Tax Lien Lawyers in Waynesville

A "lien" in Waynesville, North Carolina 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 several 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 likely that the lien holder will collect something.

As you might have gathered, a "tax lien" is simply a lien placed on property by the IRS or Waynesville, North Carolina tax authorities, to compile taxes that the property-owner has failed to pay.

Tax Liens in Waynesville, North Carolina are typically only effective if the taxpayer has a significant amount of property on which a lien can be placed. However, it's necessary to note that essentially any property, including that which is acquired after the lien is imposed, can be subject to a tax lien.

Tax Lien Procedure in Waynesville, North Carolina

The actual process of setting up a Waynesville, North Carolina tax lien is normally pretty simple. The agency responsible for collecting taxes must first determine that a tax lien is warranted, normally by finding that the debtor owes a significant amount of back taxes.

At this point, the taxpayer will receive a letter containing a "notice and demand," which, as the name suggests, gives notice that the recipient owes taxes, and demands immediate payment. It will normally give the taxpayer about 10 days to pay the demanded amount.

If the deadline passes without payment, most tax liens in North Carolina take effect automatically, giving the tax collectors all of the rights in your property that any other lien holder would have.

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

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

Thankfully, Waynesville, North Carolina tax attorneys can help. If you are facing the prospect of a tax lien, you should not hesitate to seek qualified legal advice, to ensure that your legal rights are protected.