(a)Requirement. Any person in possession of, or obligated with respect to, property or rights to property subject to levy upon which a levy has been made shall, upon demand of the commissioner or the commissioner’s delegate, surrender such property or rights, or discharge such obligation, to the commissioner or the commissioner’s delegate, except such part of the property or rights as is, at the time of such demand, subject to an attachment or execution under any judicial process.

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 67-1-1412

  • Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
  • Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
  • Commissioner: means the commissioner of revenue. See Tennessee Code 67-1-101
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b)Enforcement of Levy.

(1)Extent of Personal Liability. Any person who fails or refuses to surrender any property or rights to property, subject to levy, upon demand by the commissioner or the commissioner’s delegate, shall be liable in that person’s own person and estate to the state in a sum equal to the value of the property or rights not so surrendered, but not exceeding the amount of taxes for the collection of which such levy has been made, together with costs and interest on such sum at the rate of six percent (6%) per annum from the date of such levy. Any amount other than costs recovered under this subdivision (b)(1) shall be credited against the tax liability for the collection of which such levy was made.
(2)Penalty for Violation. In addition to the personal liability imposed by subdivision (b)(1), if any person required to surrender property or rights to property fails or refuses to surrender such property or rights to property without reasonable cause, such person shall be liable for a penalty equal to fifty percent (50%) of the amount recoverable under subdivision (b)(1). No part of such penalty shall be credited against the tax liability for the collection of which such levy was made. Such amount shall be paid into the general fund.
(c)Effect of Honoring Levy. Any person in possession of, or obligated with respect to, property or rights to property subject to levy upon which a levy has been made who, upon demand by the commissioner or the commissioner’s delegate, surrenders such property or rights to property or discharges such obligation to the commissioner or the commissioner’s delegate or who pays a liability under subdivision (b)(1) shall be discharged from any obligation or liability to the delinquent taxpayer with respect to such property or rights to property arising from such surrender or payment. In the case of a levy that is satisfied pursuant to subsection (b), such person shall also be discharged from any obligation or liability to any beneficiary arising from such surrender or payment.
(d)“Person” Defined. “Person,” as used in subsection (a), includes an officer or employee of a corporation or a member or employee of a partnership who, as such officer, employee or member, is under a duty to surrender the property or rights to property, or to discharge the obligation.