76.46
76.46
Powers of investigation. 76.46(1)
(1) The department may, whenever in its opinion such action is necessary, examine or cause to be examined the books and records of any railroad company or car line company in order to verify the accuracy of the reports submitted to the department.
76.46(2)
(2) If any railroad company defined in
s. 76.02, or any car line company defined in
s. 76.39, refuses or neglects to make any reports required under
subch. I, or refuses or neglects to permit an examination of its books and records, accounts and papers, when requested so to do by the department, or refuses or neglects to appear before the department in obedience to its summons, it shall be estopped to question or impeach the action or determination of the department, or validity of any assessment made by the department.
76.46(3)
(3) No such company shall be allowed in any action or proceeding to question the assessment and taxation of its property as determined by the department, unless it has made and filed with such department a full and complete report of the facts and information prescribed by law and called for by the department.
76.46 History
History: 1979 c. 102 s.
237.
76.48
76.48
License fees, electric cooperatives. 76.48(1g)(b)
(b) "Book cost of utility plant" has the meaning set forth in the uniform system of accounts prescribed by the U.S. rural electrification administration in bulletin 181-1, dated January 1, 1978.
76.48(1g)(c)
(c) "Electric cooperative" means a cooperative association organized under
ch. 185 that carries on the business of generating, transmitting or distributing electric energy to its members at wholesale or retail.
76.48(1g)(d)
(d) "Gross revenues" means total operating revenues, except revenues for interdepartmental sales and for interdepartmental rents, less deductions from the sales and use tax under
s. 77.61 (4) and, in respect to any electric cooperative that purchases more than 50% of the power it sells, less the actual cost of power purchased for resale by an electric cooperative, if the revenue from that purchased electric power is included in the seller's gross revenues or if the electric cooperative purchased more than 50% of the power it sold in the year prior to January 1, 1988, from a seller located outside this state.
76.48(1g)(g)
(g) "Sales factor" means a fraction the numerator of which is the electric cooperative's total sales of electricity in this state, not including sales to out-of-state purchasers that are delivered to transmission facilities in this state, for the tax period and the denominator of which is the electric cooperative's total sales of electricity for the tax period.
76.48(1r)
(1r) Every electric cooperative shall pay, in lieu of other general property and income or franchise taxes, an annual license fee equal to its apportionment factor multiplied by its gross revenues multiplied by 3.19%. Real estate and personal property not used primarily for the purpose of generating, transmitting or distributing electric energy are subject to general property taxes. If a general structure is used in part to generate, transmit or distribute electric energy and in part for nonoperating purposes, the license fee imposed by this section is in place of the percentage of all other general property taxes that fairly measures and represents the extent of the use in generating, transmitting or distributing electric energy, and the balance is subject to local assessment and taxation, except that the entire general structure is subject to special assessments for local improvements.
76.48(2)
(2) Every electric cooperative shall on or before March 15 in each year make and return to the department of revenue, in the form and upon the blanks that the department prescribes and furnishes, a true statement of the gross receipts from the operation of its business during the preceding calendar year together with such other information that the department requires to enforce this section. The statement shall be verified by the president and treasurer of the electric cooperative making the return. Upon written request, the department may grant an extension of not to exceed 30 days within which to file the return. If any electric cooperative fails to file the return within the time prescribed by law, or as extended by the department, the department shall add to the taxes due from the electric cooperative $25, and the electric cooperative may not contest the imposition of that penalty in any action or proceeding.
76.48(3)
(3) On or before May 1 in each year, the department of revenue shall compute and assess the license fees provided for in
sub. (1r) and certify the amounts due to the state treasurer and file a duplicate thereof with the department of administration. The department shall notify each electric cooperative of the amount of the license fees so assessed. The fees shall become delinquent if not paid when due and when delinquent shall be subject to interest at the rate of 1.5% per month on the amount of license fee until paid. The interest shall be collected by the department and, upon collection, forwarded to the state treasurer and retained by the state. The payment dates provided for in
sub. (3a) shall apply.
