[Adopted as Title 2, Ch. 7, Art. 6, of the 1977 Code[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This chapter was adopted 9-10-1990 by Ord. No. 1229 and amended 11-19-1990 by Ord. No. 1237; 11-9-1998 by Ord. No. 1382; and 7-12-2004 by Ord. No. 1490.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ASSESSMENT
The determination of earned income tax officer due from a taxpayer as the result of an audit or review of tax returns filed with the Township.
ASSOCIATION
A partnership, limited partnership, or any other unincorporated group of two or more persons.
AUDIT
An inspection of the books and accounting records of a taxpayer by the designated auditor or earned income tax officer for the Township of Upper Moreland for the purpose of verifying the correct payment of earned income tax by the taxpayer. An audit may be conducted in person at the taxpayer's location, at the Earned Income Tax Office or through the provision of copies of requested records to the Earned Income Tax Office through the mail.
BUSINESS
An enterprise, activity, profession or any other undertaking of an unincorporated nature conducted for profit, or ordinarily conducted for profit, whether by persons, partnerships, associations or any other entity.
CORPORATION
A corporation or joint-stock association organized under the laws of the United States, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or any other state, territory, foreign country or dependency.
CREDIT
An overpayment made to the Township of earned income tax or net profits tax. A credit may be used to satisfy future earned income tax obligations upon the written request of the taxpayer and the filing of all required tax returns.
CURRENT YEAR
The calendar year for which the tax is levied.
DETERMINATION
A decision by the Earned Income Tax Office, including an assessment of tax due or payment or denial of a refund or credit.
DOMICILE
The place where one lives and has his permanent home and to which he has the intention of returning whenever he is absent. Actual residence is not necessarily domicile, for a mere special or limited purpose, but with the present intention of making a permanent home, until some event occurs to induce him to adopt some other permanent home. In the case of business or associations, the domicile is that place considered as the center of business affairs and the place where its functions are discharged.
EARNED INCOME
Salaries, wages, commissions, bonuses, incentive payments, fees, tips and other compensation received by a person or his personal representative for services rendered, whether directly or though an agent, and whether in cash or in property; not including, however, wages or compensation paid to individuals on active military service, periodic payments for sickness, disability other than regular wages received during a period of sickness, disability, or retirement or payments arising under workmen's compensation acts, occupational disease acts and similar legislation, or payments commonly recognized as old age benefits, retirement pay or pensions paid to persons retired from service after reaching a specific agent or after a stated period of employment compensation payments by any governmental agency, or payments to reimburse expenses, or payments made by employers or labor unions for wage and salary supplemental programs, including, but not limited to, programs covering hospitalization, sickness, disability or death, supplemental unemployment benefits, strike benefits, social security and retirement benefits, compensation as determined under Section 303 of the Act of March 4, 1971 (P.L. 6, No. 2), known as the "Tax Reform Code of 1971,"[1] and regulations in 61 Pa. Code Part I, Subpart B, Article V (relating to personal income tax), employee business expenses that are allowable deductions as determined under Article III of the Tax Reform Code of 1971. The amount of any housing allowance provided to a member of the clergy shall not be taxable as earned income.
EMPLOYER
A person, partnership, association, corporation, institution, governmental body or unit or agency, or any other entity employing one or more persons for a salary, wage, commission or other compensation.
INCOME TAX OFFICER OR OFFICERS
Person, public employee or private agency designated by governing body to collect and administer the tax on earned income and net profits.
LESSOR
Any individual or individuals, corporation, partnership or other entity which owns, leases or otherwise possesses or controls any real property, condominium unit or rental unit, including residential, commercial, office, institutional, or industrial real property, condominium unit or rental unit, and in turn leases or subleases such real property to any other individual or individuals, corporation, partnership or other entity. For the purposes of this article, "lessor" shall include any agent, manager, condominium association or other entity which acts on behalf of the owner of the real property, condominium unit or rental unit.
