<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gtg" article_name="Tax - General" number="13-932" title_number="13" title_name="Procedure" subtitle_number="9" subtitle_name="Refunds and Offsets">
  <level label="a">
    <text>A certification by a federal official to the Comptroller shall include:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the full name and address of the person and any other names known to be used by the person;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the Social Security number or federal tax identification number;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the amount of the nontax liability; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>a statement that the debt is past due and legally enforceable in the amount certified and that there are no legal barriers to collection by offset.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Comptroller shall determine if a person for whom a certification is received is due a refund of Maryland tax or a vendor payment.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Subject to § 13-931(b) of this subtitle and subsection (d) of this section, as to any person due a refund or vendor payment, the Comptroller shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>withhold any refund and vendor payment that is due a person whose name has been certified by a federal official;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>notify the person of the amount withheld in accordance with the certification by a federal official of the existence of a liability;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>pay to the federal official the lesser of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the entire refund and vendor payment; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the amount certified;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>pay any refund and vendor payment in excess of the certified amount to the person; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>withhold amounts from subsequent refunds and vendor payments due the person if the initial refund and vendor payment is less than the certified amount.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>If an individual filed a joint income tax return and the debt certified by a federal official is not the liability of both parties to the joint income tax return, the Comptroller may not withhold or pay to the federal official that portion of the income tax refund attributable to the individual not owing the debt.</text>
  </level>
</section>
