Tax Lien Lawyers in Butte

A "lien" in Butte, Montana 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 numerous 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 Butte, Montana can arise to secure the payment of any federal or state tax, including income tax, estate tax, or gift tax.

However, like any other debt-collection method, a tax lien is worthless if the debtor has no considerable property on which a lien can be imposed. To get around this limitation, most tax liens in Butte, Montana apply to after-acquired property (property acquired after the lien was created). Most other liens only apply to certain pieces of property, or property that the debtor owned at the time the lien went into effect.

Tax Lien Procedure in Butte, Montana

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

Then, the IRS, or state tax authorities, send a "notice and demand," informing the taxpayer that they owe back taxes, and that they are obligated to pay their taxes within 10 days.

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

But, under federal law, there are limits to how tax liens can be enforced in Butte, Montana, 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 Butte, Montana Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you find yourself on the receiving end of a tax lien in Montana, you are going to have to wade through some substantial and intricate legal contentions.

Therefore, it's important that you retain a tax attorney in Butte, Montana to ensure that whatever legal rights you have in this situation are defended. Your attorney will also be able to advise you on how to best deal with the situation.