Minnesota Department of Revenue levies sales tax on any number of transactions common to small businesses, most often being on sales of taxable goods and services. Sales tax is considered a “trust” tax, as it is collected by the retailer and must be held in trust for the State until remitted on the appropriate due date. Responsibility for paying sales tax falls not only on the business but also at times on the company’s principals.
Since the sales tax money collected never actually belongs to the business, use of the tax money for any purpose other than direct remittance to the State is expressly disallowed. In practice, however, it is common for businesses to merge the sales taxes collected with its own operating funds, thus at times risking that some of the taxes may be used to cash flow general operating expenses rather than remittance to the State. When this happens and a business cannot timely remit the sales tax to the State, the domino effect happens quickly and can be synonymous with the end of business operations. For retailers, non-payment of sales tax obligations means their sales tax vendor permit may be quickly revoked. Once revoked, no more sales are allowed. For a business such as a restaurant or bar, their liquor license additionally can be posted and the business prevented from further purchases of liquor, wine and beer inventory.
When past due sales tax is the problem, Chapter 11 can leverage certain relief that may not otherwise be available to the small business in a non-bankruptcy context. Specifically in Chapter 11 business reorganization, past due sales taxes can be statutorily repaid over five years at low interest, and under some circumstances sales tax permits and liquor licenses can be reinstated while personal collection may also be stalled to allow time for the business to reemerge with a confirmed Chapter 11 plan.
While a multitude of factors should be considered before filing Chapter 11 business reorganization, the repayment of sales tax obligations over five years that is prescribed by the Bankruptcy Code can offer significant relief that may not otherwise be available without a bankruptcy filing. Sales tax is just one example of the various circumstances that often lead to Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Contact Chapter 11 attorney Lynn Wartchow for an initial Chapter 11 consultation to review tax and other business liabilities affecting a Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding. Office located in Edina, Minnesota.