26 C.F.R. § 301.6332-3

Current through September 30, 2024

Section 301.6332-3 - The 21-day holding period applicable to property held by banks

(a)In general. This section provides special rules relating to the surrender, after 21 days, of deposits subject to levy which are held by banks. The provisions of § 301.6332-1 which relate generally to the surrender of property subject to levy apply, to the extent not inconsistent with the special rules set forth in this section, to a levy on property held by banks.

(b)Definition of bank. For purposes of this section, the term "bank" means-

(1) A bank or trust company or domestic building and loan association incorporated and doing business under the laws of the United States (including laws relating to the District of Columbia) or of any State, a substantial part of the business of which consists of receiving deposits and making loans and discounts, or of exercising fiduciary powers similar to those permitted to national banks under authority of the Comptroller of the Currency, and which is subject by law to supervision and examination by State or Federal authority having supervision over banking institutions;

(2) Any credit union the member accounts of which are insured in accordance with the provisions of title II of the Federal Credit Union Act, 12 U.S.C. 1781 et seq.; and

(3) A corporation which, under the laws of the State of its incorporation, is subject to supervision and examination by the Commissioner of Banking or other officer of such State in charge of the administration of the banking laws of such State.

(c)21-day holding period -

(1)In general. When a levy is made on deposits held by a bank, the bank shall surrender such deposits (not otherwise subject to an attachment or execution under judicial process) only after 21 calendar days after the date the levy is made. The district director may request an extension of the 21-day holding period pursuant to paragraph (d)(2) of this section. During the prescribed holding period, or any extension thereof, the levy shall be released only upon notification to the bank by the district director of a decision by the Internal Revenue Service to release the levy. If the bank does not receive such notification from the district director within the prescribed holding period, or any extension thereof, the bank must surrender the deposits, including any interest thereon as determined in accordance with paragraph (c)(2) of this section (up to the amount of the levy), on the first business day after the holding period, or any extension thereof, expires. See § 301.6331-1(c) to determine when a levy served by mail is made.

(2)Payment of interest on deposits. When a bank surrenders levied deposits at the end of the 21-day holding period (or at the end of any longer period that has been requested by the district director), the bank must include any interest that has accrued on the deposits prior to and during the holding period, and any extension thereof, under the terms of the bank's agreement with its depositor, but the bank must not surrender an amount greater than the amount of the levy. If the deposits are held in a noninterest bearing account at the time the levy is made, the bank need not include any interest on the deposits at the end of the holding period, or any extension thereof, under this paragraph. Interest that accrues on deposits and is surrendered to the district director at the end of the holding period, or any extension thereof, is treated as a payment to the bank's customer.

(3)Transactions affecting accounts. A levy on deposits held by a bank applies to those funds on deposit at the time the levy is made, up to the amount of the levy, and is effective as of the time the levy is made. No withdrawals may be made on levied upon deposits during the 21-day holding period, or any extension thereof.

(4)Waiver of 21-day holding period. A depositor may waive the 21-day holding period by notifying the bank of the depositor's intention to do so. Where more than one depositor is listed as the owner of a levied account, all depositors listed as owners of the account must agree to a waiver of the 21-day holding period. If the 21-day holding period is waived, the bank must include with the surrendered deposits a notification to the district director of the waiver.

(5)Examples. The provisions of this paragraph (c) may be illustrated by the following examples:

Example 1. On April 2, 1992, a notice of levy for an unpaid income tax assessment due from A in the amount of $10,000 is served on X Bank with respect to A's savings account. At the time the notice of levy is served, X Bank holds $5,000 in A's interest-bearing savings account. On April 24, 1992, (the first business day after the 21-day holding period) X Bank must surrender $5,000 plus any interest that accrued on the account under the terms of A's contract with X Bank up through April 23, 1992, (the last day of the holding period).

Example 2. The facts are the same as in Example 1 except that on April 3, 1992, A deposits an additional $5,000 into the account. On April 24, 1992, X Bank must still surrender only $5,000 plus the interest which accrued thereon until the end of the holding period, because the notice of levy served on April 2, 1992, attached only to those funds on deposit at the time the notice was served and not to any subsequent deposits.

Example 3. The facts are the same as in Example 1 except that at the time the notice of levy is served on X Bank, A's savings account contains $50,000. On April 24, 1992, X Bank must surrender $10,000, which is the amount of the levy. The levy will not apply to any interest that accrues on the deposit during the 21-day holding period, because the entire amount of the levy is satisfied by the deposits existing at the time the levy is served.

Example 4. The facts are the same as in Example 1 except that the amount of the levy is $5,002. Under the terms of A's contract with the bank, the account will earn more than $2 of interest during the 21-day holding period. On April 24, 1992, X Bank must surrender $5,002 to the district director. The remaining interest which accrued during the 21-day holding period is not subject to the levy.

Example 5. On September 3, 1992, A opens a $5,000 six-month certificate of deposit account with X Bank. Under the terms of the account, the depositor must forfeit up to 30 days of interest on the account in the event of early withdrawal. On January 4, 1993, a notice of levy for an unpaid income tax assessment due from A in the amount of $10,000 is served with respect to A's certificate of deposit account. On January 26, 1993, the bank must surrender $5,000 plus the interest which accrued on the account through January 25, 1993, minus the penalty of 30 days of interest as provided in the deposit agreement.

Example 6. Same facts as in Example 5 except that the notice of levy is served on X Bank on February 15, 1993. The certificate matures on March 2, 1993. On March 8, X Bank must surrender $5,000 plus the interest that accrued on the certificate without any reduction for penalties.

(d)Notification to the district director of errors with respect to levied upon bank accounts -

(1)In general. If a depositor believes that there is an error with respect to the levied upon account which the depositor wishes to have corrected, the depositor shall notify the district director to whom the assessment is charged by telephone to the telephone number listed on the face of the notice of levy in order to enable the district director to conduct an expeditious review of the alleged error. The district director may require any supporting documentation necessary to the review of the alleged error. The notification by telephone provided for in this section does not constitute or substitute for the filing by a third party of a written request under § 301.6343-1(b)(2) for the return of property wrongfully levied upon.

(2)Disputes regarding the merits of the underlying assessment. This section does not constitute an additional procedure for an appeal regarding the merits of an underlying assessment. However, if in the judgment of the district director a genuine dispute regarding the merits of an underlying assessment appears to exist, the district director may request an extension of the 21-day holding period.

(3)Notification of errors from sources other than the depositor. The district director may take action to release the levy on the bank account based on information obtained from a source other than the depositor, including the bank in which the account is maintained.

(e)Effective date. These provisions are effective with respect to levies issued on or after January 4, 1993.

26 C.F.R. §301.6332-3

T.D. 8466, 58 FR 18, Jan. 4, 1993