
                                                            before the 60 days have expired. 
             lowing to file a claim for refund: 

8  



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                                                              Filing Claims for Refund of Sales or Use Tax 
 
    b. Transaction Assessed  in Field Audit  De-              Buyer J has until  April 15, 2014  to file a 
        termination                                           claim for refund for the overpaid sales tax 
                                                              paid to Seller K in January 2009. 
        Claims for refund of the tax assessed by a 
        field audit may be filed within two years of    2. Claims for Refund — Field Audit Determina-
        the issuance of the notice of determination        tion Was Made for Period of Claim 
        of sales or use tax assessed by field audit, if 
        the buyer paid the tax and the tax was not         If the transaction occurred during the period or 
        protested by filing a petition for redetermi-      years included in a prior field audit determina-
        nation.                                            tion, the time limitations for filing a claim for 
                                                           refund for such transaction are as follows: 
        Example:  Buyer O  is  field  audited by  the 
        Department of Revenue for the period Jan-          a. Field  Audit Not  Appealed to Depart-
        uary 2007 through December 2010, and is               ment’s Resolution Unit 
        assessed  $5,000  of use tax on purchases 
        made. The notice of determination is dated            Buyer has until the earliest of the following 
        and issued October 7, 2011.                           to file a claim for refund: 
                                                              • Four  years from the unextended  due 
        Buyer O pays the $5,000 of use tax on Oc-
                                                                date of the buyer’s income or franchise 
        tober 28, 2011, and does not file a petition 
                                                                tax return or if exempt from filing Wis-
        for redetermination. 
                                                                consin income or franchise tax returns, 
                                                                within four years of the 15th day of the 
        Buyer O has until October 7, 2013, to file a 
                                                                4th  month  of  the  year  following  the 
        claim for  refund with  the Department of 
                                                                close of the calendar or fiscal year (or 
        Revenue for all or part of the $5,000 of use 
                                                                date extended by waiver under 
        tax assessed. 
                                                                sec. 77.59(3m), Wis. Stats.). 
 Tax Paid to Seller:                                          • Date the amount of the notice of deter-
                                                                mination is paid. 
 1. Claims for  Refund  —  No Field Audit Deter-
    mination Was Made for Period of the Claim                 • 60 days after the date the buyer re-
                                                                ceived the notice of determination. 
    If  the transaction in  the  claim for refund  was 
    not in the periods or years included in a prior        b. Field  Audit  Determination  Appealed  to 
    field audit determination, claims for refund may          the Department’s Resolution Unit, But 
    be filed as follows:                                      Not to  Wisconsin Tax Appeals Commis-
                                                              sion 
    •   Within four years after the unextended due 
        date of the buyer’s  Wisconsin  income or             Buyer has until the earliest of the following 
        franchise tax return, or if exempt from fil-          to file a claim for refund: 
        ing  Wisconsin  income  or  franchise  tax 
                                                              •
        returns, within four years of the 15th day of           Four  years from the unextended  due 
        the 4th  month of the year following  the               date of the buyer’s income or franchise 
        close of the calendar or fiscal year (or date           tax return or if exempt from filing Wis-
        extended  by  waiver under  sec. 77.59(3m),             consin income or franchise tax returns, 
        Wis. Stats.).                                           within four years of the 15th day of the 
                                                                4th  month  of  the  year  following  the 
        Example:  Buyer J, an individual, overpaid              close of the calendar or fiscal year (or 
        sales  tax of $100  to Seller K in January              date extended by waiver under 
        2009. The unextended due date of Buyer J’s              sec. 77.59(3m), Wis. Stats.). 
        2009 income tax return is April 15, 2010. 
                                                              • Date the amount of the notice of deter-
                                                                mination is paid (this does not include 

