Tax Lien Lawyers in Auburndale

In Auburndale, Florida, a "lien" is a security interest placed on a piece of property, normally land or a house, to secure the payment of a debt. It typically 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.

In Auburndale, Florida, a "tax lien" is simply a lien imposed by the government to compile back taxes from a citizen or corporation, when other methods for collecting have failed.

Tax liens in Auburndale, Florida are ineffective if the taxpayer doesn't have any property to place the lien on. However, basically any property, including that which the taxpayer acquires after the lien goes into effect, can be affected by a tax lien.

Tax Lien Procedure in Auburndale, Florida

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

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 that time period expires, and the debtor still hasn't paid, the Florida tax lien will go into effect automatically, with no additional action required.

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 Auburndale, Florida 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 Auburndale, Florida Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

Therefore, it's important that you retain a tax attorney in Auburndale, Florida 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.