Tax Lien Lawyers in Pasco County

In Pasco 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 Pasco 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.

However, a tax lien in Pasco County, Florida will be ineffective if the debtor doesn't own any valuable property to encumber with a lien. As with any debt, the creditor can't collect if the debtor doesn't have any assets. However, a tax lien can be applied to property that the taxpayer acquires after the lien goes into effect.

Tax Lien Procedure in Pasco County, Florida

In Pasco County, Florida, the process for creating a tax lien is fairly uncomplicated. First, the tax authorities determine that a taxpayer really owes taxes that they haven't paid (that they're delinquent in their taxes).

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.

But, under federal law, there are limits to how tax liens can be enforced in Pasco County, Florida, and elsewhere. Typically, 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 Pasco County, Florida Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you receive notice from the federal government, or the government of Florida that a tax lien has been imposed on your property, some pretty complex legal issues are necessarily involved.

Accordingly, it's important that you retain a tax attorney in Pasco 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.