Tax Lien Lawyers in Brevard County

In Brevard County, Florida, a "lien" is a security interest placed on a piece of property, normally land or a house, to secure the payment of a debt. It typically 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 proceeds 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.

In Brevard County, Florida, a "tax lien" is simply a lien imposed by the government to compile back taxes from a person or corporation, when other methods for collecting have failed.

Tax liens in Brevard County, Florida are ineffective if the taxpayer doesn't have any property to place the lien on. However, essentially any property, including that which the taxpayer obtains after the lien goes into effect, can be affected by a tax lien.

Tax Lien Procedure in Brevard County, Florida

The process of imposing a tax lien on property in Brevard County, Florida is normally fairly simple. The first step is for the IRS or local tax agency to determine that a person really owes back taxes, and that it is worth the effort to impose a lien.

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

If that time period expires, and the debtor still hasn't paid, the Florida tax lien will go into effect automatically, with no further action required.

However, if the federal government does not seek to enforce a tax lien in Brevard County, Florida within 10 years of imposing it, federal law dictates that the lien automatically expires. This is effectively a statute of limitations on a tax lien, meant to encourage the federal government to collect its taxes in a reasonable period of time, and ensure that property is not encumbered by a lien forever.

How Can a Brevard County, Florida Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If the federal government, or the government of Florida informs you that they intend to place a tax lien on your property, you will likely face some pretty convoluted and daunting legal issues.

Accordingly, it's important that you retain a tax attorney in Brevard County, Florida to ensure that whatever legal rights you have in this situation are protected. Your attorney will also be able to advise you on how to best deal with the situation.