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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>80394</law_id><section_number>60.2-523</section_number><catch_line>Priorities under legal dissolutions or distributions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>60.2-500</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="60.2">Unemployment Compensation</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="5">Taxation</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Collection of Taxes</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> 1. In the event of any distribution of an employer&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">assets</span>, taxes, interest and <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> then or thereafter due shall be a <span class="dictionary">lien</span> against such <span class="dictionary">assets</span>, prior to all claims of <span class="dictionary">lien</span> and general <span class="dictionary">creditors</span>. Taxes accruing by reason of an employment for an employer who is a receiver, trustee or other fiduciary shall be a <span class="dictionary">lien</span> against all the <span class="dictionary">assets</span> in the <span class="dictionary">custody</span> or control of such receiver, trustee or other fiduciary, prior and paramount to all other claims of <span class="dictionary">lien</span> and general <span class="dictionary">creditors</span>. <a id="paragraph-287957" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/60.2-523/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Nothing in this article shall be construed in derogation of any prior <span class="dictionary">lien</span> of the Commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions, nor any mortgage, deed of trust or other <span class="dictionary">lien</span> duly perfected prior to the date the taxes or any part thereof first accrued. However, no such <span class="dictionary">lien</span> in favor of the Commonwealth or any of its subdivisions, nor any mortgage, deed of trust or other <span class="dictionary">lien</span> shall in any case be preferred, paramount or prior to the <span class="dictionary">lien</span> for taxes due by any such receiver, trustee or other fiduciary upon payrolls earned in the employment of such receiver, trustee or other fiduciary. <a id="paragraph-287958" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/60.2-523/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> 1. Any taxes, interest or <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> imposed by this chapter shall be a <span class="dictionary">lien</span> upon the <span class="dictionary">assets</span> of the business of any employer, subject to this chapter&#x2019;s provisions, who leases, transfers or sells out his business, or ceases to do business. Such employer shall be required, by the next reporting date as prescribed by the Commission, to file with the Commission all reports and pay all taxes due with respect to wages payable for employment up to the date of such lease, transfer, sale or cessation of the business. Such employer&#x2019;s successor in business shall be required to withhold sufficient of the purchase money to cover the amount of the taxes due and unpaid until such time as the former owner or employer produces a receipt from the Commission showing that the taxes have been paid, or produces a certificate from the Commission that no taxes are due. <a id="paragraph-287959" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/60.2-523/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> If the purchaser of a business or successor of such employer fails to withhold purchase money or any money due to such employer in consideration of a lease or other transfer and the taxes are due and unpaid after the next reporting date, as set forth in subdivision 1 of this subsection, such successor shall be personally liable to the extent of the <span class="dictionary">assets</span> of the business so acquired for the payment of the taxes accrued and unpaid on account of the operation of the business by the former owner or employer. <a id="paragraph-287960" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/60.2-523/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Whenever the purchaser or successor of such employer files with the Commission a written request for a statement showing the amount of any tax due by such employer, unless such statement is furnished to such purchaser or successor within ninety days from the date such written request was filed, such purchaser or successor shall not be liable for any tax or taxes due by such employer, and the <span class="dictionary">lien</span> created by this section shall thereupon be released and discharged. <a id="paragraph-287961" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/60.2-523/#B3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 60-80; 1968, c. 738, &#xA7; 60.1-96; 1977, c. 445; 1986, c. 480.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
