What is the statute of limitation on Calif state tax?

Answer 1

I've gotten mixed answers from the State of California itself.

One agent told me 20 years. Another told me that there is no statute of limitations, they can collect it indefinitely. Either way, its a long time. Not a perfect answer, but a start.

Usually 4 years from when a return is filed. If no return is filed, then it's indefinite.

Answer 2

Each type of tax, (there are zillions of different types, by different jurisdictions), which may be on some type of property or income or transaction generally, etc., all can change the answer.

In almost all cases, the initial amount of tax is almost unimportant after a while since your still accruing interest, penalty, etc., ...whats the SOL on it?

And most importantly, tax liens, generally, don't actually have an SOL. They end once they are paid. If on a property, that will be when the jurisdicition gets paid which may be (and frequently is) when they force the sale. However, I suspect you may be thinking about what the SOL is for assessment of a tax. A different thing from collecting, but still varies by all the things...which tax, where, how it is handled, what was filed, what wasn't filed, etc. And, almost all SOLs, especially those on income, only start to run once a return is filed....so if you never filed a return, the SOL is essentially forever. And most all governments (which frequently co-operate with each other), especially with consumer groups looking over their shoulder, will not send a check or pay anyone anything that owes them money...so if you ever expect to get anything from them...SS, a tax refund, etc., they will take that opportunity to get paid. Basically, if you ignore them they don't go away.