76.48(3a)
(3a) License fees due under this section shall be paid to the department on an estimated basis. Payments of semiannual instalments of the estimated tax liability for the subsequent year shall be due on or before May 10 and November 10 of the current year. With respect to the license fee assessment under
sub. (3), each electric cooperative shall on each May 10 pay or be credited an amount which is equal to the difference between the May 1 assessment and the sum of the semiannual instalment payments made in the preceding calendar year. The additional amount shall be added to the semiannual instalment due on May 10. If there has been an overpayment the amount of the overpayment shall be credited to the semiannual instalment due May 10. If any electric cooperative fails to make semiannual payments of at least 55% of the tax assessed for the current calendar year or 50% of the tax assessed for the subsequent calendar year, any amounts not paid when due shall become delinquent and shall be subject to interest under
sub. (3). Associations with a liability under this section of less than $2,000 are not required to make semiannual payments but shall pay the full amount of license fees due on or before May 10 of the year of assessment.
76.48(4)
(4) All license fees provided in
sub. (1r) shall be deposited in the general fund for use of the state.
76.48(5)
(5) Additional assessments may be made, if notice of such assessment is given, within 4 years of the date the annual return was filed, but if no return was filed, or if the return filed was incorrect and was filed with intent to defeat or evade the tax, an additional assessment may be made at any time upon the discovery of gross revenues by the department. Refunds may be made if a claim for the refund is filed in writing with the department within 4 years of the date the annual return was filed. Refunds shall bear interest at the rate of 9% per year and shall be certified by the department to the secretary of administration who shall audit the amounts of such overpayments and the state treasurer shall pay the amount audited. Additional assessments shall bear interest at the rate of 12% per year from the time they should have been paid to the date upon which they shall become delinquent if unpaid.
76.48(6)
(6) All additional assessments and claims for refund shall be subject to the same procedure for review and final determination as is provided with respect to additional assessments and refunds of income or franchise taxes under
chs. 71 and
73, except that appeals of denials of claims for refunds shall be made directly to the tax appeals commission and except as such procedure conflicts with this section.
76.54
76.54
Motor carriers and urban transit companies; municipal taxation. No city, village or town shall impose a license tax upon either of the following:
76.54(1)
(1) Any common motor carrier of property or of passengers, any contract motor carrier or any private motor carrier on account of any operation of a motor vehicle which is subject to registration or taxation under
ch. 341.
76.54(2)
(2) Any corporation or other person engaged in urban mass transportation of passengers as defined in
s. 71.38.
76.54 History
History: 1987 a. 312 s.
17.
INSURERS
76.60
76.60
Fire and marine insurers; license fees. Every insurer doing a fire or marine insurance business, other than domestic insurers and insurers excepted under
s. 76.61, shall pay to the state, in respect to marine insurance a tax of 0.5% and in respect to fire insurance a tax of 2.375% on the amount of its gross premiums, as calculated under
s. 76.62. In case any insurer discontinues business in this state and reinsures the whole or a part of its risks without making payment of this tax, the insurer accepting such reinsurance shall pay the tax. If several insurers make such reinsurance the tax shall be apportioned among the insurers in proportion to the original premiums upon the business in this state so reinsured by each such insurer. Upon the payment of the tax provided in this section, and the fees required by
s. 601.31, such insurer may be licensed to transact its business until May 1 in the ensuing year, unless before then its license is revoked or forfeited according to law.
76.60 History
History: 1971 c. 125;
1979 c. 102 s.
20; Stats. 1979 s. 76.60;
1989 a. 31.
76.61
76.61
Town mutual insurers; taxes, charges, dues and license fees. No town mutual insurer organized under or subject to
ch. 612 shall be required to pay any taxes, charges, dues or license fees to the state except those charges and dues provided for in
ss. 601.31,
601.32,
601.45 and
601.93.
