(a) In general—(1) Requirement to refile. In order to continue the effect of a notice of lien, the notice must be refiled in the place described in paragraph (b) of this section during the required refiling period (described in paragraph (c) of this section). If two or more notices of lien are filed with respect to a particular tax assessment, and each notice of lien contains a certificate of release that releases the lien when the required refiling period ends, the failure to comply with the provisions of paragraphs (b)(1)(i) and (c) of this section in respect to one of the notices of lien releases the lien and renders ineffective the refiling of any other notice of lien.
(2) Effect of refiling. A timely refiled notice of lien is effective as of the date on which the notice of lien to which it relates was effective.
(3) Effect of failure to refile—If the Internal Revenue Service fails to refile a notice of lien in the manner described in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, the notice is not effective, after the expiration of the required refiling period, as against any person described in section 6323(a), without regard to when the interest of the person in the property subject to the lien was acquired. If a notice of lien contains a certificate of release that provides that the lien is released at the end of the required refiling period unless the notice of lien is refiled, and the notice of lien is not refiled, then the lien is extinguished and the notice of lien is ineffective.
(i) However, neither the failure to refile before the expiration of the refiling period, nor the release of the lien, shall alter or impair any right of the United States to property or its proceeds that is the subject of a levy or judicial proceeding commenced prior to the end of the refiling period or the release of the lien, except to the extent that a person acquires an interest in the property for adequate consideration after the commencement of the proceeding and does not have notice of, and is not bound by, the outcome of the proceeding.
(ii) If a suit or levy referred to in the preceding sentence is dismissed or released and the property is subject to the lien at such time, a notice of lien with respect to the property is not effective after the suit or levy is dismissed or released unless refiled during the required refiling period.
(4) Filing of new notice. If a notice of lien is not refiled, and the notice of lien contains a certificate of release that automatically releases the lien when the required refiling period ends, the lien is released as of that date and is no longer in existence. The Internal Revenue Service must revoke the release before it can file a new notice of lien. This new filing must meet the requirements of section 6323(f) and §301.6323(f)-1 and is effective from the date on which such filing is made.
(b) Place for refiling notice of lien—(1) In general. A notice of lien refiled during the required refiling period (described in paragraph (c) of this section) shall be effective only—
(i) If the notice of lien is refiled in the office in which the prior notice of lien (including a refiled notice) was filed under the provisions of section 6323; and
(ii) In any case in which 90 days or more prior to the date the refiling of the notice of lien under subdivision (i) is completed, the Internal Revenue Service receives written information (in the manner described in subparagraph (2) of this paragraph (b)) concerning a change in the taxpayer's residence, if a notice of such lien is also filed in accordance with section 6323(f)(1)(A)(ii) in the State in which such new residence is located (or, if such new residence is located without the United States, in the District of Columbia).
A notice of lien is considered as refiled in the office in which the prior notice or refiled notice was filed under the provisions of section 6323 if it is refiled in the office which, pursuant to a change in the applicable local law, assumed the functions of the office in which the prior notice or refiled notice was filed. If on or before the 90th day referred to in subdivision (ii) more than one written notice is received concerning a change in the taxpayer's residence, a notice of lien is required by this subdivision to be filed only with respect to the residence shown on the written notice received on the most recent date. Subdivision (ii) is applicable regardless of whether the taxpayer resides at the new residence on the date the refiling of notice of lien under subdivision (i) of this subparagraph is completed.
(2) Notice of change of taxpayer's residence—(i) In general. Except as provided in subdivision (ii) or (iii) of this subparagraph, for purposes of this section, a notice of change of a taxpayer's residence will be effective only if it (A) is received, in writing, from the taxpayer or his representative by the district director or the service center director having jurisdiction where the original notice of lien was filed, (B) relates to an unpaid tax liability of the taxpayer, and (C) states the taxpayer's name and the address of his new residence. Although it is not necessary that a written notice contain the taxpayer's identifying number authorized by section 6109, it is preferable that it include such number. For purposes of this subdivision, a notice of change of a taxpayer's residence shown on a return or an amended return (including a return of the same tax) will not be effective to notify the Internal Revenue Service.
