Low-Income Exclusion from Private Debt Collection

§ 6306. Qualified tax collection contracts(a) In generalNothing in any provision of law shall be construed to prevent the Secretary from entering into a qualified tax collection contract. (b) Qualified tax collection contractFor purposes of this section, the term “qualified tax collection contract” means any contract which—(1) is for the services of any person (other than an officer or employee of the Treasury Department)—(A) to locate and contact any taxpayer specified by the Secretary, (B) to request full payment from such taxpayer of an amount of Federal tax specified by the Secretary and, if such request cannot be met by the taxpayer, to offer the taxpayer an installment agreement providing for full payment of such amount during a period not to exceed 7 years, and (C) to obtain financial information specified by the Secretary with respect to such taxpayer, (2) prohibits each person providing such services under such contract from committing any act or omission which employees of the Internal Revenue Service are prohibited from committing in the performance of similar services, (3) prohibits subcontractors from—(A) having contacts with taxpayers, (B) providing quality assurance services, and (C) composing debt collection notices, and (4) permits subcontractors to perform other services only with the approval of the Secretary. (c) Collection of inactive tax receivables(1) In generalNotwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall enter into one or more qualified tax collection contracts for the collection of all outstanding inactive tax receivables. (2) Inactive tax receivablesFor purposes of this section—(A) In generalThe term “inactive tax receivable” means any tax receivable if—(i) at any time after assessment, the Internal Revenue Service removes such receivable from the active inventory for lack of resources or inability to locate the taxpayer, (ii) more than 2 years has passed since assessment and such receivable has not been assigned for collection to any employee of the Internal Revenue Service, or (iii) in the case of a receivable which has been assigned for collection, more than 365 days have passed without interaction with the taxpayer or a third party for purposes of furthering the collection of such receivable. (B) Tax receivableThe term “tax receivable” means any outstanding assessment which the Internal Revenue Service includes in potentially collectible inventory. (d) Certain tax receivables not eligible for collection under qualified tax collections contractsA tax receivable shall not be eligible for collection pursuant to a qualified tax collection contract if such receivable—(1) is subject to a pending or active offer-in-compromise or installment agreement, (2) is classified as an innocent spouse case, (3) involves a taxpayer identified by the Secretary as being—(A) deceased, (B) under the age of 18, (C) in a designated combat zone, (D) a victim of tax-related identity theft,