Bill Elkins, a 66-year-old man from Sacramento was recently hit with a $6,166.39 tax bill from the Franchise Tax Board involving a tax debt from 1995. The state says he never paid it. Mr. Elkins claims he did.
Unfortunately for Mr. Elkins, his bank records don’t go back that far to prove he ever made that payment and the CPA who prepared the return has passed away. While the IRS can collect on 10 year-old assessments, the Franchise Tax Board can collect on 20 year-old assessments.