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Skip to main content Quick search by citation: 26 U.S. Code § 6721 - Failure to file correct information returns (a) Imposition of penalty (1) In generalIn the case of a failure described in paragraph (2) by any person with respect to an information return, such person shall pay a penalty of $250 for each return with respect to which such a failure occurs, but the total amount imposed on such person for all such failures during any calendar year shall not exceed $3,000,000.
(2) Failures subject to penaltyFor purposes of paragraph (1), the failures described in this paragraph are— (B)any failure to include all of the information required to be shown on the return or the inclusion of incorrect information.
(b) Reduction where correction in specified period (1) Correction within 30 daysIf any failure described in subsection (a)(2) is corrected on or before the day 30 days after the required filing date— (A)the penalty imposed by subsection (a) shall be $50 in lieu of $250, and
(B)the total amount imposed on the
personfor all such failures during any calendar year which are so corrected shall not exceed $500,000.
(2) Failures corrected on or before August 1If any failure described in subsection (a)(2) is corrected after the 30th day referred to in paragraph (1) but on or before August 1 of the calendar year in which the required filing date occurs— (A)the penalty imposed by subsection (a) shall be $100 in lieu of $250, and
(B)the total amount imposed on the
personfor all such failures during the calendar year which are so corrected shall not exceed $1,500,000.
(c) Exceptions for certain de minimis failures (1) Exception for de minimis failure to include all required informationIf— (B)there is a failure described in subsection (a)(2)(B) (determined after the application of
section 6724(a)) with respect to such return, and
(C)such failure is corrected on or before August 1 of the calendar year in which the
required filing dateoccurs,
for purposes of this section, such return shall be treated as having been filed with all of the correct required information.
(2) LimitationThe number of information returns to which paragraph (1) applies for any calendar year shall not exceed the greater of— (B)one-half of 1 percent of the total number of
information returnsrequired to be filed by the
personduring the calendar year.
(3) Safe harbor for certain de minimis errors (A) In generalIf, with respect to an information return filed with the Secretary— (i)there are 1 or more failures described in subsection (a)(2)(B) relating to an incorrect dollar amount,
(ii)no single amount in error differs from the correct amount by more than $100, and
(iii)no single amount reported for tax withheld on the
information returndiffers from the correct amount by more than $25,
then no correction shall be required and, for purposes of this section, such return shall be treated as having been filed with all of the correct required information.
(B) ExceptionSubparagraph (A) shall not apply with respect to any incorrect dollar amount to the extent that such error relates to an amount with respect to which an election is made under section 6722(c)(3)(B).
(C) Regulatory authorityThe Secretary may issue regulations to prevent the abuse of the safe harbor under this paragraph, including regulations providing that this paragraph shall not apply to the extent necessary to prevent any such abuse.
(d) Lower limitations for persons with gross receipts of not more than $5,000,000 (1) In generalIf any person meets the gross receipts test of paragraph (2) with respect to any calendar year, with respect to failures during such calendar year— (A)subsection (a)(1) shall be applied by substituting “$1,000,000” for “$3,000,000”,
(B)subsection (b)(1)(B) shall be applied by substituting “$175,000” for “$500,000”, and
(C)subsection (b)(2)(B) shall be applied by substituting “$500,000” for “$1,500,000”.
(2) Gross receipts test (A) In generalA person meets the gross receipts test of this paragraph for any calendar year if the average annual gross receipts of such person for the most recent 3 taxable years ending before such calendar year do not exceed $5,000,000.
(B) Certain rules made applicableFor purposes of subparagraph (A), the rules of paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 448(c) shall apply.
(e) Penalty in case of intentional disregardIf 1 or more failures described in subsection (a)(2) are due to intentional disregard of the filing requirement (or the correct information reporting requirement), then, with respect to each such failure— (1)subsections (b), (c), and (d) shall not apply,
(2) the penalty imposed under subsection (a) shall be $500, or, if greater— (A)in the case of a return other than a return required under section 6045(a), 6041A(b), 6050H, 6050I, 6050J, 6050K, or 6050L, 10 percent of the aggregate amount of the items required to be reported correctly,
(B)in the case of a return required to be filed by section 6045(a), 6050K, or 6050L, 5 percent of the aggregate amount of the items required to be reported correctly,
(C) in the case of a return required to be filed under section 6050I(a) with respect to any transaction (or related transactions), the greater of— (ii)the amount of cash (within the meaning of
section 6050I(d)) received in such transaction (or related transactions) to the extent the amount of such cash does not exceed $100,000, or
(D)in the case of a return required to be filed under section 6050V, 10 percent of the value of the benefit of any contract with respect to which information is required to be included on the return, and
(3) in the case of any penalty determined under paragraph (2)— (A)the $3,000,000 limitation under subsection (a) shall not apply, and
(B)such penalty shall not be taken into account in applying such limitation (or any similar limitation under subsection (b)) to penalties not determined under paragraph (2).
