§6402. Authority to make credits or refunds

(a) General rule

In the case of any overpayment, the Secretary, within the applicable period of limitations, may credit the amount of such overpayment, including any interest allowed thereon, against any liability in respect of an internal revenue tax on the part of the person who made the overpayment and shall, subject to subsections (c) and (d), refund any balance to such person.

(b) Credits against estimated tax

The Secretary is authorized to prescribe regulations providing for the crediting against the estimated income tax for any taxable year of the amount determined by the taxpayer or the Secretary to be an overpayment of the income tax for a preceding taxable year.

(c) Offset of past-due support against overpayments

The amount of any overpayment to be refunded to the person making the overpayment shall be reduced by the amount of any past-due support (as defined in section 464(c) of the Social Security Act) owed by that person of which the Secretary has been notified by a State in accordance with section 464 of the Social Security Act. The Secretary shall remit the amount by which the overpayment is so reduced to the State collecting such support and notify the person making the overpayment that so much of the overpayment as was necessary to satisfy his obligation for past-due support has been paid to the State. A reduction under this subsection shall be applied first to satisfy any past-due support which has been assigned to the State under section 402(a)(26) or 471(a)(17) of the Social Security Act, and shall be applied to satisfy any other past-due support after any other reductions allowed by law (but before a credit against future liability for an internal revenue tax) have been made. This subsection shall be applied to an overpayment prior to its being credited to a person's future liability for an internal revenue tax.

(d) Collection of debts owed to Federal agencies

(1) In general

Upon receiving notice from any Federal agency that a named person owes a past-due legally enforceable debt (other than past-due support subject to the provisions of subsection (c)) to such agency, the Secretary shall-

(A) reduce the amount of any overpayment payable to such person by the amount of such debt;

(B) pay the amount by which such overpayment is reduced under subparagraph (A) to such agency; and

(C) notify the person making such overpayment that such overpayment has been reduced by an amount necessary to satisfy such debt.

(2) Priorities for offset

Any overpayment by a person shall be reduced pursuant to this subsection after such overpayment is reduced pursuant to subsection (c) with respect to past-due support collected pursuant to an assignment under section 402(a)(26) of the Social Security Act and before such overpayment is credited to the future liability for tax of such person pursuant to subsection (b). If the Secretary receives notice from a Federal agency or agencies of more than one debt subject to paragraph (1) that is owed by a person to such agency or agencies, any overpayment by such person shall be applied against such debts in the order in which such debts accrued.

(3) Treatment of OASDI overpayments

(A) Requirements

Paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to an OASDI overpayment only if the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 3720A(f) of title 31, United States Code, are met with respect to such overpayment.

(B) Notice; protection of other persons filing joint return

(i) Notice

In the case of a debt consisting of an OASDI overpayment, if the Secretary determines upon receipt of the notice referred to in paragraph (1) that the refund from which the reduction described in paragraph (1)(A) would be made is based upon a joint return, the Secretary shall-

(I) notify each taxpayer filing such joint return that the reduction is being made from a refund based upon such return, and

(II) include in such notification a description of the procedures to be followed, in the case of a joint return, to protect the share of the refund which may be payable to another person.

(ii) Adjustments based on protections given to other taxpayers on joint return

If the other person filing a joint return with the person owing the OASDI overpayment takes appropriate action to secure his or her proper share of the refund subject to reduction under this subsection, the Secretary shall pay such share to such other person. The Secretary shall deduct the amount of such payment from amounts which are derived from subsequent reductions in refunds under this subsection and are payable to a trust fund referred to in subparagraph (C).

(C) Deposit of amount of reduction into appropriate trust fund

In lieu of payment, pursuant to paragraph (1)(B), of the amount of any reduction under this subsection to the Commissioner of Social Security, the Secretary shall deposit such amount in the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund or the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund, whichever is certified to the Secretary as appropriate by the Commissioner of Social Security.

(D) OASDI overpayment

For purposes of this paragraph, the term "OASDI overpayment" means any overpayment of benefits made to an individual under title II of the Social Security Act.