76.61 History
History: 1971 c. 125;
1973 c. 243;
1975 c. 372 s.
41;
1979 c. 102 ss.
21,
236 (3), (4); Stats. 1979 s. 76.61.
76.62
76.62
License fees; calculation of. All license fees and taxes levied under any provision of law upon gross premiums other than life insurance premiums against any insurer shall be uniformly calculated on the amount of gross premiums received for direct insurance less return premiums and cancellations and returns from savings and gains on all insurance other than reinsurance by the insurer during the preceding year in this state.
76.62 History
History: 1979 c. 102 s.
22; Stats. 1979 s. 76.62;
1989 a. 31.
76.63
76.63
Casualty insurance; license fees. 76.63(1)
(1) Every insurer doing a casualty or surety business, other than domestic insurers and insurers exempted under
s. 76.61, shall pay to the state 2% of its gross premiums, as calculated under
s. 76.62, on all policies or contracts which have been written on the lives of residents or on property in this state.
76.63(2)
(2) Every domestic stock insurer which insures against financial loss by reason of nonpayment of principal, interest and other sums agreed to be paid under the terms of any note or bond or other evidence of indebtedness secured by a mortgage, deed of trust or other instrument constituting a lien or charge on real estate shall pay to the state on or before March 1 in each year 2% of its gross premiums, as calculated under
s. 76.62, on all policies or contracts which have been written on the lives of residents or on property in this state.
76.63 History
History: 1971 c. 125;
1975 c. 372;
1979 c. 102 s.
23; Stats. 1979 s. 76.63;
1989 a. 31.
76.64
76.64
Quarterly instalments. Insurers shall pay instalments of the total estimated payment under
ss. 76.60,
76.63,
76.65 and
76.66 on or before April 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15. Every insurer shall make a return for the preceding calendar year on or before March 1 setting forth the information that the commissioner of insurance reasonably requires, on forms prescribed by the commissioner. On or before March 1, the insurer shall pay any additional amount due for the preceding calendar year. Overpayment will be credited on the amount due April 15.
76.64 History
History: 1979 c. 102 s.
24; Stats. 1979 s. 76.64;
1981 c. 20;
1985 a. 29;
1989 a. 31.
76.645(1)(1)
Late payment. An insurer that fails to make quarterly payments under
s. 76.64 of at least 25% of either the total tax paid for the previous calendar year or 80% of the actual tax for the current calendar year is liable, in addition to the amount due, for interest of 1.5% of the amount due and unpaid for each month or part of a month that the amount due, together with any interest, remains unpaid.
76.645(2)
(2) Negligence. An insurer that fails to pay an amount due, or file a return required, under
s. 76.64, unless the insurer shows that the failure is due to reasonable cause and not due to wilful neglect, is liable for the greater of the following amounts:
76.645(2)(b)
(b) Five percent of the amount due for each month or fraction of a month during which the failure continues, but not more than 25% of the amount due.
76.645 History
History: 1985 a. 29.
76.65
76.65
Life insurers; license fee. Every insurer doing a life insurance business within this state, except fraternals as defined in
s. 614.01, shall pay into the state treasury as an annual license fee for transacting such business the amounts following:
76.65(1)(a)(a) If such insurer is organized under the laws of this state, it shall pay as an annual license fee 3.5% upon its gross income from all sources for the preceding calendar year except interest required to provide and maintain reserves according to the laws of this state, and except premiums collected on policies of insurance and contracts for annuities. No domestic insurer shall, however, in any year pay in the aggregate for license fee as prescribed in this paragraph an amount in excess of the annual license fee which would have been payable by it in such year under
sub. (2) had it been operating as a foreign insurer subject to
sub. (2). Any domestic insurer having in excess of $750,000,000 of insurance in force as of December 31 of the preceding calendar year, excluding therefrom any reinsurance assumed on which premium taxes are payable by the ceding insurer, shall not pay less in the aggregate for a license fee as prescribed in this paragraph than the amount of the annual license fee which would have been payable by it in such year under
sub. (2) had it been operating as a foreign insurer subject to
sub. (2). Payments under this paragraph shall be made annually on or before March 1.
