Tax Lien Lawyers in Williamsville

A "lien" in Williamsville, New York 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, then, is simply a lien that is established for the particular purpose of collecting taxes from a delinquent tax payer in Williamsville, New York.

Tax liens in Williamsville, New York 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 Williamsville, New York

The process of imposing a tax lien on property in Williamsville, New York is usually fairly simple. The initial step is for the IRS or local tax agency to decide that a person actually 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 decided that they owe back taxes, and that they have a short period of time (usually 10 days) to pay them without incurring a penalty.

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

Nonetheless, there are limits to how and when a tax lien can be enforced, at least under federal law. The IRS has 10 years to enforce a tax lien in Williamsville, New York or anywhere else in the U.S. If it never bothers to take action to seize property that's subject to a tax lien, the lien simply ceases to exist after 10 years. This rule is in place to ensure that the government does not sit on its rights, and to keep potentially-valuable property from being encumbered forever. Essentially, it creates a measure of certainty for both parties.

How Can a Williamsville, New York Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

Luckily for you, tax lawyers in Williamsville, New York are experts at dealing with matters such as these, and can make sure your rights are safeguarded, and advise you on the best way to proceed, if you are facing the prospect of a tax lien.