Wisconsin Code § 71.09

Payment of estimated taxes
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(1) DEFINITIONS. In
this section:
(a) “Farmers or fishers” are individuals, estates or trusts
whose estimated gross income from farming or fishing for the
taxable year is at least two-thirds of the total estimated gross income from all sources for the taxable year or individuals, estates
or trusts whose gross income from farming or fishing for the preceding taxable year was at least two-thirds of the total gross income from all sources shown on that return. If a person files a
joint return, the income of both that person and that person’s
spouse shall be considered in determining whether the person is a
farmer or fisher.
(am) “Return” means a return that would show the tax properly due.
(b) “Tax shown on the return” and “tax for the taxable year”
mean the net tax imposed under s. 71.02 after reduction for exemptions to, and credits against, that tax but before reduction by
amounts withheld under subch. X and before reduction for
amounts paid as estimated tax under this section for that tax plus
the surcharge imposed under s. 77.93 before reduction for
amounts paid as estimated tax under this section for that
surcharge.
(2) WHO SHALL PAY. Every individual, estate and trust deriving income subject to taxation under this chapter, other than
wages as defined in s. 71.63 (6) upon which taxes are withheld by
the individual’s employer under subch. X, shall pay estimated income tax and the surcharge under s. 77.93. This section does not
apply to any person on active duty with the U.S. armed forces
while stationed outside the continental United States. This section does not apply to any taxable year ending before the date 2
years after the date of a decedent’s death with respect to the estate
of such decedent or any trust all of which is treated under subpart
E of part I of subchapter J of chapter 1 of the internal revenue
code as owned by the decedent and to which the residue of the
decedent’s estate will pass under his or her will. This section
does not apply to any trust that is subject to tax under this chapter
on unrelated business taxable income as defined under section
512 of the internal revenue code. Those trusts are subject to estimated tax payments under s. 71.29.
(3) FARMERS OR FISHERS. Payments of estimated income tax
required by sub. (2) from farmers or fishers may be made at any
time on or before the 15th day of the first month of the succeeding taxable year.
(4) FARMERS OR FISHERS EXCEPTION. Except as provided in
sub. (1) (am), if on or before the first day of the 3rd month of the
succeeding taxable year a farmer or a fisher files a return for the
taxable year, for which estimated taxes were required on or before
the 15th day of the first month of the succeeding taxable year under sub. (3), and pays in full the amount computed on the return
as payable, then that payment satisfies any required estimated tax
installments.
(5) AMOUNT. The amount of the estimated income tax shall
be the total estimated tax, including surtaxes, if any, reduced by
the amount, if any, the individual, estate or trust determines will
be withheld from wages pursuant to subch. X.
(7) REFUND CARRY-FORWARD. If the taxpayer claims a refund on any tax return and, concurrent with or subsequent to the
filing of the return upon which such refund is claimed, is required
to pay an estimated tax, and at the time of paying that tax the refund has not been paid, he or she may deduct the amount of such
refund from the first installment of estimated taxes, and any excess from the succeeding installments. If a refund is paid after
the due date of the last installment, its receipt shall be reflected
on the income tax return covering the year. If the refund is disallowed in whole or in part after the due date of the last installment,
that disallowance must be reflected on the income tax return covering the year.
(8) PREPAYMENTS. Any installment of the estimated tax under this section may be paid prior to the date prescribed for its
payment.
(9) SHORT YEAR. Application of this section to taxable years
of less than 12 full months shall be made pursuant to rules of the
department.
(10) OVERPAYMENT. When the amount of an installment
payment of estimated tax exceeds the amount determined to be
the correct amount of such installment payment, the overpayment
shall be credited against the unpaid installment, if any.
(11) EXCEPTIONS TO INTEREST. No interest is required under
s. 71.84 (1) if any of the following conditions apply:
(a) The tax shown on the return or, if no return is filed, the
tax, minus amounts withheld under subch. X, is less than $500.
(b) The preceding taxable year was 12 months, the taxpayer
had no liability under s. 71.02 for that year and the taxpayer was
a resident of this state for all of that year.
(c) The secretary of revenue determines that because of casualty, disaster or other unusual circumstances it is not equitable to
impose interest.
(d) The secretary of revenue determines that the taxpayer retired during the taxable year or during the preceding taxable year
after having attained age 62 or becoming disabled except that this
paragraph does not apply upon a showing by the department under s. 73.16 (4).
(e) For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2008, the
taxpayer qualifies for a federal extension of time to file under 26
USC 7508A due to a presidentially declared disaster or terroristic
or military action.
(12) INSTALLMENT DUE DATES. Taxpayers shall make estimated payments in 4 installments, on or before the 15th day of
each of the following months:
(a) The 4th month of the taxable year.
(b) The 6th month of the taxable year.
(c) The 9th month of the taxable year.
(d) The first month of the next taxable year.
(13) INSTALLMENT AMOUNTS. (a) Except as provided in
pars. (b), (c) and (d), the amount of each installment required under sub. (12) is 25 percent of the lower of the following amounts:
1. Ninety percent of the tax shown on the return for the taxable year or, if no return is filed, 90 percent of the tax for the taxable year.
2. The tax shown on the return for the preceding year. If a
husband and wife who filed separate returns for the preceding
taxable year file a joint return, the tax shown on the return for the
preceding year is the sum of the taxes shown on the separate returns of the husband and wife. If a husband and wife who filed a
joint return for the preceding taxable year file separate returns,
the tax shown on the return for the preceding year is the husband’s or wife’s proportion of that tax based on what their respective tax liabilities for that year would have been had they filed
separately.
(b) Paragraph (a) 2. does not apply if the preceding taxable
year was less than 12 months or if the taxpayer did not file a return for the preceding taxable year.
(c) Paragraph (a) 2. does not apply if the taxpayer is an estate
or trust and has a taxable income of $20,000 or more.
(d) If 22.5 percent for the first installment, 45 percent for the
2nd installment, 67.5 percent for the 3rd installment and 90 percent for the 4th installment of the tax for the taxable year computed by annualizing, under methods prescribed by the depart-

