Tax Lien Lawyers in Chicago
In Chicago, Illinois, a "lien" is a security interest placed on a piece of property, usually land or a house, to secure the payment of a debt. It generally 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.
A tax lien, then, is simply a lien that is formed for the particular purpose of collecting taxes from a delinquent tax payer in Chicago, Illinois.
Of course, a tax lien in Chicago, Illinois 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. Obviously, this makes it quite a bit easier for the government to collect its taxes.
Tax Lien Procedure in Chicago, Illinois
In Chicago, Illinois, the process for creating a tax lien is fairly uncomplicated. First, the tax authorities decide that a taxpayer actually owes taxes that they haven't paid (that they're delinquent in their taxes).
At this point, they will send the taxpayer a written notice stating that they owe a certain amount of money in back taxes, and that they have a small window of time (often 10 days or less) to pay it.
If the deadline passes without payment, most tax liens in Illinois take effect automatically, giving the tax collectors all of the options in your property that any other lien holder would have.
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 Chicago, Illinois 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 Chicago, Illinois Tax Lien Lawyer Help?
If you receive notice from the federal government, or the government of Illinois that a tax lien has been imposed on your property, some pretty complicated legal issues are necessarily involved.
Therefore, it's important that you hire a tax attorney in Chicago, Illinois 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.