Tax Lien Lawyers in Orland Hills

In Orland Hills, Illinois, a "lien" is a type of property right, which is created by a court to acquire payment of a lawful debt. Usually, 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 additionally 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 Orland Hills, 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 Orland Hills, 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 Orland Hills, Illinois

The actual process of setting up an Orland Hills, Illinois 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.

They will then mail a document called a "notice and demand," which lets the taxpayer know that they owe money on their taxes, and that they have a given period of time (typically 10 days) to pay what they owe.

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 Illinois tax agency, giving them all the rights in your property that the law permits.

But, these rights are limited. In Orland Hills, Illinois, and everywhere else in the United States, the IRS has 10 years to enforce a tax lien. If they do nothing about it within 10 years, the lien expires. This rule exists for a few reasons. First, it encourages the IRS to act as quickly and efficiently as possible, and not "sit on its rights." Additionally, it acknowledges the fact that any encumbrance on a piece of property, such as a lien, makes the property less valuable. By guaranteeing that the lien will either be satisfied or expire within 10 years, this prevents property from being withheld from the stream of commerce forever.

How Can a Orland Hills, Illinois Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

Therefore, it's important that you contact a tax attorney in Orland Hills, 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.