Title 27

SECTION 70.204

70.204 Discharge of liens; nonjudicial sales.

§ 70.204 Discharge of liens; nonjudicial sales.

(a) In general. Title 26 U.S.C. 7425(b) contains provisions with respect to the effect on the interest of the United States in property in which the United States has or claims a lien, or a title derived from the enforcement of a lien, of a sale made pursuant to:

(1) An instrument creating a lien on the property sold.

(2) A confession of judgment on the obligation secured by an instrument creating a lien on the property sold, or

(3) A statutory lien on the property sold.

For purposes of this section, such a sale is referred to as a “nonjudicial sale.” The term “nonjudicial sale” includes, but is not limited to, the divestment of the taxpayer's interest in property which occurs by operation of law, by public or private sale, by forfeiture, or by termination under provisions contained in a contract for a deed or a conditional sales contract. Under 26 U.S.C. 7425(b)(1), if a notice of lien is filed in accordance with 26 U.S.C. 6323(f) or (g), or the title derived from the enforcement of a lien is recorded as provided by local law, more than 30 days before the date of sale and the appropriate TTB officer is not given notice of the sale (in the manner prescribed in § 70.205 of this part), the sale shall be made subject to and without disturbing the lien or title of the United States. Under 26 U.S.C. 7425(b)(2)(C), in any case in which notice of the sale is given to the appropriate TTB officer not less than 25 days prior to the date of sale (in the manner prescribed in 26 U.S.C. 7425(c)(1)), the sale shall have the same effect with respect to the discharge or divestment of the lien or title as may be provided by local law with respect to other junior liens or other titles derived from the enforcement of junior liens. A nonjudicial sale pursuant to a lien which is junior to a tax lien does not divest the tax lien, even though notice of the nonjudicial sale is given to the appropriate TTB officer. However, under the provisions of 26 U.S.C. 6325(b) and § 70.150 of this part, designated officers may discharge the property from a tax lien, including a tax lien which is senior to another lien upon the property.

(b) Date of sale. In the case of a nonjudicial sale subject to the provisions of 26 U.S.C. 7425(b), in order to compute any period of time determined with reference to the date of sale, the date of sale shall be determined in accordance with the following rules:

(1) In the case of divestment of junior liens on property resulting directly from a public sale, the date of sale is deemed to be the date the public sale is held, regardless of the date under local law on which junior liens on the property are divested or the title to the property is transferred.

(2) In the case of divestment of junior liens on property resulting directly from a private sale, the date of sale is deemed to be the date title to the property is transferred, regardless of the date junior liens on the property are divested under local law, and

(3) In the case of divestment of junior liens on property not resulting directly from a public or private sale, the date of sale is deemed to be the date on which junior liens on the property are divested under local law. For provisions relating to the right of redemption of the United States, see 26 U.S.C. 7425(d) and § 70.206 of this part.

(26 U.S.C. 7425(b))

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