2012 US Code
Title 26 - Internal Revenue Code
Subtitle F - Procedure and Administration (§§ 6001 - 7874)
Chapter 68 - ADDITIONS TO THE TAX, ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS, AND ASSESSABLE PENALTIES (§§ 6651 - 6751)
Subchapter B - Assessable Penalties (§§ 6671 - 6725)
Part I - GENERAL PROVISIONS (§§ 6671 - 6720C)
Section 6676 - Erroneous claim for refund or credit

If a claim for refund or credit with respect to income tax (other than a claim for a refund or credit relating to the earned income credit under section 32) is made for an excessive amount, unless it is shown that the claim for such excessive amount has a reasonable basis, the person making such claim shall be liable for a penalty in an amount equal to 20 percent of the excessive amount.

For purposes of this section, the term “excessive amount” means in the case of any person the amount by which the amount of the claim for refund or credit for any taxable year exceeds the amount of such claim allowable under this title for such taxable year.

For purposes of this section, any excessive amount which is attributable to any transaction described in section 6662(b)(6) shall not be treated as having a reasonable basis.

This section shall not apply to any portion of the excessive amount of a claim for refund or credit which is subject to a penalty imposed under part II of subchapter A of chapter 68.

(Added Pub. L. 110–28, title VIII, §8247(a), May 25, 2007, 121 Stat. 204; amended Pub. L. 111–152, title I, §1409(d), Mar. 30, 2010, 124 Stat. 1070.)

Section 1409(d) of Pub. L. 111–152, which directed the amendment of section 6676 without specifying the act to be amended, was executed to this section, which is section 6676 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. See 2010 Amendment note below.

A prior section 6676, added Pub. L. 87–397, §1(b), Oct. 5, 1961, 75 Stat. 828; amended Pub. L. 91–172, title I, §101(j)(52), Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 531; Pub. L. 93–406, title II, §1016(a)(20), Sept. 2, 1974, 88 Stat. 931; Pub. L. 97–248, title III, §316(a), Sept. 3, 1982, 96 Stat. 607; Pub. L. 98–67, title I, §105(a), Aug. 5, 1983, 97 Stat. 380; Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title IV, §422(c), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 798; Pub. L. 99–514, title XV, §§1501(b), 1523(b)(3), 1524(b), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2736, 2748, 2749; Pub. L. 100–647, title I, §1015(g), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3570, related to failure to supply identifying numbers, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, §7711(b)(1), (c), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2393, applicable to returns and statements the due date for which (determined without regard to extensions) is after Dec. 31, 1989.

2010—Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 111–152 added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d). See Codification note above.

Amendment by Pub. L. 111–152 applicable to refunds and credits attributable to transactions entered into after Mar. 30, 2010, see section 1409(e)(4) of Pub. L. 111–152, set out as a note under section 6662 of this title.

Pub. L. 110–28, title VIII, §8247(c), May 25, 2007, 121 Stat. 204, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [enacting this section] shall apply to any claim filed or submitted after the date of the enactment of this Act [May 25, 2007].”