(ii) Notice received before August 23, 1976. For purposes of this section, a notice of a change of a taxpayer's residence will also be effective if it (A) is received, in writing, by any office of the Internal Revenue Service before August 23, 1976, from the taxpayer or his representative, (B) relates to an unpaid tax liability of the taxpayer, and (C) states the taxpayer's name and the address of his new residence.
(iii) By return or amended return. For purposes of this section, in the case of a notice of lien which relates to an assessment of tax made after December 31, 1966, a notice of change of a taxpayer's residence will also be effective if it is contained in a return or amended return of the same type of tax filed with the Internal Revenue Service by the taxpayer or his representative which on its face indicates that there is a change in the taxpayer's address and correctly states the taxpayer's name, the address of his new residence, and his identifying number required by section 6109.
(iv) Other rules applicable. Except as provided in subdivisions (i), (ii), and (iii) of this subparagraph, no communication (either written or oral) to the Internal Revenue Service will be considered effective as notice of a change of a taxpayer's residence under this section, whether or not the Service has actual notice or knowledge of the taxpayer's new residence. For the purpose of determining the date on which a notice of change of a taxpayer's residence is received under this section, the notice shall be treated as received on the date it is actually received by the Internal Revenue Service without reference to the provisions of section 7502.
(3) Examples. The following examples illustrate the provisions of this section:
Example 1. A, a delinquent taxpayer, is a resident of State M and owns real property in State N. In accordance with
§301.6323(f)-1, notices of lien are filed in States M and N. The notices of lien contain certificates of release that release the lien at the end of the required refiling period. In order to continue the effect of the notice of lien filed in either M or N, the Internal Revenue Service must refile, during the required refiling period, the notice of lien with the appropriate office in M as well as with the appropriate office in N.
Example 2. B, a delinquent taxpayer, is a resident of State M. In accordance with
§301.6323(f)-1, notice of lien is properly filed in that State. One year before the beginning of the required refiling period, B establishes his residence in State N, and B immediately notifies the Internal Revenue Service of his change in residence in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) of this section. In order to continue the effect of the notice of lien filed in M, the Internal Revenue Service must refile, during the required refiling period, notices of lien with (i) the appropriate office in M, and (ii) the appropriate office in N, because B properly notified the Internal Revenue Service of his change in residence to N more than 89 days prior to the date refiling of the notice of lien in M is completed. Even if the Internal Revenue Service had acquired actual notice or knowledge of B's change in residence by other means, if B had not properly notified the Internal Revenue Service of his change in residence, the effect of the notice of lien in State M could have been continued without any refiling in State N.
Example 3. C, a delinquent taxpayer, is a resident of State O. In accordance with
§301.6323(f)-1, notice of lien is properly filed in that State. Four years before the required refiling period, C establishes his residence in State P, and C immediately notifies the Internal Revenue Service of his change in residence in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) of this section. Three years before the required refiling period, C establishes his residence in State R, and again C immediately notifies the Internal Revenue Service of his change in residence in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (2) of this section. In order to continue the effect of the notice of lien filed in O, the Internal Revenue Service must refile, during the required refiling period, notices of lien with (i) the appropriate office in O, and (ii) the appropriate office in R. Refiling in R is required because the notice received by the Service of C's change in residence to R was the most recent notice received more than 89 days prior to the date refiling in O is completed. The notice of lien is not required to be filed in P, even though C properly notified the Internal Revenue Service of his change in residence to P, because such notice is not the most recent one received.
Example 4. Assume the same facts as in example 3, except that C does not notify the Internal Revenue Service of his change in residence to R in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) of this section. In order to continue the effect of the notice of lien filed in O, the Internal Revenue Service must refile, during the required refiling period, the notice of lien with (i) the appropriate office in O, and (ii) the appropriate office in P. Refiling in P is required because C properly notified the Internal Revenue Service of his change in residence to P, even though C is not a resident of P on the date refiling of the notice of lien in O is completed. The Internal Revenue Service is not required to file a notice of lien in R because C did not properly notify the Service of his change in residence to R.
