Division of Income, Sales and Excise Tax

Division Administrator: Diane L. Hardt
Telephone: (608) 266-6798
FAX: (608) 261-6240

Deputy Administrator: Vicki Gibbons
Telephone: (608) 266-3612

The Division of Income, Sales and Excise Tax (IS&E) administers individual income, employee withholding, corporate franchise/income, state and county sales/use, estate, excise, recycling and other tax programs. It also administers the homestead, farmland preservation, earned income and other tax credit programs. The division's mission is to promote voluntary tax compliance, identify and address noncompliance, provide excellent service, and promote fairness and equity in tax administration. The division has approximately 650 permanent employees.

Administration

Includes the Technical Services Section and the Criminal Investigation Section, including Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement.

Technical Services Section -- directs Division legislative and rule-making activities, coordinates the administration of state tax programs, develops tax forms, publications and administrative rules, leads implementation of law changes, and provides rulings on tax issues.

Criminal Investigation Section -- conducts criminal investigations of individuals suspected of violating Wisconsin tax laws and assists in the prosecution of the offenders. Responsible for enforcing Wisconsin's alcohol and tobacco laws.

Audit Bureau

Audits income, sales, withholding, motor vehicle fuel and other excise tax returns, and homestead, earned income and farmland preservation credit claims. The bureau encourages taxpayer compliance through office and field audits that may result in assessments and refunds as appropriate. The bureau provides taxpayer information and assistance.

Compliance Bureau

Collects all delinquent taxes and collects debts for state agencies, counties and municipalities through refund interception. With the Audit Bureau, it provides taxpayer information and assistance.

Customer Service Bureau

Provides accurate and understandable information by responding to taxpayer inquiries, proactively educating customers about the Department's programs and ensuring that Department forms and publications are well-designed and customer friendly.

Tax Operations Bureau

Annually processes over 7 million individual and business tax returns and documents while collecting over $9 billion in Wisconsin tax revenues. Issues over 2.3 million refunds totaling almost $2 billion and additional tax assessments exceeding $60 million each year.

Division of Income, Sales and Excise Tax
Wisconsin Department of Revenue
P.O. Box 8933 Mail Stop 6-40
Madison, WI 53708-8933
Telephone: (608) 266-2772 -- FAX: (608) 261-6240

Last updated April 22, 2013