False Claims Act/FCA Archives

Let the Shakedowns Begin: Tax False Claims Legislation in California

Legislators in Sacramento, California, are mulling over one of the most (if not the most) troubling state and local tax bills of the past decade.

Senate Bill (SB) 799, introduced earlier this year and recently amended, would expand the California False Claims Act (CFCA) by removing the “tax bar,” a prohibition that exists in the federal False Claims Act (FCA) and the vast majority of states with similar laws.

If enacted, SB 799 will open the floodgates for a cottage industry of financially driven plaintiffs’ lawyers to act as bounty hunters in the state and local tax arena. California taxpayers would be forced to defend themselves in high-stakes civil investigations and/or litigation – even when the California Attorney General’s Office declines to intervene. As seen in other states, this racket leads to abusive practices and undermines the goal of voluntary compliance in tax administration.

While the CFCA is intended to promote the discovery and prosecution of fraudulent behavior, Senator Ben Allen introduced the bill specifically to “protect public dollars and combat fraud.” The enumerated list of acts that lead to a CFCA violation does not require a finding of civil fraud. In fact, a taxpayer who “knowingly and improperly avoids, or decreases an obligation to pay or transmit money or property to the state or to any political subdivision” would be in violation of the CFCA (See Cal. Gov’t Code § 12651(a)(7)).

This standard is particularly inappropriate in the tax context and is tantamount to allowing vague accusations of noncompliance with the law, leading to taxpayers being hauled into court. Once there, taxpayers would be held hostage between an expensive legal battle and paying an extortion fee to settle. The CFCA is extremely punitive: Violators would be subject to (1) treble damages (i.e., three times the amount of the underreported tax, interest, and penalties), (2) an additional civil penalty of $5,500 to $11,000 for each violation, plus (3) the costs of the civil action to recover the damages and penalties (attorneys’ fees).

To the extent the action was raised by a private plaintiff (or relator) in a qui tam action, the recovered damages or settlement proceeds would be divided between the state and the relator, with the relator permitted to recover up to 50% of the proceeds (Cal. Gov’t Code § 12652(g)(3)). If the state attorney general or a local government attorney initiates the investigation or suit, a fixed 33% of the damages or settlement proceeds would be allotted to their office to support the ongoing investigation and prosecution of false claims (Cal. Gov’t Code § 12652(g)(1)).

Adding further insult to injury, the CFCA has its own statute of limitations independent of the tax laws. Specifically, the CFCA allows claims to be pursued for up to 10 years after the date the violation was committed (Cal. Gov’t Code § 12654(a)). A qui tam bounty hunter’s claim would supersede the tax statutes of limitations.

Next, the elements of a CFCA violation must only be shown “by a preponderance of the evidence” [...]

Continue Reading

State False Claims Acts: “Knowing” Why They Matter for Tax Professionals

Like the federal government, many states have adopted False Claims Act (FCA) provisions that exclude tax matters from coverage. The federal model makes clear that matters under the Internal Revenue Service are not covered by the law,[1] and in the vast majority of cases, states also explicitly exclude tax from coverage.[2] However, there is a growing number of states seeking to extend FCA liability to tax cases in which “knowing” causes of action apply to any person that knowingly conceals, avoids or decreases an obligation to pay the state.[3] In such states, FCA liability, including punitive penalties and damages, will be argued to create liability for certified public accountants (CPAs) and other tax professionals who advise clients to take a favorable tax position on a tax return or simply file a return with an “error.” Under a “knowing” standard, an “error” is asserted to exist when the taxpayer’s position differs from someone else’s view of the law—the reasonableness of the position simply does not matter.

This risk is not hyperbole. On March 23, 2022, New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a warning to cryptocurrency investors and their tax advisors: “The consequences of a taxpayer’s failure to properly report income . . . are potentially far-reaching and severe [and could] result in taxpayer liability under the New York False Claims Act,” adding, “False Claims Act liability may also extend to tax professionals advising clients. . .”[4]

New York and Washington, DC, already extend FCA liability to tax cases and apply a “knowing” standard. In other states, FCA expansion bills have started popping up, too. For instance, there is currently a FCA bill before Ohio legislature proposing to extend FCA liability to tax cases and any person that “[k]nowingly present[s], or cause[s] to be presented, to an officer or employee of the state. . .a false or misleading claim for payment or approval.”[5] Recently, a proposal to expand the Connecticut FCA to tax cases failed to advance.[6] While the Connecticut FCA already includes a “knowing” standard, it only applies to false claims made in the Medicaid context. Additionally, New York legislature is considering a bill that would further expand the application of its FCA’s “knowledge” standard to “obligations” under the Tax Law.[7] However, the term is not defined in the Tax Law, making it unclear whether it would apply only to the “obligation” to file a return or to situations where a CPA or tax advisor provides general advice on a specific tax matter.

The trend to loosen the standard for state FCAs liability is a problematic shift leading to lawsuits that will assert that simply providing advice or a good-faith interpretation of the tax law to a client could result in liability under a state’s FCA. Adding insult to injury, these suits will threaten treble damages, attorneys’ fees and civil penalties per occurrence. Taxpayers and their advisors should know the breadth of each state’s FCA provisions and take them into account as [...]

Continue Reading

Let the Shakedowns Begin: Tax False Claims Legislation in California

State False Claims Acts: “Knowing” Why They Matter for Tax Professionals

BLOG EDITORS

STAY CONNECTED

TOPICS

ARCHIVES

RECENT POSTS