76.65(1)(b)
(b) In computing the fee under
par. (a), the amount of such gross income shall, after deducting the excepted portions thereof, be multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is the net investment income applicable to life insurance and annuities and the denominator of which is the total net investment income, as set forth in the annual statement forms for such year as approved by the commissioner of insurance.
76.65(2)
(2) Foreign insurers. If any such insurer is organized outside of this state, it shall pay into the state treasury, as such annual license fee, 2% upon the excess of the gross premiums received in money or otherwise during the preceding calendar year on all policies or contracts of insurance on the lives of residents of this state after deducting all sums apportioned to premium paying policies on the lives of residents of this state from annual distribution of profits, savings, earnings or surplus which before the expiration of the calendar year next succeeding such apportionment have been either paid in cash or applied in part payment of premiums.
76.65 History
History: 1971 c. 215,
289;
1975 c. 373;
1979 c. 102 s.
25; Stats. 1979 s. 76.65;
1981 c. 20.
76.65 Annotation
Life insurance policy dividends left with the insurance to accumulate at interest beyond the expiration of the calendar year are not to be treated as dividends "paid in cash" under 76.34 (2), Stats. 1969. Because of long-standing administrative construction, current dividends applied to purchase additional paid-up insurance are not reportable as gross premiums and thus, not taxable under 76.34 (2). However, accumulated dividends so applied are reportable and taxable. 59 Atty. Gen. 152.
76.66
76.66
Retaliatory taxation of nondomestic insurers. 76.66(1)(1) In this section, "taxes" means the taxes imposed on nondomestic insurers under
ss. 76.60,
76.63,
76.65 (2) and
601.93 less offsets allowed against those taxes under
s. 646.51 (7) or the amounts imposed on domestic insurers by another state or foreign country for similar purposes.
76.66(2)
(2) If another state or foreign country requires a domestic insurer doing business in that state or country to pay taxes greater in the aggregate than the aggregate amount of taxes that a nondomestic insurer doing business in this state would pay, each insurer domiciled in that state or foreign country shall pay to this state for the same year the amount that a domestic insurer doing a similar business would be required to pay to the other state or foreign country.
76.66 History
History: 1979 c. 102 s.
26; Stats. 1979 s. 76.66;
1983 a. 27;
1989 a. 31.
76.67
76.67
Reciprocal taxation of foreign insurers. 76.67(1)
(1) In this section, "taxes" means the taxes imposed on foreign insurers under
ss. 76.60,
76.63,
76.65 (2) and
601.93 less offsets allowed against those taxes under
s. 646.51 (7) or the amounts imposed on domestic insurers by another state for similar purposes.
76.67(2)
(2) If any domestic insurer is licensed to transact insurance business in another state, this state may not require similar insurers domiciled in that other state to pay taxes greater in the aggregate than the aggregate amount of taxes that a domestic insurer is required to pay to that other state for the same year, except that the amount imposed shall not be less than the total of the amounts due under
ss. 76.65 (2) and
601.93 and, if the insurer is subject to
s. 76.60,
0.375% of its gross premiums, as calculated under
s. 76.62, less offsets allowed under
s. 646.51 (7) against that total.
76.68
76.68
License; issuance; collection of fees. 76.68(1)
(1) Every license issued under this subchapter and
chs. 600 to
646 shall certify that payment of the license fee or tax and the fee required by
s. 601.31 (1) (b) has been made, be signed by the commissioner of insurance and be in a form approved by the attorney general.
76.68(2)
(2) No suit may be brought to restrain or enjoin the collection of any license fee or tax imposed or provided for by this subchapter, and the fees required by
s. 601.31. Any insurer aggrieved by the payment of any such license or other fee or tax may maintain a suit against the state for the recovery thereof in the circuit court for Dane county within 6 months from the time of the payment. The state may be served in the suit as provided in
s. 801.11 (3).
