Tax Lien Lawyers in Tarentum

In Tarentum, Pennsylvania, 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 allows 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.

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

However, a tax lien in Tarentum, Pennsylvania 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 Tarentum, Pennsylvania

The actual process of setting up a Tarentum, Pennsylvania tax lien is usually pretty simple. The agency responsible for collecting taxes must first decide that a tax lien is warranted, usually by finding that the debtor owes a significant amount of back taxes.

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 deadline expires, and the debtor does not pay the taxes they owe, the lien will take effect automatically. When this occurs, the IRS or Pennsylvania tax agency will have significant rights against the taxpayer's property.

Nonetheless, if the federal government does not seek to enforce a tax lien in Tarentum, Pennsylvania within 10 years of imposing it, federal law dictates that the lien automatically expires. This is effectively a statute of limitations on a tax lien, meant to encourage the federal government to collect its taxes in a reasonable period of time, and guarantee that property is not encumbered by a lien forever.

How Can a Tarentum, Pennsylvania Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you end up having a tax lien imposed on your property in Pennsylvania, you will probably have to deal with some fairly difficult legal issues, which might be intricate to a layperson.

Luckily for you, tax lawyers in Tarentum, Pennsylvania 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.