The extended tax deadline for 2020 has passed, but there are still individuals who have not yet filed their taxes. Any human can make mistakes—including doctors.
Although doctors are held to a high standard, they are as fallible as anyone else. A doctor who fails to pay his or her taxes may face high penalties. They may even face the denial or revocation of their medical license.
What are the factors for license denial or suspension?
California has stringent regulations when it comes to taxes. Our state frequently inflicts harsh penalties as a means of cracking down on delinquent taxpayers. These penalties can involve fines and jail time, but professional license denial or suspension are also very real possibilities.
Per state law, the Medical Board of California must withhold or suspend the medical license of any medical professional who has outstanding tax obligations and meets these conditions:
- The individual owes taxes to the State Board of Equalization (BOE) or the Franchise Tax Board (FTB)
- The individual appears on either board’s list of top 500 tax delinquents and also has tax obligations over $100,000
- The individual fails to pay their outstanding taxes or develop a repayment plan within 90 days of receiving their notice of suspension
What’s more, the Medical Board will not refund any money that the license holder pays for their application or renewal of their license.
Doctors deserve a second chance
Any doctor can make a mistake or make an unwise decision when it comes to taxes. The unfortunate reality is that this can result in the loss of a hardworking doctor’s medical license. Everyone should have a second chance to remedy their delinquent taxes. This often necessitates the help of a license defense attorney. An attorney can help doctors resolve their outstanding debt, communicate with the Medical Board on the client’s behalf and help them protect or regain their medical license.