76.68(3)
(3) No action may be commenced to compel the issuance of the certificate of authority provided for by
chs. 600 to
646 until the license fee imposed by this subchapter and the fees under
s. 601.31 have been fully paid.
76.68(4)
(4) The attorney general shall institute suit in the circuit court for Dane county to recover any license fees or tax not paid within the time prescribed by this subchapter, and the fees required by
s. 601.31. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as amending or modifying in any respect
ch. 775.
76.68 History
History: 1971 c. 40 s.
93;
1971 c. 260; Sup. Ct. Order, 67 W (2d) 585, 773 (1975);
1977 c. 339;
1979 c. 32 s.
92 (5);
1979 c. 89 s.
543;
1979 c. 102 ss.
26,
237;
1979 c. 177; Stats. 1979 s. 76.68.
76.69
76.69
Deduction for personal property taxes. Any domestic insurer may deduct from the license fee imposed on the insurer for any year under
s. 76.65 (1) an amount equal to one-half of the general property taxes paid for the previous year on personal property in this state which is used in the operation of its business and not held primarily for investment purposes, but no such deduction may exceed 25% of the license fee.
76.69 History
History: 1971 c. 289;
1979 c. 102 s.
26; Stats. 1979 s. 76.69.
TELEPHONE COMPANY TAX
76.80
76.80
Definitions. In this subchapter:
76.80(1)
(1) "Department" means the department of revenue.
76.80(3)
(3) "Telecommunications services" means the transmission of voice, video, facsimile or data messages, including telegraph messages, except that "telecommunications services" does not include cable television, radio, one-way radio paging or transmitting messages incidental to transient occupancy in hotels, as defined in
s. 254.61 (3).
76.80(4)
(4) "Telephone company" means any person that provides to another person telecommunications services, including the resale of services provided by another telephone company. "Telephone company" does not include a person who operates a private shared telecommunications system, as defined in
s. 196.201 (1), and who is not otherwise a telephone company.
76.80 History
History: 1995 a. 351 ss.
17,
18,
32.
76.81
76.81
Imposition. There is imposed a tax on the real property of, and the tangible personal property of, every telephone company, except motor vehicles that are exempt under
s. 70.112 (5) and treatment plant and pollution abatement equipment that is exempt under
s. 70.11 (21) (a). Except as provided in
s. 76.815, the rate for the tax imposed on each description of real property and on each item of tangible personal property is the net rate for the prior year for the tax under
ch. 70 in the taxing jurisdictions where the description or item is located.
76.81 History
History: 1995 a. 351.
76.815
76.815
Combined reporting. For taxes payable in 1998 and 1999, telephone companies that have more than 150,000 access lines in this state may submit a combined report of their items of personal property. Any company that does so shall pay the tax on those items at a rate that reflects the company's weighted average property tax rate based on the value and location of its real property in this state.
76.815 History
History: 1995 a. 351.
76.82
76.82
Assessment. The department, using the methods that it uses to assess property under
s. 70.995, shall assess the property that is taxable under
s. 76.81, including property that is exempt under
s. 70.11 (27) from the tax under
ch. 70, at its value as of January 1.
76.82 History
History: 1995 a. 351.
76.83
76.83
Report; payment. On or before March 1, every telephone company shall send to the department a completed form that the department prescribes. Upon written request, the department may extend the time for filing the report by no more than 30 days. The requirements for payment of taxes under
s. 76.13 (2a), as they apply to the tax under
subch. I, apply to the tax under this subchapter.
76.83 History
History: 1995 a. 351.
76.84
76.84
Administration. 76.84(1)(1) On or before October 1, the department shall notify each telephone company that is subject to the tax under
s. 76.81 of the assessed value of its property.
76.84(2)
(2) On or before November 1, the department shall notify each telephone company that is subject to the tax under
s. 76.81 of the amount of that tax.
