Michigan Manufacturers: Essential Services Assessment (ESA) Certification and Payment is Due August 15, 2018

Eligible Manufacturing Personal Property (EMPP) claimants need to certify and pay the Essential Services Assessment (ESA) no later than August 15, 2018.

Essential Service Assessment ESA statements were released on the Michigan Treasury Online (MTO) website on May 1, 2018. If you are a first-year filer, a link to instructions f for setting up an account is provided below. Once you log onto MTO, you will be able to view your ESA statement, view correspondence from the Treasury, make changes to your statement, certify your statement, and pay your ESA liability. The link below will walk you through how to complete all of these steps.

• Certification and payment are due by August 15, 2018. There is a one percent late fee for each week that is overdue with a maximum of a five percent penalty.
• A statute provides a waiver of late payment penalty for first-year filers if the ESA statements and full payment are electronically submitted by September 15, 2018. ESA payments must be made electronically. Any checks mailed to the State will be refunded to the filer, and will not be applied to any ESA liability or penalty.
• If not paid by October 15, 2018, the Eligible Manufacturing Personal Property (EMPP) exemption will be rescinded for the following year, and the taxpayer will need to file Form 632, which could result in higher taxes.

Eligible claimants may amend a previously certified ESA statement through MTO by September 15, 2018. An amendment includes changes in acquisition costs reported and adding or removing a parcel. Any increase in ESA liability resulting from any amendment made to a certified ESA statement will be subject to the one percent per week late payment penalty.

Step-by-step instructions for viewing, certifying, and paying ESA on MTO as well as setting up an MTO profile are available at www.michigan.gov

If you need assistance, contact your Yeo & Yeo professional.