The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 32 : Taxation and Finance

Chapter 151 : Income Taxes

Subchapter 004 : Withholding of Taxes at Source

• § 5842. Return and payment of withheld taxes

  (a) Every person required to deduct and withhold any amount under section 5841 of this title shall make return thereof and shall pay over that amount to the Commissioner as follows:

  (1) In quarterly payments to be made not later than 25 days following the last day of March, June, September, and December, if the person is required to make quarterly or annual payments of federal withholding pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code.

  (2) In semiweekly payments, if the person is required to make semiweekly payments of federal withholding pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code. Semiweekly shall mean payment of tax withheld for pay dates on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday is due by the following Wednesday, and tax withheld for pay dates on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday is due by the following Friday.

  (3) In monthly payments to be made not later than the 25th (23rd of February) day following the close of the calendar month during which the amount was withheld, if subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection do not apply.

  (b) The Commissioner shall prescribe the method of payment of tax and may, without limitation, require electronic funds transfer or payment to a bank depository. The Commissioner may, in writing, permit or require returns to be made covering other periods and upon such dates as the Commissioner may specify and require payments of tax liability at such intervals and based upon such classifications as the Commissioner may designate:

  (1) to conform to federal withholding law as the Commissioner deems appropriate;

  (2) in cases in which less frequent reporting is determined by the Commissioner to be sufficient; and

  (3) in cases in which the Commissioner determines that the taxpayer’s repeated failure to file or pay tax makes more frequent reporting necessary to ensure the prompt and orderly collection of the tax.

  (c) In addition to the returns required to be filed and payments required to be made under subsection (a) of this section, every person required to deduct and withhold any tax under section 5841 of this title shall file an annual return covering the aggregate amount deducted and withheld during the entire preceding year, on or before January 31 of each year. At the time of filing that return, the person shall pay over to the Commissioner any amount deducted and withheld during the preceding calendar year and not previously paid. The person shall, further, make such annual report to payees and to the Commissioner of amounts paid and withheld as the Commissioner by regulation shall prescribe.

  (d) Notwithstanding section 5867 of this title, the Commissioner may, in his or her discretion, prescribe that one or more or all of the returns required by subsection (a) of this section are not required to be signed or verified by the taxpayer. The Commissioner may require businesses and payroll service providers to file information under this section by electronic means. (Added 1966, No. 61 (Sp. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1966; amended 1983, No. 59, § 10, eff. April 22, 1983; 1985, No. 266 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. June 4, 1986; 1989, No. 124 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Feb. 8, 1990; 1989, No. 222 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 7, 8, eff. May 31, 1990; 1991, No. 186 (Adj. Sess.), § 13, eff. May 7, 1992; 1993, No. 49, §§ 10-12, eff. May 28, 1993; 1995, No. 29, § 9, eff. April 14, 1995; 1999, No. 49, § 73, eff. June 2, 1999; 1999, No. 119 (Adj. Sess.), § 17, eff. May 18, 2000; 2007, No. 81, § 2, eff. July 1, 2008; 2009, No. 146 (Adj. Sess.), § B7; 2015, No. 57, § 68; 2015, No. 134 (Adj. Sess.), § 12.)