Tax Lien Lawyers in Carol City
In Carol City, Florida, 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.
In Carol City, Florida, a "tax lien" is simply a lien imposed by the government to gather back taxes from a person or corporation, when other methods for collecting have failed.
Tax liens in Carol City, Florida are ineffective if the taxpayer doesn't have any property to place the lien on. However, virtually any property, including that which the taxpayer obtains after the lien goes into effect, can be affected by a tax lien.
Tax Lien Procedure in Carol City, Florida
The process of imposing a tax lien on property in Carol City, Florida is typically fairly simple. The first step is for the IRS or local tax agency to determine that a person truly owes back taxes, and that it is worth the effort to impose a lien.
At this point, they will send the taxpayer a written notice stating that they owe a particular amount of money in back taxes, and that they have a small window of time (frequently 10 days or less) to pay it.
If this 10-day period expires without payment, the tax lien arises automatically. Once this happens, the tax authorities in Florida have all the rights in the taxpayer's property that any other lien holder would have, including priority over competing creditors.
But, under federal law, there are limits to how tax liens can be enforced in Carol City, Florida, 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 Carol City, Florida Tax Lien Lawyer Help?
If you end up having a tax lien imposed on your property in Florida, you will probably have to deal with some fairly challenging legal issues, which might be confusing to a layperson.
Thankfully for you, tax lawyers in Carol City, Florida 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.