Distraint Levy Garnishment Subject Matter enforced on personal property enforced on real property Enforced on personal property owned by and in possession of owned by and in possession of owned by the taxpayer but in the taxpayer the taxpayer possession of the third party. Acquisition by Government forfeiture by the government Forfeiture is authorized then Purchased by the government sold to meet the deficiency and resold to meet deficiency is not provided Purchased by the government and resold to meet deficiency Rights of Redemption right is granted in case of real taxpayer is not given the right of property levied upon and sold, redemption or forfeited, to the government Levy may be made before, simultaneously or after distraint Advertisement of Sale Required to be published once a week for 3 consecutive weeks in No newspaper publication a newspaper of general No newspaper publication required circulation in the municipality or required city where the property is located. The warrant of distraint and or levy (WDL) or a Warrant of Garnishment is served to the taxpayer after his failure to respond to the Final Notice. Limitations of Warrant of Distraint and or Levy 1. Shall not be availed of where the amount of tax is not more than Php 100 2. Shall not be sent earlier than 90 days from the date of assessment has become due and demandable. EXCEPTION of the 90-day rule: 1. The amount shown in the return is not paid 2. The individual taxpayer failed to pay the second instalment of his income tax. Note: Notice of Tax Lien or Notice of Levy is used to validate the legal claims or charge of the government on identified property of the taxpayer. The tax liens are annotated at the back of the title document of the property in case of real property Tax liens make the government a priority claimant on the identified properties of the delinquent taxpayer. Actual The taxpayer is already delinquent in payment of his tax Upon failure to pay the delinquent tax at the time required, the proper officer shall seize and distraint any goods, chattels, or effects, and the personal property, including stocks and other securities, debts, credits, bank accounts and interests in and rights to personal property of the taxpayer on sufficient quantity to satisfy the tax, expenses of distraint and he cost of the subsequent sale. Constructive Constructive distraint is a preventive remedy whose aim is to forestall a possible dissipation of the taxpayer’s asset when delinquency takes place no actual delinquency is necessary before it may be resorted to May be availed: a) Taxpayer is retiring from business subject to tax b) He intends to leave the Philippines c) He removes his property therefrom d) He hides or conceals his property e) He performs any act tending to obstruct the proceedings for collecting the tax due or which may be due from him actual seizure and distraint of personal property of Property is not physically taken the taxpayer, physically taken CONSTRUCTIVE DISTRAINT How to effect constructive distraint? Requiring the taxpayer or any person having possession or control of such property to a) Sign a receipt covering the property distrained a) Obligate himself to preserve the same intact and unaltered b) Not to dispose of the same in any manner whatever without the express authority of the Commissioner. INCASE OF REFUSAL If the taxpayer or any other person refuses or fails to sign the receipt, the revenue officer effecting the constructive distraint shall proceed to prepare a list of such property and, in the presence of two witnesses, leave a copy thereof in the premises where the property distrained is located, after which the said property shall be deemed to have been placed under constructive distraint. Actual Distraint Procedure for actual distraint 1. Commencement of distraint proceedings 2. Service of warrant of distraint 3. Notice of sale of distrained property 4. Sale of property distrained Manner of serving warrant of distraint 1. Goods, chattels, effects or other personal property The officer serving the warrant of distraint shall make or cause to be made an account of the goods, chattels, effects or other personal property distrained, signed by himself, which includes a statement of the sum demanded and note of the time and place of the sale. A copy shall be left either with the owner or person from whose possession such goods, chattels, or effects or other personal property were taken, or at the dwelling of business of such person and with someone of suitable age and discretion. 2. Stocks and other securities Stocks and other securities shall be distrained by serving a copy of the warrant of distraint upon the taxpayer and upon the president, manager, treasurer or other responsible officer of the corporation, company or association, which issued the said stocks or securities. 3. Debts and credits Debts and credits shall be distrained by leaving with the person owing the debts or having in his possession or under his control such credits, or with his agent, a copy of the warrant of distraint. The warrant of distraint shall be sufficient authority to the person owing the debts or having in his possession or under his control any credits belonging to the taxpayer to pay to the Commissioner the amount of such debts or credits. 4. Bank accounts Bank accounts shall be garnished by serving a warrant of garnishment upon the taxpayer and upon the president, manager, treasurer or other responsible officer of the bank. Upon receipt of the warrant of garnishment, the bank shall turn over to the Commissioner so much of the bank accounts as may be sufficient to satisfy the claim of the Government. Purchase by government at sale upon distraint The Commissioner or his deputy may purchase the property distrained in behalf of the National Government when: 1. the amount bid for the property under distraint is not equal to the amount of the tax; or 2. the amount is very much less than the actual market value of the articles offered for sale. Property so purchased may be resold by the Commissioner or his deputy. LEVY Procedure on levy of real property 1. Service of warrant of levy 2. Advertisement of the sale 3. Public sale of the property under levy or forfeiture of the property to the government for want of bidder 4. Redemption of property or consolidation of ownership and title in the purchaser How to effect levy? Internal revenue officer shall prepare a duly authenticated certificate showing the name of the taxpayer and the amount of the tax and penalty due from him. Such certificate shall operate with the force of a legal execution throughout the Philippines. Levy shall be effected by writing upon said certificate a description of the property upon which levy is made. At the same time, written notice of the levy shall be mailed to or served upon the Register of Deeds of the province or city where