Tax Lien Lawyers in Lane County

In Lane County, Oregon, a "lien" is specified as a property right that's authorized to a creditor against a piece of property owned by a debtor, for the purpose of collecting on the debt if the debtor is unwilling or unable to pay. A lien permits its owner to exercise some control over the property that is the subject of the lien. This includes the right to force a sale of the property, and to seize the resulting revenue, and priority access to the property ahead of other creditors.

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 Lane County, Oregon can arise to secure the payment of any federal or state tax, including income tax, estate tax, or gift tax.

However, a tax lien in Lane County, Oregon 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. Nonetheless, a tax lien can be applied to property that the taxpayer gains after the lien goes into effect.

Tax Lien Procedure in Lane County, Oregon

The actual process of setting up a Lane County, Oregon tax lien is typically pretty simple. The agency responsible for collecting taxes must first decide that a tax lien is warranted, typically by finding that the debtor owes a significant amount of back 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 deadline passes without payment, most tax liens in Oregon take effect automatically, giving the tax collectors all of the options in your property that any other lien holder would have.

Nonetheless, in Lane County, Oregon, and anywhere else in America, a tax lien only lasts for 10 years, and then it automatically expires. If the IRS fails to exercise the considerable rights that it has under a tax lien within that period of time, it is assumed that they never intend to do so, and the lien will cease to exist. This ensures that valuable property is only kept out of the economy for a narrow period of time.

How Can a Lane County, Oregon Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

Luckily, Lane County, Oregon tax attorneys can help. If you are facing the prospect of a tax lien, you should not hesitate to seek skilled legal advice, to ensure that your legal rights are protected.