Tax Lien Lawyers in Americus

In Americus, Georgia, 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.

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

However, a tax lien in Americus, Georgia 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. Nonetheless, a tax lien can be applied to property that the taxpayer gains after the lien goes into effect.

Tax Lien Procedure in Americus, Georgia

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

Then, the taxpayer is sent a letter with a "notice and demand," which informs the taxpayer that the IRS has decided that they owe back taxes, and that they have a short period of time (typically 10 days) to pay them without incurring a penalty.

If the back taxes are not paid before the deadline is up, the lien will typically take effect immediately, with no further action by the IRS or Georgia tax agency, giving them all the rights in your property that the law permits.

Nonetheless, in Americus, Georgia, 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 considerable 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 Americus, Georgia Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you are notified by the government that you owe back taxes in Georgia, and that they are going to pursue a tax lien to collect their money, things can get very confusing, quite quickly.

Luckily, Americus, Georgia tax attorneys can help. If you are facing the prospect of a tax lien, you should not hesitate to seek skilled legal advice, to ensure that your legal rights are protected.