Tax Lien Lawyers in Clarksburg

A "lien" in Clarksburg, West Virginia is a type of security interest that one person or entity has in someone else's property. Normally, a lien is created by a court, to secure payment of a debt. A lien gives its holder many rights in the property that is subject to it, including the right to seize the funds if the property is sold, and priority access to the property, in front of other creditors.

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

However, a tax lien in Clarksburg, West Virginia 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 Clarksburg, West Virginia

Imposing a tax lien in Clarksburg, West Virginia is normally an uncomplicated process. Usually, the tax authorities simply have to make a decision that the taxpayer is delinquent in their taxes, and that imposing and enforcing a tax lien will actually be worth the effort.

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 back taxes are not paid before the deadline is up, the lien will typically take effect immediately, with no further action by the IRS or West Virginia tax agency, giving them all the rights in your property that the law permits.

But, under federal law, there are limits to how tax liens can be enforced in Clarksburg, West Virginia, and elsewhere. Usually, 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 Clarksburg, West Virginia Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

Therefore, it's important that you contact a tax attorney in Clarksburg, West Virginia to ensure that whatever legal rights you have in this situation are defended. Your attorney will also be able to advise you on how to best deal with the situation.