Hawaii Relieves Non-Profit "Responsible Persons" From General Excise Tax Liability

by Richard Paul McClellan III, JDSupra (excerpt)

Hawaii reversed course on "responsible person" liability for unpaid general excise tax liabilities for "responsible persons" affiliated with non-profit entities, via Act 219 of 2012.

Non-profit personnel responsible for accounting for gross proceeds, filing and paying over general excise taxes are no longer personally liable for unpaid general excise taxes. A window of liability may remain open in certain circumstances from July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2012.

"Responsible Persons" for other than non-profit entities remain potentially liable for unpaid General Excise Taxes plus penalties and interest thereon. Persons with control over gross receipts, or responsible for filing general excise tax returns and paying the general excise tax, cannot rely upon the corporate shield to insulate them from an inquiry into their actions related to the non-payment and a potential personal assessment by the State of Hawaii Department of Taxation.

read … Relief for Profitable Non-Profit Tax Cheats