Revenue Publishes List of Top Delinquent Taxpayers

Today, Division of Revenue Director Patrick Carter has announced the next posting of Delaware’s top 100 delinquent individual and business taxpayers on the state’s Delinquent Taxpayers website. The website posts the names of people and businesses who owe unpaid taxes to the state for public view.

“Posting these lists puts pressure on those in violation,” said Carter, “Anyone with access to the Internet can view the name, address, and amount of tax owed by some of our most chronic delinquent taxpayers, helping Delaware recoup outstanding balances with minimal expense.” Larger balances are targeted first for publication, and each quarter the next 100 consecutive business tax and 100 consecutive personal unresolved tax balances over $1,000 are posted to the site. Delinquent taxpayers can avoid appearing on the list by paying their balance in full or making payment arrangements.

In order to meet the criteria for having your name posted to the Delaware Delinquent Taxpayers site, individuals and businesses must have already received a judgment for unpaid taxes. They are then notified by mail that their names may be posted online, and given 60 days to respond. Delaware is one of over 20 states and the District of Columbia to publish delinquent taxpayers’ names online.

The names of those who enter into a payment agreement with the Division of Revenue or pay their balance in full are either not published or will be removed from the Delinquent Taxpayers list, depending on when the agreement takes place. Taxpayers who have filed for bankruptcy protection or who have incurred a liability that is being appealed are excluded from the published list until their case has been resolved.

Since its inception in February 2007, the Delinquent Taxpayers webpage has collected in excess of $12.5 million in back taxes from those whose names were published, or who were advised that they qualified to have their names published online.

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Leslie A. Poland
Public Information Officer
Delaware Department of Finance
(302) 577-8522
leslie.poland@delaware.gov