Tax Lien Lawyers in Hoover

In Hoover, Alabama, a "lien" is a security interest placed on a piece of property, typically land or a house, to secure the payment of a debt. It usually gives a creditor the right to take ownership of any equity that exists in the property, to secure the payment of the debt. If the owner sells the property, the creditor may also be entitled to the proceeds of the sale, up to the amount owed. It can also give the holder of the lien a higher priority status, giving them an advantage over competing creditors, if the debtor files bankruptcy.

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

However, a tax lien in Hoover, Alabama 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. However, a tax lien can be applied to property that the taxpayer acquires after the lien goes into effect.

Tax Lien Procedure in Hoover, Alabama

The actual process of setting up a Hoover, Alabama tax lien is typically pretty simple. The agency responsible for collecting taxes must first determine that a tax lien is warranted, typically by finding that the debtor owes a significant amount of back taxes.

They will then mail a document called a "notice and demand," which lets the taxpayer know that they owe money on their taxes, and that they have a given period of time (typically 10 days) to pay what they owe.

If the deadline passes without payment, most tax liens in Alabama take effect automatically, giving the tax collectors all of the rights in your property that any other lien holder would have.

However, in Hoover, Alabama, 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 substantial 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 Hoover, Alabama Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

Thankfully for you, tax lawyers in Hoover, Alabama are experts at dealing with matters such as these, and can make sure your rights are protected, and advise you on the best way to proceed, if you are facing the prospect of a tax lien.