Ariz. Admin. Code § R15-5-2011 - Bad Debts

A. The deduction of a bad debt shall be allowed from gross receipts if the following conditions apply:

1. The gross receipts from the transaction on which the bad debt deduction is being taken have been reported as taxable;

2. The debt arose from a debtor-creditor relationship based upon a valid and enforceable obligation to pay a fixed or determinable sum of money; and

3. All or part of the debt is worthless.

B. A debt shall be considered worthless if:

1. The surrounding circumstances indicate that the debt is uncollectible; and

2. Legal action to enforce payment has not or, in all probability, would not result in the satisfaction of the debt.

C. The bad debt deduction shall be computed by subtracting the amounts received on the debt from the amount originally reported as taxable. The portion of the amounts received on the debt representing carrying charges, interest, and repossession expenses, which have not been reported as taxable, shall not be allowed as a bad debt deduction.

D. A bad debt deduction shall be taken in the month in which the conditions of subsection (A) apply.

E. A bad debt deduction shall be allowed, pursuant to the provisions in this rule, on conditional or installment sales if:

1. The tax liability is paid on the full sales price of the tangible personal property at the time of the sale; or

2. A contract or other financial obligation is sold to a third party as a sale with recourse and principal payments are made by the vendor to the third party, pursuant to the default of the original payor. Such principal payments may be taken as a bad debt deduction if the tax was paid by the vendor on the original sale of the tangible personal property or on the subsequent sale of the financing contract.

3. For purposes of the bad debt deduction in situations of default on conditional or installment sales, a "sale with recourse" means that a vendor sells a contract or other financial obligation to a third party but retains liability for payment upon default of the original payor.

F. Any recovery of a bad debt subsequent to a bad debt deduction shall be reported as taxable gross receipts when received.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R15-5-2011

Renumbered from Section R15-5-1813 and amended effective October 14, 1993 (Supp. 93-4). Corrected misspelling in subsection (E)(3) from "retails" to "retains" (Supp. 94-2).