(f) Adjustment for inflation (1) In generalIn the case of any failure relating to a return required to be filed in a calendar year beginning after 2014, each of the dollar amounts under subsections (a), (b), (d) (other than paragraph (2)(A) thereof), and (e) shall be increased by an amount equal to such dollar amount multiplied by the cost-of-living adjustment determined under section 1(f)(3) for the calendar year determined by substituting “calendar year 2011” for “calendar year 2016” in subparagraph (A)(ii) thereof.
(2) RoundingIf any amount adjusted under paragraph (1)— (A)is not less than $75,000 and is not a multiple of $500, such amount shall be rounded to the next lowest multiple of $500, and
(B)is not described in subparagraph (A) and is not a multiple of $10, such amount shall be rounded to the next lowest multiple of $10.
(Added
Pub. L. 99–514, title XV, § 1501(a),
Oct. 22, 1986,
100 Stat. 2732; amended
Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, § 7601(a)(2)(A),
Nov. 18, 1988,
102 Stat. 4503;
Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, § 7711(a),
Dec. 19, 1989,
103 Stat. 2388;
Pub. L. 101–508, title XI, § 11318(b),
Nov. 5, 1990,
104 Stat. 1388–459;
Pub. L. 109–280, title XII, § 1211(b)(2),
Aug. 17, 2006,
120 Stat. 1073;
Pub. L. 111–240, title II, § 2102(a)–(f),
Sept. 27, 2010,
124 Stat. 2561, 2562;
Pub. L. 113–295, div. B, title II, § 208(f),
Dec. 19, 2014,
128 Stat. 4074;
Pub. L. 114–27, title VIII, § 806(a)–(d),
June 29, 2015,
129 Stat. 416, 417;
Pub. L. 114–113, div. Q, title II, § 202(a), (d),
Dec. 18, 2015,
129 Stat. 3076, 3077;
Pub. L. 115–97, title I, § 11002(d)(1)(PP),
Dec. 22, 2017,
131 Stat. 2061;
Pub. L. 115–141, div. U, title I, § 101(f)(2), title IV, § 401(a)(299)(F),
Mar. 23, 2018,
132 Stat. 1161, 1198.)
Inflation Adjusted Items for Certain YearsFor inflation adjustment of certain items in this section, see Revenue Procedures listed in a table under section 1 of this title.
Editorial Notes
Amendments2018—Subsec. (c)(3)(A)(iii). Pub. L. 115–141, § 101(f)(2), substituted “the information return” for “any information return”.
Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 115–141, § 401(a)(299)(F), inserted “an amount equal to” after “increased by” and “for the calendar year” after “section 1(f)(3)”.
2017—Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 115–97 substituted “for ‘calendar year 2016’ in subparagraph (A)(ii)” for “for ‘calendar year 1992’ in subparagraph (B)”.
2015—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 114–27, § 806(a), substituted “$250” for “$100” and “$3,000,000” for “$1,500,000”.
Subsec. (b)(1)(A). Pub. L. 114–27, § 806(b)(1)(A), (B), substituted “$50” for “$30” and “$250” for “$100”.
Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 114–27, § 806(b)(1)(C), substituted “$500,000” for “$250,000”.
Subsec. (b)(2)(A). Pub. L. 114–27, § 806(b)(2)(A), (B), substituted “$100” for “$60” and “$250” for “$100”.
Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 114–27, § 806(b)(2)(C), substituted “$1,500,000” for “$500,000”.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 114–113, § 202(d)(1), substituted “Exceptions for certain de minimis failures” for “Exception for de minimis failures to include all required information” in heading.
Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 114–113, § 202(d)(2), substituted “Exception for de minimis failure to include all required information” for “In general” in heading.
Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 114–113, § 202(a), added par. (3).
Subsec. (d)(1)(A). Pub. L. 114–27, § 806(c)(1), substituted “$1,000,000” for “$500,000” and “$3,000,000” for “$1,500,000”.
Subsec. (d)(1)(B). Pub. L. 114–27, § 806(c)(2), substituted “$175,000” for “$75,000” and “$500,000” for “$250,000”.
Subsec. (d)(1)(C). Pub. L. 114–27, § 806(c)(3), substituted “$500,000” for “$200,000” and “$1,500,000” for “$500,000”.
Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 114–27, § 806(d)(1), substituted “$500” for “$250”.