NET PROFITS
The net income from the operation of a business, profession or other activity, except corporations, after provisions for all costs and expenses incurred in the conduct thereof, determined either on a cash or accrual basis in accordance with the accounting system used in such business, profession or other activity, but without deduction of taxes based on income, determined under Section 303 of the Act of March 4, 1971 (P.L. 6, No. 2), known as the "Tax Reform Code of 1971," and Regulations in 61 Pa. Code Part I, Subpart B, Article V (relating to personal income tax). The term does not include income which is not paid for services provided and which is in the nature of earnings from an investment.
NONRESIDENT
A person partnership, association or other entity domiciled outside the taxing district.
PERSON or INDIVIDUAL
A natural person.
PRECEDING YEAR
The calendar year before the current year
RESIDENT
A person, partnership, association or other entity domiciled in the taxing district.
SUCCEEDING YEAR
The calendar year following the current year.
TAXPAYER
A person, partnership, association or any other entity required hereunder to file a return of earned income or net profits or to pay a tax thereon.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 72 P.S. § 7101 et seq.
A tax at the rate of 1% on each dollar is hereby imposed on all earned income and net profits, as defined herein, earned by residents of the Township of Upper Moreland and on all earned income and net profits earned by nonresidents of the Township of Upper Moreland for work done or services performed or rendered in said Township. This tax shall become effective January 1, 1991, and shall remain in effect thereafter on a calendar-year basis without annual reenactment unless the rate of tax is subsequently changed. All persons, whose total income from all sources is less than $4,000 per year, shall be exempt from the imposition of this tax.
A. 
Net profits.
(1) 
Every taxpayer making net profits shall, on or before April 30 of each year, make and file with the officer on a form prescribed by the officer a declaration of his estimated net profits during the period beginning January 1 and ending December 31 of the current year, and pay to the officer in four quarterly installments the tax due thereon as follows: the first installment at the time of filing the declaration and the other installments on or before July 31 of the current year, October 31 of the current year, and January 31 of the succeeding year.
(2) 
On or before April 30 of the succeeding year, every taxpayer shall make and file a final return on a form prescribed by the officer, showing the amount of net profits earned, the total amount of tax due and the total amount of tax paid thereon. At the time of filing the final return, the taxpayer shall pay to the officer the balance of the tax due or shall make demand for refund or credit in the case of overpayment. An incomplete or improperly completed tax return shall be considered as not having been filed. Each final return shall be substantiated and supported by such United States federal income tax return forms as required by the officer, which shall at least include a copy of the federal Schedule C to the Federal income tax return as to a net profits earner.
B. 
Earned income. Every taxpayer shall, on or before April 15 of the succeeding year, make and file with the officer a final return, showing the amount of earned income received during the period beginning January 1 of the current year and ending December 31 of the current year, the total amount of tax due thereon, the amount of tax paid thereon, the amount of tax thereon that has been withheld pursuant to the provisions relating to the collection at source, and the balance of tax due. At the time of filing the final return, the taxpayer shall pay the balance of the tax due or shall make demand for refund or credit in the case of overpayment. An incomplete or improperly completed tax return shall be considered as not having been filed. Income tax return forms as required by the officer, which shall include a copy of the federal W-2 Form in the case of an earned income taxable, and Schedule C of the federal return as to a net profits taxable.
C. 
Earned income not subject to withholding. Every taxpayer who is employed for a salary, wage, commission, or other compensation and who received any earned income not subject to the provisions relating to collection at the source shall make and file with the officer on a form prescribed or approved by the officer a quarterly return on or before April 30 of the current year, July 31 of the current year, October 31 of the current year, and January 31 of the succeeding year, in each case setting forth the aggregate amount of earned income not subject to withholding by such taxpayer during the three-month periods ending March 31 of the current year, June 30 of the current year, September 30 of the current year, and December 31 of the current year, respectively, and subject to the tax, together with such other information as the officer may require. An incomplete or improperly completed quarterly return shall be considered as not having been filed. Every taxpayer at the time of filing such quarterly return shall pay to the officer the amount of tax shown as due thereon.
A. 
