tax debt

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Tax Debt Strict Foreclosures as Takings Clause Violations

Does a state law permitting the government to take and sell a debtor’s home to satisfy a tax debt, and keep the surplus value as a windfall, violate the Takings Clause? That is the question before the Supreme Court in two separate cert. petitions. Fair v. Continental Resources, No. 22-160 (filed Aug. 19, 2022) and Tyler v. Hennepin Cty, No. 22-166 (filed Aug. 19, 2022). It is also the question that was recently answered affirmatively by the Sixth Circuit in the case of Hall v. Meisner, No. 21-1700 (6th Cir. Oct. 13, 2022). These cases could have significant consequences in the bankruptcy context where debtors often challenge tax sales under avoidance principles (the issue raised in another Supreme Court cert petition, County of Ontario v. Gunsalus, No. 22-294). Certainly, the Sixth Circuit case adds ammunition to the Michigan bankruptcy debtor’s arsenal.

[Read more…] about Tax Debt Strict Foreclosures as Takings Clause Violations

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Interest Rate on Tax Debts

Illinois Property Tax law provides an interest rate of 18% for tax debts where the debtor does not intend to redeem the property, even where the debt is owned by tax purchaser at the time of the debtor’s chapter 13 petition. In re Drake, No. 21-4903 (Bankr. N.D. Ill. Feb. 23, 2022).

The debtor failed to pay Illinois property taxes on her real property and Integrity Investment Fund, LLC, purchased the tax debt (“Sold Taxes”). Over the next few years, the debtor failed to pay the property taxes and Integrity, in accordance with its rights as the tax debt purchaser, paid the taxes (“Subsequent Taxes”) and added the amount to the debt. The debtor did not redeem the property by paying the delinquent tax debt as permitted by Illinois law. Instead, she filed for chapter 13 bankruptcy and proposed a plan under which she would pay off the debt of $30,711 at a 0.5% interest rate. Integrity objected to confirmation of the plan, arguing, in part, that the appropriate interest rate was 18% for the tax debts. The debtor objected to Integrity’s claim. [Read more…] about Interest Rate on Tax Debts

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Notification to State Tax Board of Federal Tax Reevaluation is Return “Equivalent”

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the opinion of the bankruptcy appellate panel finding that a state-mandated notification to the state taxing authority of a change in the taxpayer’s federal taxes is a “return, or equivalent report or notice,” which, if not filed by the taxpayer, renders the state tax debt nondischargeable under section 523(a)(1)(B). Berkovich v. Cal. Franchise Tax Bd., No 20-60046 (9th Cir. Oct. 14, 2021) (see discussion of In re Berkovich, 619 B.R. 397 (B.A.P. 9th Cir. 2020) here). [Read more…] about Notification to State Tax Board of Federal Tax Reevaluation is Return “Equivalent”

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ACA’s Shared Responsibility Payment is Priority Tax Debt

The District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana determined that the tax assessment for failure to maintain health insurance under the Affordable Care Act is a nondischargeable priority tax debt under section 507(a)(8)(A)(iii), rather than a penalty dischargeable in bankruptcy under section 523(a)(7) and 1328(a). United States v. Chesteen, No. 18-2077 (E.D. La. Feb. 25, 2019).

As the chapter 13 debtor, John Chesteen, pointed out on appeal, the shared responsibility payment at issue is described numerous times in the ACA as a penalty and is collected the same way other tax penalties are collected. The district court noted, however, that statutory descriptions, while informative, are not dispositive of whether a payment is a tax or a penalty. Rather, courts rely on the underlying purpose of the payment. A “tax” is a burden placed on the taxpayer for the financial support of the government, and a “penalty” is a punishment of an unlawful act. [Read more…] about ACA’s Shared Responsibility Payment is Priority Tax Debt

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Collection Due Process Action Tolls Look-Back Period for Tax Debt

Because of the IRS’s inability to levy against the debtor’s property, bankruptcy’s three-year look-back period for tax debts is tolled while a tax debtor pursues a collection due process action. Tenholder v. United States of Amer., No. 17-1310 (S.D. Ill. Sept. 17, 2018).

Angela and Randy Tenholder reopened their chapter 7 case to challenge the IRS’s post-discharge efforts to collect tax debts the Tenholders asserted were outside the three-year look-back period and had therefore been discharged. The bankruptcy court found the tax liabilities were non-dischargeable under section 523(a)(1)(A) because the three-year limitations period was tolled during the Tenholder’s pursuit of a “collection due process” (CDP) action. [Read more…] about Collection Due Process Action Tolls Look-Back Period for Tax Debt

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Tax Sale Certificate Transfer Was Avoidable Preference

A transfer of a tax sale certificate from the initial tax purchaser to the bankruptcy creditor was an avoidable preference where it resulted in the creditor obtaining greater value than it would have received in a chapter 7 liquidation. Hackler v. Arianna Holding Company, LLC., No. 17-6589 (D. N.J. March 22, 2018).

The chapter 13 debtors, Frank and Dawn Hackler, owned real property valued at $335,000. The property was sold in a tax sale to Phoenix Funding Inc. Phoenix sent a notice of foreclosure to the Hacklers then assigned the tax lien to Arianna Holding Company, LLC. The Hacklers filed for chapter 13 bankruptcy but that case was dismissed due to their failure to attend the 341 meeting of creditors. A month later, Arianna obtained a Final Judgment in Foreclosure vesting the property in itself. Within three months, the Hacklers again filed for chapter 13 bankruptcy listing the value of Arianna’s lien at $45,000. The Hacklers filed an adversary proceeding against Arianna seeking to avoid the transfer from Phoenix. The bankruptcy court found the transfer was an avoidable preference under section 547(b) and granted summary judgment in favor of the Hacklers. In re Hackler, 2017 Bankr. LEXIS 2437 (Bankr. D. N.J. Aug. 28, 2017). [Read more…] about Tax Sale Certificate Transfer Was Avoidable Preference

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IRS’s Planned Use of Private Debt Collectors Causing Concern

In a press release issued on September 29th, by the NCLC, consumer advocates expressed concern over the IRS’s appointment of four private debt collection agencies to collect federal tax debts. The selection of private debt collectors was in response to a law passed by Congress requiring the IRS to outsource tax debts if one of three conditions applies: (1) more than one year has passed without any interaction between the taxpayer and IRS; (2) one-third of the statute of limitations has lapsed and there is no IRS collector assigned; or (3) the IRS is otherwise not working the debt due to lack of resources.

The move, described by the NCLC as “a terrible development for taxpayers,” raises concerns due to the already dubious collection practices of many debt collectors. In fact, one of the four agencies, Pioneer Credit Recovery, was terminated last year by the Department of Education for providing inaccurate information to borrowers. There is also concern over the potential for an increase in scams involving phony tax collectors.

Although debt collectors must send at least two written notices before calling the tax debtor, and debtors are permitted to tell the collector not to call, consumer advocates are seeking further protections, such as excluding from the program low-income taxpayers and those who owe taxes under the Affordable Care Act.