(e) Review of reductions

No court of the United States shall have jurisdiction to hear any action, whether legal or equitable, brought to restrain or review a reduction authorized by subsection (c) or (d). No such reduction shall be subject to review by the Secretary in an administrative proceeding. No action brought against the United States to recover the amount of any such reduction shall be considered to be a suit for refund of tax. This subsection does not preclude any legal, equitable, or administrative action against the Federal agency to which the amount of such reduction was paid or any such action against the Commissioner of Social Security which is otherwise available with respect to recoveries of overpayments of benefits under section 204 of the Social Security Act.

(f) Federal agency

For purposes of this section, the term "Federal agency" means a department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States (other than an agency subject to section 9 of the Act of May 18, 1933 (48 Stat. 63, chapter 32; 16 U.S.C. 831h)), and includes a Government corporation (as such term is defined in section 103 of title 5, United States Code).

(g) Treatment of payments to States

The Secretary may provide that, for purposes of determining interest, the payment of any amount withheld under subsection (c) to a State shall be treated as a payment to the person or persons making the overpayment.

(h) Cross reference

For procedures relating to agency notification of the Secretary, see section 3721 of title 31, United States Code.

(i) Refunds to certain fiduciaries of insolvent members of affiliated groups

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in the case of an insolvent corporation which is a member of an affiliated group of corporations filing a consolidated return for any taxable year and which is subject to a statutory or court-appointed fiduciary, the Secretary may by regulation provide that any refund for such taxable year may be paid on behalf of such insolvent corporation to such fiduciary to the extent that the Secretary determines that the refund is attributable to losses or credits of such insolvent corporation.

(Aug. 6, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 791 ; Oct. 4, 1976, Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, §1906(b)(13) (A), (K), 90 Stat. 1834 , 1835; Aug. 13, 1981, Pub. L. 97–35, title XXIII, §2331(c), 95 Stat. 861 ; July 18, 1984, Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, §2653(b)(1), (2), 98 Stat. 1154 , 1155; Aug. 16, 1984, Pub. L. 98–378, §21(e), 98 Stat. 1325 ; Nov. 10, 1988, Pub. L. 100–647, title VI, §6276, 102 Stat. 3753 ; Nov. 5, 1990, Pub. L. 101–508, title V, §5129(c), 104 Stat. 1388–288 ; Aug. 15, 1994, Pub. L. 103–296, title I, §108(h)(7), 108 Stat. 1487 .)

References in Text

The Social Security Act, referred to in subsecs. (c), (d)(2), (3)(D), and (e), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620 , as amended. Title II of the Act is classified generally to subchapter II (§401 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. Sections 204, 402(a)(26), 464, and 471(a)(17) of the Act are classified to sections 404, 602(a)(26), 664, and 671(a)(17) of Title 42. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of Title 42 and Tables.

Amendments

1994-Subsecs. (d)(3)(C), (e). Pub. L. 103–296 substituted "Commissioner of Social Security" for "Secretary of Health and Human Services" wherever appearing.

1990-Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 101–508, §5129(c)(1)(A), struck out "any OASDI overpayment and" after "(other than".

Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 101–508, §5129(c)(1)(B), added par. (3) and struck out former par. (3) which read as follows: "For purposes of this subsection the term 'OASDI overpayment' means any overpayment of benefits made to an individual under title II of the Social Security Act."

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 101–508, §5129(c)(2), inserted before period at end "or any such action against the Secretary of Health and Human Services which is otherwise available with respect to recoveries of overpayments of benefits under section 204 of the Social Security Act".

1988-Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 100–647 added subsec. (i).

1984-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98–369, §2653(b)(2), substituted "subsections (c) and (d)" for "subsection (c)".

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 98–378, §21(e)(1), substituted "collecting such support" for "to which such support has been assigned" and inserted provision that a reduction under this subsection shall be applied first to satisfy any past-due support which has been assigned to the State under section 402(a)(26) or 471(a)(17) of the Social Security Act, and shall be applied to satisfy any other past-due support after any other reductions allowed by law (but before a credit against future liability for an internal revenue tax) have been made.