Every employer having an office, workshop, branch, warehouse or other place of business within the Township who employs one or more persons, other than domestic servants, for a salary, wage, commission or other compensation, shall deduct at the time of payment thereof the tax imposed by the Board of Commissioners of Upper Moreland Township on the earned income due to his employee or employees and shall, on or before April 30 of the current year, July 31 of the current year. October 31 of the current year, and January 31 of the succeeding year, file a return and pay to the officer the amount of taxes deducted during the preceding three-month periods ending March 31 of the current year, June 30 of the current year, September 30 of the current year, and December 31 of the current year, respectively. Such returns, unless otherwise agreed upon between the officer and employer, shall show the name and social security number of each such employee, the earned income of such employee during such preceding three-month period, the tax deducted therefrom, the political subdivision imposing the tax upon such employee and the political subdivision in which the employee resides, the total earned income of all such employees during such preceding three-month period, and the total tax deducted therefrom and paid with the return.
B. 
Any employer who for two of the preceding four quarterly periods has failed to deduct the proper tax, or any part thereof, or has failed to pay over the proper amount of tax to the taxing authority, may be required by the officer to file his return and pay the tax monthly. In such cases, payments of tax shall be made to the officer on or before the last day of the month succeeding the month for which the tax was withheld.
C. 
On or before February 28 of the succeeding year, every employer shall file with the officer:
(1) 
An annual return showing the total amount of earned income paid, the total amount of tax deducted, and the total amount of tax paid to the officer for the period, beginning January 1 of the current year and ending December 31 of the current year.
(2) 
A return showing withholding statements for each employee employed during all or part of the period beginning January 1 of the current year and ending December 31 of the current year, setting forth the employee's name, address, social security number, the amount of earned income paid to the employee during said period, the amount of tax deducted, the political subdivision imposing the tax upon such employee, and the amount of tax paid to the officer. Every employer shall furnish two copies of the individual return to the employee for whom it is filed.
D. 
Every employer who discontinues business prior to December 31 of the current year shall, within 30 days after the discontinuance of business, file the returns and withholding statements hereinabove required and pay the tax due.
E. 
Except as otherwise provided, every employer who willfully or negligently fails or omits to make the deductions required by this section, shall be liable for payment of the taxes which he was required to withhold to the extent that such taxes have not been recovered from the employee.
F. 
The failure or omission of any employer to make the deductions required by this section shall not relieve any employee from the payment of the tax or from complying with the requirements or this article relating to filing of declarations and returns.
G. 
It shall be the duty of every lessor to file with the Township a list, certified to be true, correct and complete, of the names and addresses of all tenants, lessees, or sublessees of any real property, condominium unit or rental unit, on or before January 31, 1990, and thereafter on or before December 31, 1990, and each December 31 of each succeeding year, or within 30 days of the date any change of tenancy of such real property, condominium unit or rental unit.
A. 
It shall be the duty of the officer to collect and receive the taxes, fines and penalties imposed by this article. It shall also be his duty to keep a record showing the amount received by him from each person or business paying the tax and the date of such receipt.
B. 
Bonding of officers.
(1) 
Each officer, before entering upon his official duties, shall give and acknowledge a bond to the Township of Upper Moreland. If the Board of Commissioners shall by resolution designate any bond previously given by the officer as adequate, such bond shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this subsection.
(2) 
Each such bond shall be joint and several, with one or more corporate sureties which shall be surety companies authorized to do business in this commonwealth and duly licensed by the Insurance Commissioner of this commonwealth.
(3) 
Each bond shall be conditioned upon the faithful discharge by the officer, his clerks, assistants and appointees of all trusts confided in him by virtue of his office, upon the faithful execution of all duties required by him according to law, of all monies and all balances thereof paid to, received or held by him by virtue of his office, and upon the delivery to his successor or successors in office of all books, papers, documents or other official things held in right of his office.
(4) 
Each such bond shall be taken in the name of the Township of Upper Moreland and shall be for the use of the Township of Upper Moreland and for the use of such other person or persons for whom money shall otherwise appear in case of a breach of any of the conditions thereof by the acts or neglect of the principal on the bond.