Example 5. D, a delinquent taxpayer, is a resident of State M and owns real property in States N and O. In accordance with
§301.6323(f)-1, the Internal Revenue Service files notices of lien in M, N, and O States. Nine years and 6 months after the date of the assessment shown on the notice of lien, D establishes his residence in P, and at that time the Internal Revenue Service receives from D a notification of his change in residence in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) of this section. On a date which is 9 years and 7 months after the date of the assessment shown on the notice of lien, the Internal Revenue Service properly refiles notices of lien in M, N, and O which refilings are sufficient to continue the effect of each of the notices of lien. The Internal Revenue Service is not required to file a notice of lien in P because D did not notify the Internal Revenue Service of his change of residence to P more than 89 days prior to the date each of the refilings in M, N, and O was completed.
Example 6. Assume the same facts as in example 5 except that the refiling of the notice of lien in O occurs 100 days after D notifies the Internal Revenue Service of hischange in residence to P in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) of this section. In order to continue the effect of the notice of lien filed in O, in addition to refiling the notice of lien in O, the Internal Revenue Service must also refile, during the required refiling period, a notice of lien in P because D properly notified the Internal Revenue Service of his change of residence to P more than 89 days prior to the date the refiling in O was completed. However, the Internal Revenue Service is not required to refile the notice of lien in P to maintain the effect of the notices of lien in M and N because D did not notify the Internal Revenue Service of his change in residence to P more than 89 days prior to the date the refilings in M and N were completed.
Example 7. E, a delinquent taxpayer, is a resident of State T. Because T has not designated one office in the case of personal property for filing notices of lien in accordance with the provisions of section 6323(f)(1)(A)(ii), the Internal Revenue Service properly files a notice of lien with the clerk of the appropriate United States district court. However, solely as a matter of convenience for those who may have occasion to search for notices of lien, and not as a matter of legal effectiveness, the Internal Revenue Service also files notice of lien with the recorder of deeds of the county in T where E resides. In addition, the Internal Revenue Service sends a copy of the notice of lien to the X life insurance company to give the company actual notice of the notice of lien. In order to continue the effect of the notice of lien, the Internal Revenue Service must refile the notice of lien with the clerk of the appropriate United States district court during the required refiling period. In order to continue the effect of the notice of the lien, it is not necessary to refile the notice of lien with the Recorder of Deeds of the county where E resides, because the refiling of the notice of lien with the recorder of deeds does not constitute a proper filing for the purposes of section 6323(f). In addition, to continue the effect of the notice of lien under this section it is not necessary to send a copy of the notice of lien to the X life insurance company, because the sending of a notice of lien to an insurance company does not constitute a proper filing for the purposes of section 6323(f).
(c) Required refiling period—(1) In general. For the purpose of this section, except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, the term required refiling period means—
(i) The 1-year period ending 30 days after the expiration of 10 years after the date of the assessment of the tax; and
(ii) The 1-year period ending with the expiration of 10 years after the close of the preceding required refiling period for such notice of lien.
(2) Examples. The following examples illustrate the provisions of this paragraph:
Example 1. On March 10, 1998, an assessment of tax is made against B, a delinquent taxpayer, and a lien for the amount of the assessment arises on that date. On July 10, 1998, in accordance with
§301.6323(f)-1, a notice of lien is filed. The notice of lien filed on July 10, 1998, is effective through April 9, 2008. The first required refiling period for the notice of lien begins on April 10, 2007, and ends on April 9, 2008. A refiling of the notice of lien during that period will extend the effectiveness of the notice of lien filed on July 10, 1998, through April 9, 2018. The second required refiling period for the notice of lien begins on April 10, 2017, and ends on April 9, 2018.
Example 2. Assume the same facts as in
Example 1, except that the Internal Revenue Service fails to refile a notice of lien during the first required refiling period (April 10, 2007, through April 9, 2008). A notice of lien is filed on June 9, 2009, in accordance with
§301.6323(f)-1. This notice is ineffective if the original notice contained a certificate of release, as the certificate of release would have had the effect of extinguishing the lien as of April 10, 2008. The Internal Revenue Service could revoke the release and file a new notice of lien, which would be effective as of the date it was filed.
(d) Effective/applicability date. This section applies with respect to any notice of Federal tax lien filed on or after April 4, 2011.
[T.D. 7429, 41 FR 35509, Aug. 23, 1976, as amended by T.D. 9520, 76 FR 18386, Apr. 4, 2011]
