republic-os/legal/us/code/title-26/chapter-70/section-6851.md

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LegalText	26 U.S.C. § 6851	Termination assessments of income tax	us	united_states_code	code_section	26	INTERNAL REVENUE CODE	70	JEOPARDY, RECEIVERSHIPS, ETC.	6851	26 U.S.C. § 6851	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc26@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t26/s6851	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-26/usc26.xml	6363aba60adf360392f81cd75525199e80184b0f0da7f56eb131f950a054209b	a261f094809116f42a96648a3d5eee80fa010379d67412551c21dd5c900b27f4	5f315391241c52d5c561bb21206b960ffc5f176b6ee029846e8ced95a4435d78	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

26 U.S.C. § 6851 - Termination assessments of income tax

Text

(a) Authority for making (1) In general If the Secretary finds that a taxpayer designs quickly to depart from the United States or to remove his property therefrom, or to conceal himself or his property therein, or to do any other act (including in the case of a corporation distributing all or a part of its assets in liquidation or otherwise) tending to prejudice or to render wholly or partially ineffectual proceedings to collect the income tax for the current or the immediately preceding taxable year unless such proceeding be brought without delay, the Secretary shall immediately make a determination of tax for the current taxable year or for the preceding taxable year, or both, as the case may be, and notwithstanding any other provision of law, such tax shall become immediately due and payable. The Secretary shall immediately assess the amount of the tax so determined (together with all interest, additional amounts, and additions to the tax provided by law) for the current taxable year or such preceding taxable year, or both, as the case may be, and shall cause notice of such determination and assessment to be given the taxpayer, together with a demand for immediate payment of such tax.

(2) Computation of tax In the case of a current taxable year, the Secretary shall determine the tax for the period beginning on the first day of such current taxable year and ending on the date of the determination under paragraph (1) as though such period were a taxable year of the taxpayer, and shall take into account any prior determination made under this subsection with respect to such current taxable year.

(3) Treatment of amounts collected Any amounts collected as a result of any assessments under this subsection shall, to the extent thereof, be treated as a payment of tax for such taxable year.

(4) This section inapplicable where section 6861 applies This section shall not authorize any assessment of tax for the preceding taxable year which is made after the due date of the taxpayer’s return for such taxable year (determined with regard to any extensions).

(b) Notice of deficiency If an assessment of tax is made under the authority of subsection (a), the Secretary shall mail a notice under section 6212(a) for the taxpayer’s full taxable year (determined without regard to any action taken under subsection (a)) with respect to which such assessment was made within 60 days after the later of (i) the due date of the taxpayer’s return for such taxable year (determined with regard to any extensions), or (ii) the date such taxpayer files such return. Such deficiency may be in an amount greater or less than the amount assessed under subsection (a).

(c) Citizens In the case of a citizen of the United States or of a possession of the United States about to depart from the United States, the Secretary may, at his discretion, waive any or all of the requirements placed on the taxpayer by this section.

(d) Departure of alien Subject to such exceptions as may, by regulations, be prescribed by the Secretary—

(1) No alien shall depart from the United States unless he first procures from the Secretary a certificate that he has complied with all the obligations imposed upon him by the income tax laws.

(2) Payment of taxes shall not be enforced by any proceedings under the provisions of this section prior to the expiration of the time otherwise allowed for paying such taxes if, in the case of an alien about to depart from the United States, the Secretary determines that the collection of the tax will not be jeopardized by the departure of the alien.

(e) Sections 6861(f) and (g) to apply The provisions of section 6861(f) (relating to collection of unpaid amounts) and 6861(g) (relating to abatement if jeopardy does not exist) shall apply with respect to any assessment made under subsection (a).

(f) Cross references (1) For provisions permitting immediate levy in case of jeopardy, see section 6331(a).

(2) For provisions relating to the review of jeopardy, see section 7429.

(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 833; Pub. L. 85–866, title I, § 87, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1665; Pub. L. 94–455, title XII, § 1204(b), title XIX, § 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1696, 1834.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments1976—Pub. L. 94–455, § 1204(b)(1), substituted “assessments of income tax” for “of taxable year” in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1204(b)(1), revised pars. (1) and (2) to provide that a termination assessment does not end the taxable year for any purpose other than the computation of the amount of tax to be assessed and collected and to set out the method for determining the tax for the current taxable year, and added pars. (3) and (4). Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1204(b)(1), substituted provisions for the mailing of a notice of deficiency for provisions for the reopening of taxable period. Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1906(b)(13)(A), struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary” wherever appearing. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1204(b)(2), substituted provisions making section 6861(f) and (g) applicable with respect to assessments under subsec. (a). Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1204(b)(2), added subsec. (f). 1958—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 85–866 designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted opening provisions, and added par. (2).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1976 AmendmentPub. L. 94–455, title XII, § 1204(d), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1699, as amended by Pub. L. 94–528, § 2(a), Oct. 17, 1976, 90 Stat. 2483; Pub. L. 99–514, § 2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2095, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [enacting section 7429 of this title and amending this section and sections 443, 6091, 6211, 6213, 6863, 7103, and 7421 of this title] apply with respect to action taken under section 6851, 6861, or 6862 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [formerly I.R.C. 1954] where the notice and demand takes place after February 28, 1977.”

Effective Date of 1958 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 85–866 effective Aug. 17, 1954, see section 1(c)(2) of Pub. L. 85–866, set out as a note under section 165 of this title.