Massachusetts General Laws (Tax)

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 62C, § 3A

Disallowance of sham transactions and related doctrines; burden on taxpayer to show business purpose and economic substance commensurate with claimed tax benefit

Official textmalegislature.gov

Section 3A. In applying the laws referred to in section 2, the commissioner may, in his discretion, disallow the asserted tax consequences of a transaction by asserting the application of the sham transaction doctrine or any other related tax doctrine, in which case the taxpayer shall have the burden of demonstrating by clear and convincing evidence as determined by the commissioner that the transaction possessed both: (i) a valid, good-faith business purpose other than tax avoidance; and (ii) economic substance apart from the asserted tax benefit. In all such cases, the taxpayer shall also have the burden of demonstrating by clear and convincing evidence as determined by the commissioner that the asserted nontax business purpose is commensurate with the tax benefit claimed. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or negate the commissioner's authority to make tax adjustments as otherwise permitted by law.

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In this chapter (40 sections)
  1. 62C-1 · Definitions
  2. 62C-2 · Application of chapter
  3. 62C-3 · Administration by commissioner; forms; regulations and rulings;…
  4. 62C-3A · Disallowance of sham transactions and related doctrines;…
  5. 62C-4 · Forms; provisions respecting fractional parts of a dollar;…
  6. 62C-5 · Returns; filing; declaration covering perjury; improper filings
  7. 62C-5A · Non-custodial parents; indication of status on income tax…
  8. 62C-6 · Persons required to make returns; fiduciaries; time for making
  9. 62C-7 · Partnerships required to file returns
  10. 62C-8 · Annual reports by entities doing business in the state; trustee…
  11. 62C-8A · Show promoters; reports; records
  12. 62C-8B · Employment-sponsored health plans; annual statements for…
  13. 62C-9 · Failure to file returns required by Sec. 6 or Sec. 7; petition…
  14. 62C-10 · Withholding tax returns; payment
  15. 62C-11 · Corporate returns
  16. 62C-11A · Filing by means of combined report; principal reporting…
  17. 62C-12 · Banks, insurance companies and certain other corporations;…
  18. 62C-12A · Repealed, 1992, 402, Sec. 2
  19. 62C-13 · Tangible personal property; reports by organizations filing…
  20. 62C-14 · Report of gross receipts by taxpayers subject to chapter 63A;…
  21. 62C-15 · Signing of returns required by Secs. 11 to 14
  22. 62C-16 · Filing of returns by taxpayers subject to chapters 64A and…
  23. 62C-16A · Repealed, 1982, 352, Sec. 3
  24. 62C-16B · Payment of taxes; penalty for underpayment; issuance of…
  25. 62C-17 · Return by executor
  26. 62C-18 · Beano, raffle, or bazaar; organizations required to file…
  27. 62C-19 · Extension of time for filing return
  28. 62C-20 · Inspection of returns, books, accounts and other records in…
  29. 62C-21 · Disclosure of tax information
  30. 62C-21A · Repealed, 1992, 402, Sec. 4
  31. 62C-21B · Unauthorized willful inspection of information contained in…
  32. 62C-22 · Inspection or use of returns or other information by…
  33. 62C-23 · Participation of commissioner with governmental officers or…
  34. 62C-24 · Verification of returns; inspection of stampers
  35. 62C-24A · Income reporting by member or indirect owner of pass-through…
  36. 62C-25 · Records to be kept by taxpayers subject to chapters 64A and…
  37. 62C-26 · Assessment of taxes
  38. 62C-27 · Extension of time for assessment
  39. 62C-28 · Failure to file or filing of incorrect return; determination…
  40. 62C-29 · Collection of tax jeopardized by delay; immediate assessment
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