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Publication 216 
 
            deposits of  tax under sec. 77.59(6)(c),         Subsequently,  Seller U  determines  that  it  overre-
            Wis. Stats., while appeal is pending).           ported its gross receipts on its June 2011 sales and 
                                                             use tax return, resulting in a $100 overpayment of 
       •    60 days after the date the buyer re-
                                                             sales tax. 
            ceived  the Resolution Unit’s notice of 
            redetermination. 
                                                             On August 22, 2013, Seller U files a claim for re-
                                                             fund for the $100 of overpaid sales tax.  The 
    c. Buyer Appeals  Field Audit  Determina-                Department of Revenue pays the refund to Seller U 
       tion     to    Wisconsin    Tax    Appeals
                                                             on October 31, 2013. 
       Commission or Court 
                                                             The period for which interest is computed is  Ju-
       Buyer has until the earliest of the following 
                                                             ly 31, 2011  to October 31, 2013  (27 months). The 
       to file a claim for refund: 
                                                             interest  portion of the refund is computed  as  fol-
       •    Four  years from the unextended  due             lows: 
            date of the buyer’s income or franchise 
            tax return or if exempt from filing Wis-                27 months  x  .09  x  $100  =  $20.25 
            consin income or franchise tax returns,                 12 months 
            within four years of the 15th day of the 
            4th  month  of  the  year  following  the     B. Refunded to Buyer 
            close of the calendar or fiscal year (or 
            date extended by waiver under                    1. Tax Paid  to Department      The  period for 
            sec. 77.59(3m), Wis. Stats.).                       which interest is computed begins on the unex-
                                                                tended due date of the buyer’s sales and use tax 
       •    Date the amount of the notice of deter-
                                                                return (or the buyer’s consumer use tax return) 
            mination is paid (this does not include 
                                                                for the period in which the purchase was made, 
            deposits of  tax under sec. 77.59(6)(c), 
                                                                and ends on the date the refund is paid. 
            Wis. Stats., while appeal is pending). 
       •    60 days after the date the buyer re-                Example:  On  January 22, 2010,  Buyer V  files 
            ceived  the Resolution Unit’s notice of             its December 2009 sales and use tax return. The 
            redetermination, even though the buyer              unextended due date of  Buyer V’s December 
            files the appeal with the Wisconsin Tax             2009  sales and  use  tax return is  January 31, 
            Appeals   Commission       before      the          2010. 
            60 days have expired. 
                                                                Subsequently, Buyer V determines that it over-
                                                                paid its use tax by $500  and files  a  claim  for 
VI. INTEREST                                                    refund with the Wisconsin Department of Rev-
                                                                enue  for  the  $500  of  overpaid  use  tax.  The 
When  sales  or use  tax is  refunded, interest at 9% per       Department of Revenue pays the refund to 
year is paid with the refund, computed as follows:              Buyer V on October 1, 2010. 

A. Refunded to Seller                                           The period  for which interest is  computed is 
                                                                January 31, 2010 to  October 1, 2010 (eight 
   The period for which interest is computed begins on          months).  The  interest portion of the refund is 
   the unextended due date of the seller’s sales and use        computed as follows: 
   tax return for the period in which the sale was 
   made, and ends on the date the refund is paid.                         8 months  x  .09  x  $500  =  $30.00 
                                                                        12 months 
   Example: On July 15, 2011, Seller U files its June 
   2011 sales and use tax return, and pays the tax due 
                                                             2. Tax Paid to Seller     Interest is computed 
   of $500 reported on the return. The unextended due 
                                                                from the last day of  the  month following the 
   date of Seller U’s June 2011 sales and use tax return 
   is July 31, 2011. 

10  



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                                                                   Filing Claims for Refund of Sales or Use Tax 
 
