Articles Tagged with jeopardy levy

The IRS must generally issue a notice to a taxpayer before proceeding with a levy on their assets. The taxpayer is given 30-days to request a Collection Due Process hearing (CDP hearing), where the taxpayer can attempt to avoid the levy action by negotiating an installment agreement, disputing the tax liability that resulted in the levy, or presenting other defenses. The IRS will usually not take any levy actions during the 30-day period, or while the CDP hearing process is ongoing.

There are exceptions to the 30-day notice requirement. One situation where the IRS is not required to provide a notice is when they believe that collection of the tax is in jeopardy, known as a jeopardy levy. In this case, the IRS can bypass the notice requirement and immediately levy the taxpayer’s assets, such as a bank account, the taxpayer’s wages, cars, or other property.

In these situations, the taxpayer has no choice but to request an appeal of the levy after it has taken place. The taxpayer may request a CDP hearing, or hearing under the Collection Appeals Program, to argue that the jeopardy levy was unreasonable.