The legislature recognizes that in adopting a graduated tax rate structure providing for increased tax rates for sales of highly valued property, while also exempting certain types of property from the increased tax rates, some taxpayers will attempt to avoid or reduce the tax imposed in this chapter by structuring transactions in a way that serves no meaningful purpose other than to reduce tax due under this chapter.
(1)(a) When necessary to deny the tax benefit that would otherwise accrue from engaging in one or more related transactions designed to avoid tax under this chapter, the department is authorized to disregard the form of the transaction or series of transactions and determine the proper tax treatment under this chapter based on the substance of the transaction or transactions. In exercising this authority, the department may consider the factors described in RCW
82.32.655(2) (a), (b), (c), and (f).
(b) The authority provided in this subsection includes, but is not limited to, treating multiple sales as a single sale as necessary to prevent the parties from reducing the tax liability under this chapter when it appears that the parties have engaged in a concerted plan intended from the outset to achieve a reduced effective tax rate than had the parties collapsed the separate sales into a single sale at the outset.
(2) The department is encouraged to provide guidance to the public concerning the department's implementation of this section, whether by rule or otherwise.