Tax Lien Lawyers in Ashdown

In Ashdown, Arkansas, 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 funds 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 Ashdown, Arkansas tax authorities, to gather taxes that the property-owner has failed to pay.

Of course, a tax lien in Ashdown, Arkansas isn't worth much more than the paper it's printed on if the debtor doesn't own any property of value, on which a lien could be placed. Nonetheless, a tax lien applies to property that the taxpayer obtains even after the lien is created. Apparently, this makes it quite a bit easier for the government to collect its taxes.

Tax Lien Procedure in Ashdown, Arkansas

The process of imposing a tax lien on property in Ashdown, Arkansas is typically fairly simple. The initial step is for the IRS or local tax agency to decide that a person truly owes back taxes, and that it is worth the effort to impose a lien.

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 this 10-day period expires without payment, the tax lien arises automatically. Once this happens, the tax authorities in Arkansas have all the options in the taxpayer's property that any other lien holder would have, containing priority over competing creditors.

Nonetheless, there are limits to how and when a tax lien can be enforced, at least under federal law. The IRS has 10 years to enforce a tax lien in Ashdown, Arkansas or anywhere else in the U.S. If it never bothers to take action to seize property that's subject to a tax lien, the lien simply ceases to exist after 10 years. This rule is in place to ensure that the government does not sit on its rights, and to keep potentially-valuable property from being encumbered forever. Essentially, it creates a measure of certainty for both parties.

How Can a Ashdown, Arkansas Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

Thankfully for you, tax lawyers in Ashdown, Arkansas 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.