Tax Lien Lawyers in Pekin

In Pekin, Illinois, a "lien" is a type of property right, which is created by a court to obtain 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 secure the payment of back taxes. A tax lien in Pekin, 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 Pekin, 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. However, a tax lien can be applied to property that the taxpayer acquires after the lien goes into effect.

Tax Lien Procedure in Pekin, Illinois

The actual process of setting up a Pekin, Illinois tax lien is typically pretty simple. The agency responsible for collecting taxes must first determine 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 deadline passes without payment, most tax liens in Illinois take effect automatically, giving the tax collectors all of the rights in your property that any other lien holder would have.

However, in Pekin, Illinois, 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 substantial 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 Pekin, 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 intricate, quite quickly.

Thankfully for you, tax lawyers in Pekin, Illinois 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.