      month in which the tax was paid by the buyer to    C. Department of Revenue to Act on Claim 
      the seller, to the date the refund is paid. 
                                                            A claim for refund shall be regarded as a request for 
      Example:  On September 15, 2009, Buyer W              determination. The determination shall be made by 
      pays $1,000 of sales tax to Seller X on a pur-        the department within one year after the claim for 
      chase of equipment.                                   refund is received by  the department, unless  the 
                                                            buyer or seller making the claim has consented in 
      Subsequently, Buyer W determines that the             writing to an extension of the one-year time period 
      equipment  purchased  qualifies  for  exemption       prior to its expiration. 
      from sales and use tax. On December 10, 2009, 
      Buyer W files a claim for refund with the Wis-     D. Seller to Refund Tax and Interest to Buyers or 
      consin Department of Revenue for the $1,000           the Department of Revenue 
      of sales tax. The Department of Revenue pays 
      the refund to Buyer W on April 30, 2010.              A seller is required to refund taxes and related in-
                                                            terest  to  the  buyers  from whom the taxes were 
      Since Buyer W paid the tax to Seller X in Sep-        collected, in the following situations: 
      tember  2009,  the period for which interest is 
      computed is October 31, 2009 (the last day of         (a) The seller files a claim for refund with the Wis-
      the month following the month in which the tax            consin  Department  of  Revenue, for taxes that 
      was paid by the buyer to the seller) to April 30,         the  seller has collected from buyers, and  re-
      2010 (six  months). The interest  portion  of the         ceives such refund. 
      refund is computed as follows: 
                                                            (b) The seller files a claim for refund with the Wis-
            6 months   x  .09  x  $1,000  =  $45.00             consin  Department  of  Revenue, for taxes that 
          12 months                                             the seller has collected from buyers, and the 
                                                                seller is entitled to a refund of such taxes, but 
                                                                the  refund  is offset against deficiencies of the 
VII.  OTHER                                                     seller due and owing on the books of the Wis-
                                                                consin Department of Revenue. 
A. Buyer and Seller May Not Both Obtain Refunds 
   of Tax                                                   (c) The seller collects amounts as taxes erroneously 
                                                                from buyers, but the seller does not remit such 
   Refunds will not be allowed to both the buyer and            amounts to the state. 
   seller for the tax on the same transaction. If refund 
   claims for the same transaction are filed by both the    If the seller cannot locate the buyers, the seller must 
   seller and buyer, and both claims are approved by        return the taxes and related interest to the Wisconsin 
   the Department of Revenue, the Department of             Department of  Revenue within  90 days after the 
   Revenue will decide whether the buyer or seller will     date of the refund, within 90 days after the date of 
   receive the refund.                                      the offset, or within 90 days after discovering that 
                                                            the seller has collected taxes erroneously from the 
B. Offsetting a Refund Against Any Debts                    buyers. 

   The Department of Revenue may offset a sales or          Note: A person who collects amounts as taxes erro-
   use tax refund against any delinquent taxes and un-      neously from buyers for a real property construction 
   paid amounts owed by the buyer or seller who filed       activity or nontaxable service may reduce the taxes 
   the claim for refund that are collectible by the De-     and interest that he or she is required to submit to 
   partment of Revenue on behalf of any governmental        the buyer or to the department for that activity or 
   unit.                                                    service by  the amount of tax and interest  subse-
                                                            quently due and paid on the sale of or the storage, 
                                                            use, or other consumption of the property, items, or 
                                                            goods listed in Parts II.A., B., C., and D.  that  are 

                                                                                                              11 



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Publication 216 
 
   used by  the person in  that activity or  service and         er information  required to be shown  on any sales 
   transferred to the buyer.                                     and/or  use  tax  return  that  is  required  to be  filed, 
                                                                 may be subject to any of  the following, as deter-
                                                                 mined  by the  Department of  Revenue, except that 
VIII. PENALTIES                                                  the penalty may not be imposed if the person shows 
                                                                 that under all facts and circumstances the person's 
A. Incorrect Claim for Refund                                    response, or failure to respond, to the department's 
                                                                 request  was reasonable or justified by  factors be-
   Negligence Penalty: A buyer or  seller who negli-
                                                                 yond the person's control: 
   gently files an incorrect and excessive claim for a 
   refund of sales or use tax is subject to a penalty of 
                                                                 1.   The disallowance of deductions, credits, ex-
   25% of the difference between the amount claimed 
                                                                      emptions, or inclusions of additional taxable 
   and the amount that should have been claimed. 
                                                                      sales or additional  taxable purchases to which 
                                                                      the requested records relate 
   Fraud Penalty: A buyer or seller who fraudulently 
   files an incorrect claim for a refund of sales or use 
                                                                 2.   A penalty for each violation of this subsection 
   tax is subject to a penalty of 100% of the difference 
                                                                      that is equal to the greater of $500 or 25 percent 
   between the  amount  claimed and the amount that 
                                                                      of the amount of the additional tax on any ad-
   should have been claimed. 
                                                                      justment made  by  the  department that results 
                                                                      from the person's failure to produce the records. 
B. Failure to Return Tax to Buyer or Department 
                                                                 See sec. Tax 11.90, Wis. Adm. Code. 
   Negligence Penalty: If a seller is refunded tax and 
   interest by the Department of Revenue for tax col-
   lected from a buyer, and the seller fails to return the    IX.     SPECIAL SITUATIONS NOT 
   tax and interest to the buyer or the department with-              REQUIRING THE SELLER TO 
   in  90 days  after  the date  of  refund  or  offset,  the 
                                                                      FILE A CLAIM FOR REFUND 
   seller is subject to a penalty of 25% of the amount 
   not returned. 
                                                              A seller does not need to file a claim for refund in the 
                                                              following situations: 
   Fraud Penalty: If a seller is refunded tax and inter-
   est by the Department of Revenue for tax collected 
                                                              A. Sale Returns and Price Adjustments 
   from a buyer, and the seller fails to return the tax 
   and interest to the buyer or the department within            The seller has refunded, in cash or credit, all or a 
   90 days after the date of the refund or offset due to         portion of the sales price as a result of property re-
   fraud, the seller is subject to a penalty of 100% of          turned or adjustments in the sales price after the 
   the amount not returned.                                      sale has been completed, provided: 