Subsec. (e)(3)(A). Pub. L. 114–27, § 806(d)(2), substituted “$3,000,000” for “$1,500,000”.
2014—Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 113–295 substituted “In the case of any failure relating to a return required to be filed in a calendar year beginning after 2014” for “For each fifth calendar year beginning after 2012”.
2010—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 111–240, § 2102(a), substituted “$100” for “$50” and “$1,500,000” for “$250,000”.
Subsec. (b)(1)(A). Pub. L. 111–240, § 2102(a)(1), (b)(1), substituted “$30” for “$15” and “$100” for “$50”.
Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 111–240, § 2102(b)(2), substituted “$250,000” for “$75,000”.
Subsec. (b)(2)(A). Pub. L. 111–240, § 2102(a)(1), (c)(1), substituted “$60” for “$30” and “$100” for “$50”.
Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 111–240, § 2102(c)(2), substituted “$500,000” for “$150,000”.
Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 111–240, § 2102(d)(2), substituted “such calendar year” for “such taxable year” in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (d)(1)(A). Pub. L. 111–240, § 2102(a)(2), (d)(1)(A), substituted “$500,000” for “$100,000” and “$1,500,000” for “$250,000”.
Subsec. (d)(1)(B). Pub. L. 111–240, § 2102(b)(2), (d)(1)(B), substituted “$75,000” for “$25,000” and “$250,000” for “$75,000”.
Subsec. (d)(1)(C). Pub. L. 111–240, § 2102(c)(2), (d)(1)(C), substituted “$200,000” for “$50,000” and “$500,000” for “$150,000”.
Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 111–240, § 2102(e), substituted “$250” for “$100” in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (e)(3)(A). Pub. L. 111–240, § 2102(a)(2), substituted “$1,500,000” for “$250,000”.
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 111–240, § 2102(f), added subsec. (f).
2006—Subsec. (e)(2)(D). Pub. L. 109–280, which directed the addition of subpar. (D) to section 6721(e)(2), without specifying the act to be amended, was executed by making the addition to subsec. (e)(2) of this section, which is section 6721 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
1990—Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 101–508 inserted “6050I,” after “6050H,” and struck out “or” at end of subpar. (A), substituted “or” for “and” at end of subpar. (B), and added subpar. (C).
1989—Pub. L. 101–239 substituted “correct” for “certain” in section catchline and amended text generally, substituting subsecs. (a) to (e) for former subsec. (a) stating general rule and subsec. (b) relating to penalty in case of intentional disregard.
1988—Subsec. (b)(1)(A). Pub. L. 100–690 inserted “(or, if greater, in the case of a return filed under section 6050I, 10 percent of the taxable income derived from the transaction)” after “reported”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2015 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 114–113 applicable to returns required to be filed, and payee statements required to be provided, after Dec. 31, 2016, see section 202(e) of Pub. L. 114–113, set out as a note under section 6045 of this title.
Pub. L. 114–27, title VIII, § 806(f), June 29, 2015, 129 Stat. 418, provided that:
“The amendments made by this section [amending this section and
section 6722 of this title] shall apply with respect to returns and statements required to be filed after
December 31, 2015.”
Effective Date of 2010 AmendmentPub. L. 111–240, title II, § 2102(h), Sept. 27, 2010, 124 Stat. 2564, as amended by Pub. L. 113–295, div. A, title II, § 207(a)(1), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 4027, provided that:
“The amendments made by this section [amending this section and
section 6722 of this title] shall apply with respect to
information returnsrequired to be filed, and
payee statementsrequired to be furnished, on or after
January 1, 2011.”
Effective Date of 1989 AmendmentPub. L. 101–239, title VII, § 7711(c), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2393, provided that:
“The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections
6722to
6724and
7205of this title and repealing sections
6017A,
6676, and
6687of this title] shall apply to returns and statements the due date for which (determined without regard to extensions) is after
December 31, 1989.”
Effective DatePub. L. 99–514, title XV, § 1501(e), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2741, provided that:
“The amendments made by this section [enacting this section and sections
6722to
6724of this title, amending sections
219,
6031,
6033to
6034A,
6041,
6042to
6045,
6047,
6049,
6050Ato
6050C,
6050Eto
6050I,
6050K,
6052,
6057,
6058,
6652, and
6676of this title, and repealing
section 6678 of this title] shall apply to returns the due date for which (determined without regard to extensions) is after
December 31, 1986, except that the amendments made by subsections (c)(2), (c)(3), and (c)(5) [amending sections
6042,
6044, and
6049of this title] shall apply to returns the due [date] for which (determined without regard to extensions) is after the date of the enactment of this Act [
Oct. 22, 1986].”
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