Tax Lien Lawyers in Horry County

In Horry County, South Carolina, a "lien" is defined as a property right that's granted 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 authorizes 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 Horry County, South Carolina tax authorities, to compile taxes that the property-owner has failed to pay.

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 Horry County, South Carolina apply to after-acquired property (property obtained 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 Horry County, South Carolina

Imposing a tax lien in Horry County, South Carolina is usually an uncomplicated process. Typically, the tax authorities simply have to make a determination that the taxpayer is delinquent in their taxes, and that imposing and enforcing a tax lien will actually be worth the effort.

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

However, if the federal government does not seek to enforce a tax lien in Horry County, South Carolina 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 ensure that property is not encumbered by a lien forever.

How Can a Horry County, South Carolina Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

Thankfully, Horry County, South 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.