the property is located and upon the delinquent taxpayer, or if he is absent from the Philippines, to his agent or manager, or to the occupant of the property in question. Advertisement of sale Posting a notice of sale at least 30 days at the main entrance of the municipal or city hall and in a public and conspicuous place in the city or municipality where the property is located Publication once a week for three weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality or city where the property is located Redemption of real property sold Delinquent taxpayer have the right to redeem the real property sold by him or any one for him within one (1) year from the date of sale. Taxpayer must pay the amount of public taxes, penalties, and interest from the date of delinquency to the date of sale, together with interest on said purchase price at the rate of 15% per annum from the date of purchase to the date of redemption. The owner shall not, however, be deprived of the possession of the said property and shall be entitled to the rents and other income thereof until the expiration of the time allowed for its redemption. Forfeiture to government for want of bidder in sale of real property Internal revenue officer conducting the sale of real property levied shall declare the property forfeited to the Government in satisfaction of the claim when: 1. there is no bidder for real property exposed for sale; or 2. the highest bid is for an amount insufficient to pay the taxes, penalties and costs. Resale of real estate taken for taxes The Commissioner shall have charge of any real estate obtained by the Government in payment or satisfaction of taxes, penalties or costs arising under the NIRC or in compromise or adjustment of any claim thereof. The Commissioner may, upon giving not less than 20 days notice, sell and dispose of the said property at public auction or, with the prior approval of the Secretary of Finance, dispose of the same at private sale. Forfeiture The effect of forfeiture is to transfer the title to the specific thing from the owner to the government. In case of personal property: The forfeiture of chattels and removable fixtures of any sort is enforced by seizure and sale or destruction of the specific forfeited property. In case of real property: The forfeiture of real property is enforced by a judgment of condemnation and sale in a legal action or proceeding, civil or criminal, as the case may require. Forfeiture of property used in unlicensed business or dies used for printing false stamps, etc. All chattels, machinery, and removable fixtures of any sort used in the unlicensed production of articles subject to excise tax shall be forfeited. Dies and other equipment used for the printing or making of any internal revenue stamp, label or tag which is in imitation of or purports to be a lawful stamp, label or tag shall also be forfeited. Forfeiture of goods illegally stored or removed Unless otherwise specifically authorized by the Commissioner, all articles subject to excise tax should not be stored or allowed to remain in a distillery, distillery warehouse, bonded warehouse or other place where made, after the tax thereon has been paid; otherwise, all such articles shall be forfeited. Articles withdrawn from any such place or from customs custody or imported into the country without the payment of the required tax shall likewise be forfeited TAX LIEN When a taxpayer neglects or refuses to pay his internal revenue tax liability after demand, the amount so demanded shall be a lien in favor of the government from the time the assessment was made by the Commissioner until paid with interest, penalties, and costs that may accrue in addition thereto, upon all property and rights to property belonging to the taxpayer. Lien shall not be valid against any mortgagee, purchaser or judgment creditor until notice of such lien shall be filed by the Commissioner in the Register of Deeds of the province or city where the property of the taxpayer is located Compromise Abatement Reduction of taxpayer’s liability Entire liability of the taxpayer is cancelled GROUNDS 1. A reasonable doubt as to the validity of the 1. When the tax or any portion thereof appears to claim against the taxpayer exists; be unjustly or excessively assessed. 2. The financial position of the taxpayer 2. When the administration and collection costs demonstrates a clear inability to pay the assessed involved do not justify the collection of the tax. amount due. Compromise of criminal violations All criminal violations may be compromised except: 1. those already filed in court; and 2. those involving fraud. Limitations on compromise For cases of financial incapacity, a minimum compromise rate equivalent to 10% of the basic assessed tax; and For other cases, a minimum compromise rate equivalent to 40% of the basic assessed tax. Where the basic tax exceeds one million pesos (P1,000,000) or where the settlement offered is less than the prescribed minimum rates, the compromise shall be subject to the approval of the Evaluation Board which shall be composed of the Commissioner and the four Deputy Commissioners. Delegation of the power of compromise The Commissioner may delegate his power to compromise to the Deputy Commissioners and the Regional Directors subject to such limitations and restrictions as may be imposed under rules and regulations to be promulgated for the purpose. Civil and criminal actions Civil and criminal actions and proceedings instituted in behalf of the Government under the authority of the NIRC or other law enforced by the Bureau of Internal Revenue shall be brought in the name of the Government of the Philippines and shall be conducted by legal officers of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, but no civil or criminal action for the recovery of taxes or the enforcement of any fine, penalty or forfeiture under this Code shall be filed in court without the approval of the Commissioner. [Section 220, NIRC] In a fraud assessment which has become final and executory, the fact of fraud shall be judicially taken cognizance of in the civil or criminal action for the collection thereof. Civil action Civil action, as a mode of tax collection, is resorted to when a tax liability becomes collectible. Collectibility of a tax arises in the following instances: 1. When a tax is assessed but the assessment becomes final and unappealable because the taxpayer fails to file an administrative protest. 2. When a protest against the assessment is filed by the taxpayer and a decision is rendered by the Commissioner but said decision becomes final, executory and demandable for failure of the taxpayer to file an appeal. A civil action may also be filed in order to collect the so-called self assessed tax. No civil action for the recovery of taxes shall be filed without the approval of the Commissioner.