   Note: An “offset” is the amount of a seller’s claim           1) The seller has included the refunded receipts in 
   for refund of sales and use taxes and related interest             the current period’s return or a prior period re-
   to which the seller is entitled, but which is applied              turn of the seller, and  paid the  tax on those 
   against delinquencies of the seller due and owing on               receipts; and 
   the books of the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. 
   The amount of the offset is included in determining           2) The seller has refunded the tax to the buyer. 
   the amount of the refund which the seller must re-
   fund to the buyer or the Department of Revenue.               In this situation, the seller may claim a deduction 
                                                                 from gross receipts for the amount of the purchase 
C. Failure to Produce Records                                    price refunded to the buyer on Line 4 (Sales returns, 
                                                                 allowances, and bad debts) of Form ST-12, Wiscon-
   A person who fails to produce records or documents            sin Sales and Use Tax Return,  for the period in 
   requested by the Department of Revenue in a field 
   audit or in a summons, that support amounts or oth-

12  



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                                                                  Filing Claims for Refund of Sales or Use Tax 
 
   which the refund of the purchase price was made to          to interest, service  charges, and other charges 
   the buyer.                                                  related to the sale. 

B. Bad Debts                                                2. If a bad debt relates to  the retail sales of  the 
                                                               property, items,  or  goods listed in  Parts II.A., 
   “Bad debt” as used below, means the portion of the          B., C., and D., or  taxable services  that were 
   sales price or purchase price that the seller has re-       sourced to this state and to one or more other 
   ported as taxable for  Wisconsin  sales  and use tax        states, the total amount of such bad debt shall 
   purposes and paid the tax thereon to the department         be apportioned among  the states  to which the 
   and that the seller may claim as a deduction under          underlying sales were sourced in a manner pre-
   section 166  of  the  Internal  Revenue  Code.  “Bad        scribed  by the department to arrive at the 
   debt” does not include financing charges or interest,       amount of the deduction. 
   sales or use taxes imposed on the sales price or pur-
   chase price, uncollectible amounts on  tangible             The “sourcing” of a sale refers to the location in 
   personal property or items, property, or goods,             which the sale  takes place, as provided  in 
   listed in Parts II.A., B., C., or D. that remain in the     sec. 77.522, Wis. Stats. 
   seller’s possession until the full sales price or pur-
   chase price is paid, expenses incurred in attempting     3. A seller may obtain a refund of the tax on the 
   to collect  any debt,  debts  sold or assigned  to 3rd      bad debt amount deducted under the paragraph 
   parties  for collection,  and repossessed property  or      titled “Claiming  a Deduction  for Bad Debts” 
   items.                                                      that exceeds the amount of the seller's taxable 
                                                               sales, except that the period for making a claim 
   Claiming a Deduction for Bad Debts: A seller may            as determined under Part V.A. begins on  the 
   claim a deduction on a sales or use tax return for the      date on which the return on which the bad debt 
   amount of any bad debt that the seller writes off as        could be claimed would have been required to 
   uncollectible in the seller's books and records and         be submitted to the department. 
   that is eligible to be deducted as a bad debt for fed-
   eral income tax purposes, regardless of whether the      4. If a seller is using a certified service provider, 
   seller is required to file a federal income tax return.     the certified service provider may claim a bad 
   The seller must claim  the  deduction on the return         debt deduction on the seller's behalf if the seller 
   that is submitted for the period in which the seller        has not claimed and will not claim the same de-
   writes off the amount of the deduction as uncollect-        duction.  A certified service provider who 
   ible in the seller's books and records and in which         receives a bad debt deduction shall credit that 
   such amount is eligible to be deducted as bad debt          deduction  to the seller and a certified service 
   for federal income tax purposes. If the seller subse-       provider who receives a refund shall submit that 
   quently collects in whole or in part any bad debt for       refund to the seller. 
   which a deduction is claimed under this paragraph, 
   the seller shall include the amount collected in the     Note: If the retailer fails to claim the deduction for 
   return filed for the period in which the amount is       the bad debt on the original return that is filed for 
   collected and shall pay the tax with the return. In      the period in which the debt became a “bad debt,” 
   addition, the following apply to bad debts:              the retailer must file an amended return for that pe-
                                                            riod, as  explained  in Part IV.A.,  to  claim  the  bad 
   1.  For purposes of computing a bad debt deduc-          debt. 
       tion  or reporting  a  payment received on a 
       previously claimed bad debt, any payment             Example: Retailer A has a bad debt of $10,000 for 
       made on a debt or on an account is applied first     the period March 2009. Retailer A filed a sales tax 
       to the price of the property, items, or goods        return for March 2009, but did not claim the deduc-
       listed in  Parts II.A., B., C., and D., or taxable   tion for the bad debt. The unextended due date for 
       services sold, and the proportionate share of the    March 2009 return is April 20, 2009. To claim the 
       sales tax on the property, items, or goods listed    $10,000 deduction for the bad debt, Retailer A must 
       in Parts II.A., B., C., or D., or services, and then file an amended  return  for the  period of March 

