Settlements and Judgments - Office of the Comptroller

Overview

A settlement or judgment results from a formal claim (grievance, complaint, or lawsuit) against the Commonwealth that results in either a settlement agreement, a court or administrative award, order, or judgment.

The Office of the Comptroller (CTR) acts as the Commonwealth’s overseer of tax reporting and tax withholding requirements for state agencies and departments to federal and state authorities.

CTR does not negotiate or approve the amount of settlements, the cost of legal services, or indemnification.

Settlements and Judgments Policy

Guidance on how settlements and judgments are paid, processed, and the legal basis for tax withholdings and reporting.

VIEW THE POLICY

The text "Electronic Signatures", overlain on a checkmark and a light green field reminiscent of the DocuSign branding

Electronic Submission of Settlement and Judgment Form

Departments with access to DocuSign are now able to submit the Non-Tort Settlement and Judgment Form electronically. View resources available on the CTR Intranet [VPN or MAGNet required].

VIEW ON CTR INTRANET

Submitting a Claim for CTR Review

CTR will review and process all claims in the order that completed claims were received.

Non-Tort Settlement and Judgment Authorization Form

Submit this form to the Office of the Comptroller with copies of a non-tort settlement or judgment for review and approval of payment. This form is required for all payments of claims, including those made with department funds.

VIEW FILLABLE PDF

NEW: Settlement and Judgment Multiple Claimant Spreadsheet

Departments should use this form to submit multiple claimant payments under one Settlement and Judgment Authorization Form.

VIEW SPREADSHEET

Tort and Non-Tort Settlements and Judgments Required Documents Checklist

Ensure that your submission to CTR is complete.

VIEW WORD DOC

Resources for Commonwealth of Massachusetts Departments

Commonwealth Responsibilities Pertaining to Settlements and Judgments

An outline of tax reporting, withholding, intercept, and public records disclosure requirements for Settlement and Judgment payments made by Commonwealth departments.

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Payment and Tax Reporting of Settlements and Judgments

All employment settlements and judgments will be processed in accordance with these rules.

VIEW WORD DOC

Procedures for Settlements and Judgments for Current and Former Employees Through HR/CMS

Instructions for processing employment-related payroll payments through HR/CMS.

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Form W-9

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Instructions for Departments

How does a department view available funds in MMARS?

Departments can see available funds in the Settlements and Judgments account in MMARS by doing a page search “BQ89” and then search the current budget Fiscal Year (e.g.2020) and “1599-3384” under Appropriation. The amount under “Expenditure Ceiling” is the amount that has been appropriated and allotted. The amount under “unexpended” is the amount remaining in the account as of this date, subject to any claims that have been submitted to CTR for payment but have not yet been processed.

How does a department view payment remittance information in MMARS?

Payees receiving payments through MMARS may use this link to look up payment remittance information by logging on to VendorWeb with their vendor code and the last four digits of their Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) or Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) associated with that vendor code. Vendor codes are not public information. It can be obtained from the department processing the claim.

How does a department view payment remittance information in VendorWeb?

Departments and agency counsels for the Commonwealth with access to the CTR Intranet may use the vendor lookup function on VendorWeb to view payment remittance information, by entering either the name or vendor code of the payee.