Collapse to view only § 6203. Method of assessment

§ 6201. Assessment authority
(a) Authority of Secretary
The Secretary is authorized and required to make the inquiries, determinations, and assessments of all taxes (including interest, additional amounts, additions to the tax, and assessable penalties) imposed by this title, or accruing under any former internal revenue law, which have not been duly paid by stamp at the time and in the manner provided by law. Such authority shall extend to and include the following:
(1) Taxes shown on return
(2) Unpaid taxes payable by stamp
(A) Omitted stamps
(B) Check or money order not duly paid
(3) Erroneous income tax prepayment credits
(4) Certain orders of criminal restitution
(A) In general
(B) Time of assessment
(C) Restriction on challenge of assessment
(b) Amount not to be assessed
(1) Estimated income tax
(2) Federal unemployment tax
(c) Compensation of child
(d) Required reasonable verification of information returns
(e) Deficiency proceedings
(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 767; Pub. L. 89–44, title VIII, § 809(d)(4)(A), June 21, 1965, 79 Stat. 168; Pub. L. 91–53, § 2(b), Aug. 7, 1969, 83 Stat. 92; Pub. L. 91–172, title I, § 101(j)(38), Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 530; Pub. L. 91–258, title II, § 207(d)(1), (2), May 21, 1970, 84 Stat. 248; Pub. L. 93–406, title II, § 1016(a)(8), Sept. 2, 1974, 88 Stat. 929; Pub. L. 94–12, title II, § 204(b)(2), Mar. 29, 1975, 89 Stat. 31; Pub. L. 94–455, title XII, § 1206(c)(2), title XIII, § 1307(d)(2)(D), title XIX, § 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1704, 1727, 1834; Pub. L. 97–424, title V, § 515(b)(6)(E), Jan. 6, 1983, 96 Stat. 2182; Pub. L. 98–76, title II, § 231(b)(2)(A), Aug. 12, 1983, 97 Stat. 429; Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title IV, §§ 412(b)(5), 474(r)(32), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 792, 845; Pub. L. 100–203, title X, § 10301(b)(3), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–429; Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1015(r)(1), title VII, § 7106(c)(2), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3572, 3773; Pub. L. 104–168, title VI, § 602(a), July 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 1463; Pub. L. 111–237, § 3(a), Aug. 16, 2010, 124 Stat. 2497; Pub. L. 115–141, div. U, title II, § 203(b), Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 1176.)
§ 6202. Establishment by regulations of mode or time of assessment

If the mode or time for the assessment of any internal revenue tax (including interest, additional amounts, additions to the tax, and assessable penalties) is not otherwise provided for, the Secretary may establish the same by regulations.

(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 768; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1834.)
§ 6203. Method of assessment

The assessment shall be made by recording the liability of the taxpayer in the office of the Secretary in accordance with rules or regulations prescribed by the Secretary. Upon request of the taxpayer, the Secretary shall furnish the taxpayer a copy of the record of the assessment.

(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 768; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1834.)
§ 6204. Supplemental assessments
(a) General rule
(b) Restrictions on assessment
(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 768; Pub. L. 93–406, title II, § 1016(a)(27), Sept. 2, 1974, 88 Stat. 932; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1834.)
§ 6205. Special rules applicable to certain employment taxes
(a) Adjustment of tax
(1) General rule
(2) United States as employer
(3) Guam or American Samoa as employer
(4) District of Columbia as employer
(5) States and political subdivisions as employer
(b) Underpayments
(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 768; Pub. L. 86–778, title I, § 103(r)(1), Sept. 13, 1960, 74 Stat. 940; Pub. L. 89–97, title III, § 317(d), July 30, 1965, 79 Stat. 389; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1906(a)(13), (b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1825, 1834; Pub. L. 99–272, title XIII, § 13205(a)(2)(D), Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 315.)
§ 6206. Special rules applicable to excessive claims under certain sections

Any portion of a refund made under section 6416(a)(4) and any portion of a payment made under section 6420, 6421, or 6427 which constitutes an excessive amount (as defined in section 6675(b)), and any civil penalty provided by section 6675, may be assessed and collected as if it were a tax imposed by section 4081 (with respect to refunds under section 6416(a)(4) and payments under sections 6420 and 6421), or 4041 or 4081 (with respect to payments under section 6427) and as if the person who made the claim were liable for such tax. The period for assessing any such portion, and for assessing any such penalty, shall be 3 years from the last day prescribed for the filing of the claim under section 6416(a)(4), 6420, 6421, or 6427, as the case may be.

(Added Apr. 2, 1956, ch. 160, § 4(b)(1), 70 Stat. 90; amended June 29, 1956, ch. 462, title II, § 208(d)(1), 70 Stat. 396; Pub. L. 89–44, title II, § 202(c)(2)(A), June 21, 1965, 79 Stat. 139; Pub. L. 91–258, title II, § 207(d)(3), May 21, 1970, 84 Stat. 248; Pub. L. 97–424, title V, § 515(b)(3)(A), Jan. 6, 1983, 96 Stat. 2181; Pub. L. 100–203, title X, § 10502(d)(5), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–444; Pub. L. 103–66, title XIII, § 13242(d)(14), Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 524; Pub. L. 108–357, title VIII, § 853(d)(2)(F), Oct. 22, 2004, 118 Stat. 1613; Pub. L. 109–59, title XI, § 11163(d)(1), Aug. 10, 2005, 119 Stat. 1974.)
§ 6207. Cross references
(1) For prohibition of suits to restrain assessment of any tax, see section 7421.
(2) For prohibition of assessment of taxes against insolvent banks, see section 7507.
(3) For assessment where property subject to tax has been sold in a distraint proceeding without the tax having been assessed prior to such sale, see section 6342.
(4) For assessment with respect to taxes required to be paid by chapter 52, see section 5703.
(5) For assessment in case of distilled spirits removed from place where distilled and not deposited in bonded warehouse, see section 5006(c).
(6) For period of limitation upon assessment, see chapter 66.
(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 769, § 6206; renumbered § 6207, Apr. 2, 1956, ch. 160, § 4(b)(1), 70 Stat. 90; amended Pub. L. 85–859, title II, § 204(2), (3), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1428; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1906(a)(14), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1825.)