[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 2910-2912]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-776]
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[[Page 2911]]
AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
22 CFR Part 213
Collection of Debts by Tax Refund Offset
AGENCY: Agency for International Development.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: The Agency for International Development proposes to issue
regulations to allow the agency to recover delinquent debts owed the
United States Government through the offset of tax refunds.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 13, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to Mr. Jan Miller, Office of the
General Counsel, Room 6881, N.S., Agency for International Development,
Washington, DC 20523.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jan W. Miller, (202) 647-6380.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed rule will enable the agency to
recover delinquent debts owed the United States Government through the
offset of tax refunds. The proposed rule sets forth the procedures to
be followed by AID in using tax refund offset.
Regulatory Flexibility and Impact Analysis
This action will not have a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities including small businesses, small
organizational units and small governmental jurisdictions.
This action does not constitute a ``major rule'' under Executive
Order No. 12291.
Environmental Impact
This action does not constitute a major Federal action
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.
List of Subjects in 22 CFR Part 213
Claims, salary offset.
Accordingly, it is proposed to amend 22 CFR part 213 as follows:
1. The authority citation for part 213 is revised to read as
follows:
Authority: Sec. 621 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as
amended, 22 U.S.C. 2381; Subpart B also issued under 5 U.S.C. 5514;
5 CFR part 5550, subpart K. Subpart C also issued under 31 U.S.C.
3720A.
2. Part 213 is amended to add a new subpart C as follows:
PART 213--COLLECTION OF CLAIMS
* * * * *
Subpart C--Collection of Debts by Tax Refund Offset
213.21 Purpose.
213.22 Applicability and scope.
213.23 Administrative charges.
213.24 Pre-offset notice.
213.25 Reasonable attempt to notify and clear and concise
notification.
213.26 Consideration of evidence and notification of decision.
213.27 Change in conditions after submission to IRS.
Subpart C--Collection of Debts by Tax Refund Offset
Sec. 213.21 Purpose.
This subpart establishes procedures for AID to refer past due debts
to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for offset against income tax
refunds of taxpayers owing debts to AID.
Sec. 213.22 Applicability and scope.
(a) This subpart implements 31 U.S.C. 3720A which authorizes the
IRS to reduce a tax refund by the amount of a past due and legally
enforceable debt owed to the United States.
(b) A past due legally enforceable debt referable to the IRS is a
debt which is owed to the United States and;
(1) Except for judgement debt or other debts specifically exempt
from this requirement, is referred within 10 years after AID's right of
action accrues;
(2) In the case of individuals, is at least $25.00.
(3) In the case of business debtors is at least $100.00;
(4) In the case of individual debtors, cannot be currently
collected pursuant to the salary offset provisions of 5 U.S.C. 5514(a).
(5) Is ineligible for or cannot be currently collected pursuant to
the administrative offset provisions of 31 U.S.C. 3716;
(6) Is the debt of a debtor (or in the case of an individual
debtor, his or her spouse) for whom AID records do not show debtor has
filed for bankruptcy under title 11 of the United States Code or from
whom AID can clearly establish at the time of the referral that an
automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. 362 has been lifted or is no longer in
effect;
(7) Has been disclosed by AID to a consumer reporting agency as
authorized by 31 U.S.C. 3711(f); and
(8) With respect to which AID has given notice, considered any
evidence, and determined that the debt is past-due and legally
enforceable under the provisions of this subpart;
Sec. 213.23 Administrative charges.
All administrative charges incurred in connection with the referral
of debts to the IRS will be added to the debt, thus increasing the
amount of the offset.
Sec. 213.24 Pre-offset notice.
(a) Before AID refers a debt to the IRS, it will notify or make a
reasonable attempt to notify the debtor that:
(1) The debt is past due;
(2) Unless repaid within 60 days thereafter, the debt will be
referred to the IRS for offset against any overpayment of tax;
(3) The debtor has at least 60 days from the date of the notice to
present evidence that all or part of such debt is not past-due or not
legally enforceable; and
(4) AID will consider any evidence presented by the debtor and
determine whether any part of such debt is past-due and legally
enforceable.
(b) The notice will explain to the debtor the manner in which the
debtor may present such evidence to AID.
Sec. 213.25 Reasonable attempt to notify clear and concise
notification.
(a) Reasonable attempt to notify. AID will have made a reasonable
attempt to notify the debtor under Sec. 213.24(a) if it used a mailing
address for the debtor obtained from the IRS pursuant to the Internal
Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 6103(m)(2) or (m)(4), unless AID receives clear
and concise notification from the debtor that notices are to be sent to
an address different from the address obtained from the IRS.
(b) Clear and concise notification. Clear and concise notification
means that the debtor has provided AID with written notification
including the debtor's name and identifying number (as defined in the
Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 6109), the debtor's new address, and
the debtor's intent to have the notices sent to the new address.
Sec. 213.26 Consideration of evidence and notification of decision.
(a) AID will give the debtor at least 60 days from the date of the
pre-offset notice to present evidence. Evidence that collection of the
debt is affected by a bankruptcy proceeding involving the debtor shall
bar referral of the debt.
(b) If the evidence presented is not considered by an employee of
AID but by an entity or person acting for AID, the debtor will have at
least 30 days from the date the entity or person decides that all or
part of the debt is past-due and legally enforceable to request review
by an employee of AID of an unresolved dispute.
(c) AID will provide the debtor with its decision and the decision
of any entity or person acting for AID on to whether all or part of the
debt is past-due and legally enforceable. [[Page 2912]]
Sec. 213.27 Change in conditions after submission to IRS.
AID will promptly notify the IRS if, after submission of a debt to
the IRS for offset, AID:
(a) Determines that an error has been made with respect to the
information submitted to the IRS;
(b) Receives a payment or credits a payment, other than an IRS
offset, to the account of the debtor;
(c) Receives notice that the debtor has filed for bankruptcy under
title 11 of the United States Code or the debt has been discharged in
bankruptcy;
(d) Receives notice that an offset was made at the time when the
automatic stay provisions of 11 U.S.C. 362 were in effect;
(e) Receives notice that the debt has been extinguished by death;
or
(f) Refunds all or part of the offset amount to the debtor.
Dated: November 22, 1994.
Tony L. Cully,
Controller.
[FR Doc. 95-776 Filed 1-11-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6116-01-M
