This afternoon, President Obama signed into law a five-year, $305 billion highway funding bill that includes several controversial tax measures designed to help fund the legislation. One provision in the legislation authorizes the State Department to revoke U.S. passports of taxpayers who owe the U.S. Treasury more than $50,000 in tax liabilities. Another provision authorizes the Internal Revenue Service to use private debt collectors. In this blog post, we address the passport revocation provision, which now provides the IRS with a powerful tool to force tax compliance.
The law adds a new provision to the Internal Revenue Code (section 7345) which authorizes the Treasury Secretary to certify, to the Secretary of State, that a taxpayer has a “seriously delinquent tax debt.” A “seriously delinquent tax debt” is defined as a federal tax liability which been assessed and is greater than $50,000, and for which the IRS has either filed a lien or levy. (This dollar amount will be adjusted for inflation after 2016.)
Upon receipt of such certification, the Secretary of State is authorized to take action with respect to denial, revocation, or limitation of such taxpayer’s U.S. passport. The law prohibits the Secretary of State from issuing a passport to any individual who has a “seriously delinquent tax debt,” with exceptions provided for emergency circumstances or humanitarian reasons. The law authorizes the Secretary of State to revoke a passport previously issued to an individual with a “seriously delinquent tax debt.” If the Secretary of State decides to revoke a passport under these circumstances, he or she is authorized to limit such passport to return travel to the United States only. The Secretary of State may also deny any passport application submitted without a Social Security number.
Taxpayers who have entered into installment agreements or offers-in-compromise, or have requested collection due process hearings or innocent spouse relief, are exempt from this new law. If the Treasury Secretary has already certified a taxpayer to the Secretary of State, such certification must be revoked within 30 days of the taxpayer making full payment and obtaining release of lien; requesting for innocent spouse relief; entering into an installment agreement; or making an offer-in-compromise which is accepted. In the event that the Treasury Secretary issues an erroneous certification, such certification must be revoked as soon as practicable.
The law does includes certain provisions to safeguard taxpayer rights. Taxpayers who are certified to the Secretary of State as having a “seriously delinquent tax debt,” or whose certifications are subsequently revoked, are entitled to prompt written notice. Such notice must specify that the taxpayer is entitled to file a lawsuit in the U.S. Tax Court or a federal district court to challenge the certification. The court may determine that the certification was erroneous and, if so, order the Treasury Secretary to so notify the Secretary of State. Taxpayers who are serving in a combat zone are granted relief from the law’s provisions.
In addition, the new law amends existing Internal Revenue Code provisions to ensure that taxpayers are warned in advance that they could be subject to U.S. passport denial, revocation, or limitation. For example, notices of federal tax lien and notices of intent to levy must now include language advising the taxpayer that they may be certified to the Secretary of State as having a “seriously delinquent tax debt” with attendant passport consequences.
Finally, the law amends the Internal Revenue Code provision addressing confidentiality of tax returns and return information in order to permit the sharing of such information with the Secretary of State. In particular, for each taxpayer certified as having a “seriously delinquent tax debt,” the law authorizes the Treasury Secretary to share information regarding the taxpayer’s identity and the amount of the tax debt.
