Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 62B, sec. 5 — MA Code / Part I / Title IX / Chapter 62B / Section 5
Statement to employee; requisite information; failure of employer to withhold or pay over withheld taxes; liability
Status: in_force

Section 5. Every employer required to deduct and withhold from an employee or payee a tax under section 2 or who would have been required under said section 2 in the case of an employee to deduct and withhold a tax if the employee had not claimed any personal exemption or dependency exemptions, shall furnish to each such employee or payee in respect of the wages or other payments paid by such employer to such employee or payee during the calendar year, on or before January 31 of the succeeding year, or, if an employee's employment is terminated before the close of such calendar year, within 30 days from the day on which the last payment of wages shall be made, a written statement in duplicate showing the name of the employer, the name of the employee or payee and the social security number of the employee or payee, if any, the total amount of wages or other amounts subject to taxation under chapter 62 and the total amount deducted and withheld as tax. The statement shall contain such other information as the commissioner may prescribe. The commissioner may grant reasonable extensions of time, not exceeding 60 days, for the furnishing of the statement. An employer who fails to withhold or pay to the commissioner any sum required by this chapter to be withheld or paid shall be personally and individually liable therefor to the commonwealth. The term ''employer,'' as used in this section and in section 11, shall include a person or entity required to withhold tax from a payee, an officer or employee of a corporation or a member or employee of a partnership or limited liability company who, as such officer, employee or member is under a duty to withhold and pay over taxes in accordance with this section and section 2. Any sum withheld in accordance with said section 2 shall be considered to be held in trust for the commonwealth. If an employer in violation of this chapter fails to withhold the tax in accordance with section 2 and thereafter the tax against which such tax may be credited pursuant to section 9 is paid, the tax so required to be withheld shall not be collected from the employer; provided, however, that this paragraph shall not relieve the employer from liability for any penalties or additions to the tax otherwise applicable in respect of such failure to withhold.

Section 5. Every employer required to deduct and withhold from an employee or payee a tax under section 2 or who would have been required under said section 2 in the case of an employee to deduct and withhold a tax if the employee had not claimed any personal exemption or dependency exemptions, shall furnish to each such employee or payee in respect of the wages or other payments paid by such employer to such employee or payee during the calendar year, on or before January 31 of the succeeding year, or, if an employee's employment is terminated before the close of such calendar year, within 30 days from the day on which the last payment of wages shall be made, a written statement in duplicate showing the name of the employer, the name of the employee or payee and the social security number of the employee or payee, if any, the total amount of wages or other amounts subject to taxation under chapter 62 and the total amount deducted and withheld as tax. The statement shall contain such other information as the commissioner may prescribe. The commissioner may grant reasonable extensions of time, not exceeding 60 days, for the furnishing of the statement.

An employer who fails to withhold or pay to the commissioner any sum required by this chapter to be withheld or paid shall be personally and individually liable therefor to the commonwealth. The term ''employer,'' as used in this section and in section 11, shall include a person or entity required to withhold tax from a payee, an officer or employee of a corporation or a member or employee of a partnership or limited liability company who, as such officer, employee or member is under a duty to withhold and pay over taxes in accordance with this section and section 2. Any sum withheld in accordance with said section 2 shall be considered to be held in trust for the commonwealth.

If an employer in violation of this chapter fails to withhold the tax in accordance with section 2 and thereafter the tax against which such tax may be credited pursuant to section 9 is paid, the tax so required to be withheld shall not be collected from the employer; provided, however, that this paragraph shall not relieve the employer from liability for any penalties or additions to the tax otherwise applicable in respect of such failure to withhold.