                                                                                                                  13 



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Publication 216 
 
   2009. Retailer A has until  April 20, 2013, (four      X.        IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS 
   years from the unextended due date of the return on 
   which  the bad debt may  be claimed), to  file  the    If you have a question about sales and use taxes, call, 
   amended return.                                        write, or email the department. 
                                                          Write . . .     Wisconsin Department of Revenue 
C. Tax Paid on Purchase of Leased Property 
                                                                          Mail Stop 5-77 
   If a lessor  of  property, items,  or goods  listed in                 PO Box 8946 
   Part II.A., B., C., or D. reimbursed the vendor for                    Madison, WI 53708-8946 
   sales tax on the sale of the property, items, or goods Telephone . . . (608) 266-2776 
   by the vendor to the lessor, the tax due from the les-
   sor on the rental receipts may be offset by a credit   Fax . . .       (608) 267-1030 
   equal to, but not exceeding, the tax otherwise due     Email . . .     DORSalesandUse@revenue.wi.gov 
   on the rental receipts  from the  property, items,  or 
   goods  for the reporting period.  The credit expires   Visit our website .  revenue.wi.gov 
   when the cumulative rental receipts equal the sales     
   price upon which the vendor paid sales taxes to the 
   Department of Revenue.  The credit is claimed by 
   taking a  deduction on Line 5  “Other subtractions” 
   of Form ST-12,  Wisconsin Sales  and Use  Tax Re-
   turn, or the online form using My Tax Account, for 
   the amount of rental receipts from the  property, 
   items, or goods included in gross receipts on Line 1 
   of Form ST-12 by the lessor during the period cov-
   ered by the return. 

D. Tax-Paid Purchases Resold 

   If a purchaser of property, items, or goods listed in 
   Part II.A., B., C., or D. reimbursed the vendor for 
   sales tax on the sale and subsequently, prior to mak-
   ing any use of the property, items, or goods, other 
   than retention, demonstration or display while hold-
   ing it for sale or rental, makes a taxable sale of the 
   property, items, or goods, the tax due on the taxable 
   sale may be offset by the tax reimbursed. The offset 
   is claimed by taking a deduction on Line 5 “Other 
   subtractions”  of Form ST-12, Wisconsin  Sales and 
   Use Tax Return  or  the online form using My Tax 
   Account, for the amount of the purchase price paid 
   for the property, items, or goods resold. The offset 
   is claimed  on the  same  return  which includes the 
   sales price for the property, items, or goods resold. 

Note: In situations C and D, do not take a credit or off-
set  for tax-paid purchases resold  in a  non-taxable 
transaction. You must  request a refund of the tax paid 
from  the vendor who  sold you  the property,  items, or 
goods or file a Buyer’s Claim for Refund with the De-
partment of Revenue. 

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