What is the difference between tax liability and tax payable?

When you fill out your income tax forms (1040, 1040-A, 1040-EZ), you put in your income, your exemptions, your deductions, and any tax credits. From this you calculate your total tax due for the year, say $5,000. That is your tax liability. The you look at your tax already paid, which is withholding and estimated taxes paid. If the liability is greater than the amount already paid, say $6,000, the difference, $1,000, is the tax due or tax payable. If the liability is less than the amount already paid, say $5,500, the difference, $500 is the amount of your refund. This is a discussion of how people (should) talk about their individual income taxes, and how the terms are used with respect to penalties for over and under payment, and claiming exempt on the W-4. If your question has to do with accounting terms, it may be a clue.

Liability is what you owe based on your income. Owed is what you actually owe....liability minus withholdings.

this might depend on the way the books are defined, if the accounts are "payables" they are still liabilities the amount of tax is determined and is charged to the payables account but is not actually paid until a later date so it is a liability(and a payable)

tax liability can be negotiated tax payable can't