Demands for Unpaid Withholding Taxes Dating Back More Than 10 Years

[xenia]

State of Oklahoma
Hello,
I have recently received a very large bill for supposedly not filing state withholding taxes on 9 occasions between 2005-2010 by the Oklahoma Tax Commission. I used a CPA who prepared and signed off on my tax returns for all the concerned years and was very careful and methodical. I have not heard any complaints from the IRS for the same time period, implying that I somehow paid my Federal Withholding, but missed my State Withholding for the same periods. My bank only retains records going 7 years (to 2013), and I haven’t kept copies going back.
Questions:
1. Do I have a right to request from the OTC that they provide me with records proving that this money is owed?
2. If I can't prove that I made the payments, is there any other strategy for me?

Greatly appreciate your thoughts.

[adjusterjack]

1. Do I have a right to request from the OTC that they provide me with records proving that this money is owed?

Of course you have a right to "request." Go ahead and request and see how it goes.

2. If I can't prove that I made the payments, is there any other strategy for me?

I don't know. Pay what they say. Get a tax attorney. Doesn't seem that you have many options.

Let this be a lesson in record keeping. Keep records forever. They don't take up much space on a computer and you never know when you are going to need them.

[budwad]

Have you contacted the CPA who prepared the returns?

[xenia]

Have you contacted the CPA who prepared the returns?

Yes. He also doesn't have records for that period of time.

[xenia]

Pay what they say. Get a tax attorney.
Let this be a lesson in record keeping.

Yes, I got my lesson. However, when I asked the OTC on the phone if they have the records for my withholding taxes for that period, they said that they don't keep records for that long. So how do you calculate withholding taxes without the records, I asked. They said that I just need to pay what they say.
It looks like a shake down to me. They don't have a record. They require withholding taxes dating back more than 10 years ago assuming that I may not keep the records and I can't proof that I paid it.
At that time, I practically didn't have any income and my taxes were very small. But the fees accumulated in a huge amount for 10 years.
I recently hired a tax attorney. He collected 3K from me and he happened to be a crook.

[llworking]

Yes, I got my lesson. However, when I asked the OTC on the phone if they have the records for my withholding taxes for that period, they said that they don't keep records for that long. So how do you calculate withholding taxes without the records, I asked. They said that I just need to pay what they say.
It looks like a shake down to me. They don't have a record. They require withholding taxes dating back more than 10 years ago assuming that I may not keep the records and I can't proof that I paid it.
At that time, I practically didn't have any income and my taxes were very small. But the fees accumulated in a huge amount for 10 years.
I recently hired a tax attorney. He collected 3K from me and he happened to be a crook.

Again, how much money is involved? I would also have asked them how they know you didn't pay the taxes if they don't have records that far back.

[xenia]

I would also have asked them how they know you didn't pay the taxes if they don't have records that far back.

I asked. And their reply was that I just need to pay what they stated.
I am speechless.

Again, how much money is involved?

Total bill is at around 30K, however a law firm representing OTC said if I pay 9K they will stop accumulating fees and penalties. So I did pay 9 K and started an investigation with my CPA, who is very slow to respond on anything I ask.
My CPA can't sign off on my taxes without checking on my payments to the state and to the feds. I don't remember a single month that I didn't write both checks for taxes.
Now after several months sitting on this issue and waiting for replies from my CPA and a tax attorney, I was informed that fees and penalties started again.
It is really maddening.
It looks like someone got a bright idea how to shake people up.

[llworking]

State of Oklahoma
Hello,
I have recently received a very large bill for supposedly not filing state withholding taxes on 9 occasions between 2005-2010 by the Oklahoma Tax Commission. I used a CPA who prepared and signed off on my tax returns for all the concerned years and was very careful and methodical. I have not heard any complaints from the IRS for the same time period, implying that I somehow paid my Federal Withholding, but missed my State Withholding for the same periods. My bank only retains records going 7 years (to 2013), and I haven’t kept copies going back.
Questions:
1. Do I have a right to request from the OTC that they provide me with records proving that this money is owed?
2. If I can't prove that I made the payments, is there any other strategy for me?

Greatly appreciate your thoughts.

How much money is involved? How much are they saying that you owe?