Tax Lien Lawyers in Hazelwood

A "lien" in Hazelwood, Missouri is a property right that a person or entity has in property owned by someone else, created by law, for the purpose of enforcing a debt. A lien gives its holder various rights in the property of another person, including the right to seize the proceeds of a sale of the property, and, if the debtor files for bankruptcy, the right to go to the front of the line among other creditors, making it more possible that the lien holder will collect something.

A "tax lien" is simply a lien placed on a piece of property by the state or local government, to acquire the payment of back taxes. A tax lien in Hazelwood, Missouri can arise to secure the payment of any federal or state tax, including income tax, estate tax, or gift tax.

Tax liens in Hazelwood, Missouri 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 Hazelwood, Missouri

The process of imposing a tax lien on property in Hazelwood, Missouri is normally fairly simple. The initial step is for the IRS or local tax agency to decide that a person really owes back taxes, and that it is worth the effort to impose a lien.

At this point, they will send the taxpayer a written notice stating that they owe a some amount of money in back taxes, and that they have a small window of time (commonly 10 days or less) to pay it.

If this 10-day period expires without payment, the tax lien arises automatically. Once this happens, the tax authorities in Missouri have all the options in the taxpayer's property that any other lien holder would have, containing priority over competing creditors.

But, these rights are limited. In Hazelwood, Missouri, and everywhere else in the United States, the IRS has 10 years to enforce a tax lien. If they do nothing about it within 10 years, the lien expires. This rule exists for a few reasons. First, it encourages the IRS to act as quickly and efficiently as possible, and not "sit on its rights." Additionally, it acknowledges the fact that any encumbrance on a piece of property, such as a lien, makes the property less valuable. By guaranteeing that the lien will either be satisfied or expire within 10 years, this prevents property from being withheld from the stream of commerce forever.

How Can a Hazelwood, Missouri Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you are notified by the government that you owe back taxes in Missouri, and that they are going to pursue a tax lien to collect their money, things can get very difficult, extremely quickly.

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