(5) 
The Township of Upper Moreland or any person may sue upon the said bond in its or his own name for its or his own use.
(6) 
Each such bond shall contain the name or names of the surety company or companies bound thereon. The Township of Upper Moreland shall fix the amount of the bond at an amount equal to the maximum amount of taxes which may be in the possession of the officer at any given time.
(7) 
The Township of Upper Moreland may, at any time, upon cause shown and due notice to the officer and his surety or sureties, require or allow the substitution or the addition of a surety company acceptable to the Township for the purpose of making the bond sufficient in amount, without releasing the surety or sureties first approved from any accrued liability or previous action on such bond.
(8) 
The Township of Upper Moreland shall designate the custodian of the bond required to be giving by the officer.
C. 
The officer charged with the administration and enforcement of the provisions of the article is hereby empowered to prescribe, adopt, promulgate and enforce, rules and regulations relating to any matter pertaining to the administration and enforcement of this article, including provisions for the reexamination and correction of declarations and returns and of payments alleged or found to be incorrect, or as to which an overpayment is claimed or found to have occurred, and to make refunds in case of overpayment for any period of time not to exceed six years subsequent to the date of payment of the sum involved, and to prescribe forms necessary for the administration of this article. No rule or regulation of any kind shall be enforceable unless it has been approved by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Upper Moreland. A copy of such rules and regulations currently in force shall be available for public inspection.
D. 
The officer shall refund, on petition of and proof by the taxpayer, earned income tax paid on the taxpayer's ordinary and necessary business expenses, to the extent that such expenses are not paid by the taxpayer's employer.
E. 
The officer and agents designated by him are hereby authorized to examine the books, papers and records of any employer or of any taxpayer or of any person whom the officer reasonably believes to be an employer or taxpayer in order to verify the accuracy of any declaration or return, or if no declaration or return was filed, to ascertain the tax due. Every employer and every taxpayer and every person who the officer reasonably believes to be an employer or taxpayer is hereby directed and required to give to the officer, or to any agent designated by him, the means, facilities and opportunity for such examination and investigations as are hereby authorized.
F. 
Any information gained by the officer, his agents, or by any other official or agent of the taxing district as a result of any declarations, returns, investigations, hearings or verifications required or authorized by this article shall be confidential, except for official purposes and except in accordance with a proper judicial order, or as otherwise provided by law.
G. 
The officer is authorized to establish different filing, reporting and payment dates for taxpayers whose fiscal years do not coincide with the calendar year.
H. 
The officer shall, at least quarterly, distribute earned income taxes to the appropriate political subdivisions. The political subdivisions shall not be required to request the officer to distribute the funds collected but shall, at least annually, reconcile their receipts with the records of the officer and return to or credit the officer with any overpayment. If the officer within one year after receiving a tax payment cannot identify the taxing jurisdiction entitled to a tax payment, he shall make payment to the municipality in which the tax was collected. Within 120 days of the passage of this article, any present accumulated funds that are unclaimed shall be distributed on the same basis.
A. 
The officer may sue in the name of the Township for recovery of taxes due and unpaid under this article.
B. 
Any suit brought to recover the tax imposed by this article shall begin within three years after such tax is due or within three years after the declaration or return has been filed, whichever date is later; provided, however, that this limitation shall not prevent the institution of a suit for the collection of any tax due or determined to be due in the following cases:
(1) 
Where no declaration or return was filed by any person, although a declaration or return was required to be filed by him under provisions of this article, there shall be no limitation.
(2) 
Where an examination of the declaration or return filed by any person or of other evidence relating to such declaration or return in the possession of the officer reveals a fraudulent evasion of taxes, there shall be no limitation.
(3) 
In the case of substantial understatement of tax liability of 25% or more and no fraud, suit shall begin within six years.
(4) 
Where any person has deducted taxes under the provisions of this article and has failed to pay the amounts so deducted to the officer or where any person has willfully failed or omitted to make the deductions required by this section, there shall be no limitation.
