Tax Lien Lawyers in Manteca

In Manteca, California, a "lien" is a security interest placed on a piece of property, typically land or a house, to secure the payment of a debt. It usually gives a creditor the right to take ownership of any equity that exists in the property, to secure the payment of the debt. If the owner sells the property, the creditor may also be entitled to the funds of the sale, up to the amount owed. It can also give the holder of the lien a higher priority status, giving them an advantage over competing creditors, if the debtor files bankruptcy.

A "tax lien," then, is a lien held by the government to collect a tax-related debt from a private entity, such as a citizen or corporation in Manteca, California.

Tax liens in Manteca, California are ineffective if the taxpayer doesn't have any property to place the lien on. However, practically any property, including that which the taxpayer acquires after the lien goes into effect, can be affected by a tax lien.

Tax Lien Procedure in Manteca, California

The actual process of setting up a Manteca, California tax lien is typically pretty simple. The agency responsible for collecting taxes must first decide that a tax lien is warranted, typically by finding that the debtor owes a significant amount of back taxes.

Then, the taxpayer is sent a letter with a "notice and demand," which informs the taxpayer that the IRS has decided that they owe back taxes, and that they have a short period of time (typically 10 days) to pay them without incurring a penalty.

If the back taxes are not paid before the deadline is up, the lien will typically take effect immediately, with no further action by the IRS or California tax agency, giving them all the rights in your property that the law permits.

But, under federal law, there are limits to how tax liens can be enforced in Manteca, California, and elsewhere. Usually, the IRS has 10 years to try and enforce a tax lien. If no effort is made to enforce a tax lien for 10 years, the lien is automatically lifted, and the lien holder loses all rights in it. This rule exists to ensure that the government collects its taxes in a reasonable time period, and it prevents valuable property (which could otherwise be contributing to the economy by being bought and sold) is not laded with a lien for an indefinite period of time.

How Can a Manteca, California Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you end up having a tax lien imposed on your property in California, you will probably have to deal with some fairly challenging legal issues, which might be intricate to a layperson.

Therefore, if you think that any piece of property you own might become subject to a tax lien in Manteca, California, you should not delay to seek the advice of a skilled tax attorney immediately.