A. If the secretary at any time reasonably believes that the collection of any tax for which a taxpayer is liable will be jeopardized by delay, the secretary may immediately make a jeopardy assessment of the amount of tax the payment of which to the state the secretary believes to be in jeopardy.

B. A jeopardy assessment is effective upon the delivery, in person or by certified mail, to the taxpayer against whom the liability for tax is asserted, of a document entitled "notice of jeopardy assessment of taxes", issued in the name of the secretary, stating the nature and amount of the taxes assertedly owed by the taxpayer to the state, demanding of the taxpayer the immediate payment of that amount of tax and briefly informing the taxpayer of the steps that may be taken against the taxpayer as well as of the remedies available to the taxpayer.

C. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Tax Administration Act, if any taxpayer against whom a jeopardy assessment has been made neglects or refuses either to pay the amount of tax demanded of the taxpayer or furnish satisfactory security therefor within five days of the service upon the taxpayer of the notice of jeopardy assessment, the secretary may immediately proceed to collect the tax by levy, as provided in Section 7-1-31 NMSA 1978, on sufficient property of the taxpayer to satisfy the deficiency, protect the interests of the state by, as provided in Section 7-1-53 NMSA 1978, enjoining the taxpayer from doing business in New Mexico or both.

D. A taxpayer to whom a jeopardy assessment has been made may cause the procedure of levy or injunction as set forth in Subsection C of this section to be stayed by filing with the department acceptable security in an amount equal to the amount of taxes assessed, as provided in Section 7-1-54 NMSA 1978. A taxpayer to whom a jeopardy assessment has been made may dispute the jeopardy assessment either by furnishing security and otherwise following the procedures set forth in Section 7-1-24 NMSA 1978 or by paying the tax and claiming a refund as provided by Section 7-1-26 NMSA 1978.

History: 1953 Comp., § 72-13-72, enacted by Laws 1965, ch. 248, § 60; 1979, ch. 144, § 53; 1993, ch. 30, § 9.

The 1993 amendment, effective June 18, 1993, substituted "secretary" for "director" in Subsections A, B, and C; substituted "department" for "division" in the first sentence of Subsection D; and made related and other minor stylistic changes.

Enforcement action. State officials are not entitled to absolute immunity for jeopardy tax assessments which are primarily investigatory and administrative in nature. Perez v. Ellington, 421 F.3d 1128 (10th Cir. 2005).

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 72 Am. Jur. 2d State and Local Taxation § 711.