(5) 
This section shall not be construed to limit the Township from recovering delinquent taxes by any other means provided by law.
C. 
The officer may sue for recovery of an erroneous refund, provided such suit is begun two years after making such refund, except that the suit may be brought within five years if it appears that any part of the refund was induced by fraud or misrepresentation of material fact.
If for any reason the tax is not paid when due, interest at the rate of 6% per annum on the amount of said tax and an additional penalty of 1 1/2% of the amount of the unpaid tax for each month or fraction thereof during which the tax remains unpaid shall be added and collected. Where suit is brought for the recovery of any such tax, the person liable therefor shall, in addition, be liable for the costs of collection and the interest and penalties herein imposed.
A. 
Any person who fails, neglects or refuses to make any declaration or return required by this article; any employer who fails, neglects or refuses to deduct or withhold the tax from his employees; any person who refuses to permit the officer or any agent designated by him to examine his books, records, and papers; and any person who knowingly makes any incomplete, false or fraudulent return, or attempts to do anything whatsoever to avoid the full disclosure of the amount of his net profits or earned income in order to avoid the payment of the whole or any part of the tax imposed by this article shall, upon conviction thereof before any magisterial district judge or court of competent jurisdiction in the county, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $500 for each offense and costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to be imprisoned for a period not exceeding 30 days. Each violation shall constitute a separate offense, punishable by a like fine or imprisonment for each day of continued violation.
B. 
Any person who divulges any information which is confidential under the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction therefor before any magisterial district judge or court of competent jurisdiction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $500 for each offense and costs and, in default of payment of said fines and costs, to be imprisoned for a period not exceeding 30 days.
C. 
The penalties imposed under this section shall be in addition to any other penalty imposed by any other section of this article.
D. 
The failure of any person to receive or procure forms required for making the declaration or returns required by this article shall not excuse him from making such declaration or return.
A. 
Tax credits resulting from overpayment by a taxpayer may only be utilized after all then due tax returns have been filed with the Earned Income Tax Office. Failure to file a completed tax return as required will prevent the utilization of any accrued credits.
B. 
Taxpayers may not use payments of Philadelphia city wage tax as a credit against earned income tax owed on qualified wages earned outside the City of Philadelphia by a spouse, whether or not reported on a joint return.
Each taxpayer contacted by the Earned Income Tax Office regarding the assessment, audit, determination, review or collection of earned income tax shall receive a notice containing the following information:
"You are entitled to receive a written explanation of your rights with regard to the audit, appeal, enforcement, refund and collection of earned income/net profits tax by calling the Earned Income Tax Office at (telephone number) during the hours of (hours of operation)."
A. 
Any claim for a refund or use as a credit of the overpayment of the tax imposed by this article must be made in writing within three years of the due date for filing the tax return or one year after the actual payment of the tax, whichever is later.
B. 
No refund or credit will be issued to a taxpayer unless all then currently due tax returns required under this article have been filed. The Earned Income Tax Office shall notify the taxpayer in writing if there are any outstanding returns required to be filed before the issuance of a credit or refund. Said return must be filed before the expiration of time for requesting a refund or credit as set forth in Subsection A above or within 30 days of the notice from the tax officer if the above-referenced limitations expired after the request for refund or credit was received.
C. 
A refund or credit accrued as a result of overpayment of earned income tax may be applied as a credit for payment of tax due only under this article.
D. 
A taxpayer may appeal the denial of any request for refund or credit to the Earned Income Tax Review Board in accordance with Article VIII of this chapter.
A taxpayer may appeal any determination of the Tax Office, including an assessment, determination of underpayment, denial of refund or credit to the Earned Income Tax Review Board as set forth in Article VIII of this chapter.
The Earned Income Tax Office may enter into an installment payment agreement under which a taxpayer will satisfy an existing tax liability over a period of payments over time if, in the tax officer's professional opinion, such an agreement will facilitate the collection of the tax outstanding. The duration and amount of the payment and other terms and conditions shall be at the discretion of the Earned Income Tax Office.