Tax Lien Lawyers in Collier County

In Collier County, 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 Collier County, 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 Collier County, Florida are ineffective if the taxpayer doesn't have any property to place the lien on. However, essentially 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 Collier County, Florida

The process of imposing a tax lien on property in Collier County, 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 deadline expires, and the debtor does not pay the taxes they owe, the lien will take effect automatically. When this results, the IRS or Florida tax agency will have substantial rights against the taxpayer's property.

However, 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 Collier County, 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 prevent potentially-valuable property from being encumbered indefinitely. Basically, it creates a measure of certainty for both parties.

How Can a Collier County, 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 complex to a layperson.

Thankfully for you, tax lawyers in Collier County, 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.