Tax Lien Lawyers in Hinsdale

In Hinsdale, Illinois, a "lien" is a type of property right, which is created by a court to acquire payment of a lawful debt. Generally, a valid lien gives its holder the right to seize the property subject to it, or at least some of the property's equity, to satisfy the debt. If the owner sells a piece of property that's subject to a lien, the creditor who owns the lien may be entitled to the proceeds, up to the amount you owe them. It can also put them "first in line" compared to other creditors, if the debtor files for bankruptcy.

A "tax lien" is simply a lien placed on a piece of property by the state or local government, to acquire the payment of back taxes. A tax lien in Hinsdale, Illinois can arise to secure the payment of any federal or state tax, including income tax, estate tax, or gift tax.

However, a tax lien in Hinsdale, Illinois 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 Hinsdale, Illinois

In Hinsdale, 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).

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 (usually 10 days) to pay them without incurring a penalty.

If that time period expires, and the debtor still hasn't paid, the Illinois 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 Hinsdale, 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 Hinsdale, 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 Hinsdale, 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.