ment of revenue, the taxpayer’s income for the months in the taxable year ending before the installment’s due date is less than the
installment required under par. (a), the taxpayer may pay the
amount under this paragraph rather than the amount under par.
(a). Any taxpayer who pays an amount calculated under this
paragraph shall increase the next installment computed under par.
(a) by an amount equal to the difference between the amount paid
under this paragraph and the amount that would have been paid
under par. (a). The income of any estate or trust for the months in
the taxable year ending before the date one month before the due
date for the installment shall be annualized in calculating the installments under this paragraph.
(14) EXCEPTION TO FINAL INSTALLMENT. If a taxpayer files a
return for a calendar year on or before January 31 of the succeeding calendar year (or if a taxpayer on a fiscal year basis files a return on or before the last day of the first month immediately succeeding the close of such fiscal year) and pays in full at the time
of such filing the amount computed on the return as payable,
then, if estimated taxes are not required to be paid on or before
the 15th day of the 9th month of the taxable year but are required
to be paid on or before January 15 of the succeeding taxable year
(or the date corresponding thereto in the case of a fiscal year),
such return shall be considered as such payment.
(15) EXEMPTION FROM WITHHOLDING. (a) Any individual
deriving income from wages, as defined in s. 71.63 (6), which is
subject to taxation under this chapter who pays 100 percent of the
estimated tax for the following calendar or taxable year on or before the last day of the current calendar or taxable year is entitled
to complete exemption from payroll withholding under subch. X
for such following calendar or taxable year.
(b) No employer shall recognize exemption from payroll withholding for any employee who does not furnish a certificate prepared by the department of revenue satisfactorily showing that the
employee has paid the estimated tax within the time and manner
prescribed in this subsection with respect to the calendar or taxable year for which such exemption is sought.
(c) So far as applicable the additions to tax prescribed in this
section shall apply to estimated taxes paid under this subsection.
(d) No employer shall force or attempt to coerce an employee
into estimating and prepaying his or her income taxes. The
penalty under s. 71.83 (2) (a) 4. applies to any employer who violates this paragraph.
(16) JOINT PAYMENTS. Married persons may jointly pay estimated taxes unless either spouse is a nonresident alien or the
spouses have different taxable years. If they do pay jointly, the
provisions under this section applicable to individuals are applicable to the married persons jointly. If a married person files a
separate return for a taxable year for which a joint payment was
made, the payments may be allocated between themselves as they
choose, but if they do not agree on an allocation the department
of revenue shall allocate the payments to each spouse on the basis
of the ratio of taxes shown on their separate returns or pursuant to
default assessment under s. 71.74 (3). If either spouse pays separately, no part of the payment may be allocated to the other
spouse.

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