How will Commerce entities use tax refund offset to collect a Commerce debt?
15 C.F.R. § 19.11
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01(a) Tax refund offset. In most cases, the Bureau of the Fiscal Service uses the Treasury Offset Program to collect Commerce debts by the offset of tax refunds and other Federal payments. See § 19.9(c) of this part. If not already transferred to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service under § 19.9 of this part, Commerce entities will refer to the Treasury Offset Program any past-due, legally enforceable Commerce debt for collection by tax refund offset. See 26 U.S.C. 6402(d), 31 U.S.C. 3720A and 31 CFR 285.2.
(b) Notice. At least sixty (60) days prior to referring a Commerce debt to the Treasury Offset Program, Commerce entities will send notice to the debtor in accordance with the requirements of § 19.4 of this part. Commerce entities will certify to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service's Treasury Offset Program, in writing, that the Commerce debt is past due and legally enforceable in the amount submitted and that the Commerce entities have made reasonable efforts to obtain payment of the Commerce debt as described in 31 CFR 285.2(d). In addition, Commerce entities will certify their compliance with all applicable due process and other requirements described in this part and other Federal laws. See 31 U.S.C. 3720A(b) and 31 CFR 285.2.
(c) Administrative review. The notice described in § 19.4 of this part shall provide the debtor with at least 60 days prior to the initiation of tax refund offset to request an administrative review as described in § 19.10(c) of this part. Commerce entities may suspend collection through tax refund offset and/or other collection actions pending the resolution of the debtor's dispute.
Source: eCFRURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-15.xmlFetched: 7/26/2026