Subsecs. (d) to (f). Pub. L. 98–369, §2653(b)(1), added subsecs. (d) to (f).

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 98–378, §21(e)(2), added subsec. (g). Former subsec. (g) redesignated (h).

Pub. L. 98–369, §2653(b)(1), added subsec. (g).

Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 98–378, §21(e)(2), redesignated former subsec. (g) as (h).

1981-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–35, §2331(c)(1), inserted reference to subsec. (c) of this section.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 97–35, §2331(c)(2), added subsec. (c).

1976-Pub. L. 94–455 struck out "or his delegate" after "Secretary" wherever appearing.

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 103–296 effective Mar. 31, 1995, see section 110(a) of Pub. L. 103–296, set out as a note under section 401 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.

Effective Date of 1990 Amendment

Section 5129(d) of Pub. L. 101–508 provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section, section 3720A of Title 31, Money and Finance, and section 404 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare]-

"(1) shall take effect January 1, 1991, and

"(2) shall not apply to refunds to which the amendments made by section 2653 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 1984 (98 Stat. 1153) [enacting section 3720A of Title 31 and amending this section and sections 6103 and 7213 of this title] do not apply."

Effective Date of 1984 Amendments

Amendment by Pub. L. 98–378 applicable with respect to refunds payable under this section after Dec. 31, 1985, see section 21(g) of Pub. L. 98–378, set out as a note under section 6103 of this title.

Section 2653(c) of Pub. L. 98–369, as amended by Pub. L. 99–514, §2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2095 ; Pub. L. 100–203, title IX, §9402(a), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–376 ; Pub. L. 100–485, title VII, §701(a), Oct. 13, 1988, 102 Stat. 2425 ; Pub. L. 102–164, title IV, §401(a), Nov. 15, 1991, 105 Stat. 1061 , provided that: "The amendments made by this section [enacting section 3720A of Title 31, Money and Finance, and amending this section and sections 6103 and 7213 of this title] shall apply with respect to refunds payable under section 6402 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [formerly I.R.C. 1954] after December 31, 1985."

[ Pub. L. 102–164, title IV, §401(b), Nov. 15, 1991, 105 Stat. 1061 , provided that: "The amendment made by this section [amending section 2653(c) of Pub. L. 98–369, set out above] shall take effect on October 1, 1991."]

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–35 effective, except as otherwise specifically provided, on Oct. 1, 1981, see section 2336 of Pub. L. 97–35, set out as a note under section 651 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.

Clarification of Congressional Intent as to Scope of Amendments by Section 2653 of Pub. L. 98–369

Pub. L. 100–203, title IX, §9402(b), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–376 , provided that:

"(1) Nothing in the amendments made by section 2653 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 1984 [enacting section 3720A of Title 31, Money and Finance, and amending this section and sections 6103 and 7213 of this title] shall be construed as exempting debts of corporations or any other category of persons from the application of such amendments.

"(2) It is the intent of the Congress that, to the extent practicable, the amendments made by section 2653 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 1984 shall extend to all Federal agencies (as defined in the amendments made by such section).

"(3) The Secretary of the Treasury shall issue regulations to carry out the purposes of this subsection."

Study by General Accounting Office of Operation and Effectiveness of Amendments by Section 2653 of Pub. L. 98–369

Pub. L. 100–203, title IX, §9402(c), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–376 , provided that: "The Comptroller General of the United States, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate, shall conduct a study of the operation and effectiveness of the amendments made by section 2653 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 1984 [enacting section 3720A of Title 31, Money and Finance, and amending this section and sections 6103 and 7213 of this title]. The study shall compile and evaluate information on the effect of those amendments on voluntary compliance with the income tax laws. Not later than April 1, 1989, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a report of the study conducted under this subsection, together with such recommendations as he may deem advisable."

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 6103, 6403, 6513, 6861 of this title; title 42 section 664.