Tax Lien Lawyers in Swansea

In Swansea, Illinois, a "lien" is a type of property right, which is created by a court to acquire payment of a lawful debt. Typically, 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 further 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 Swansea, Illinois can arise to secure the payment of any federal or state tax, including income tax, estate tax, or gift tax.

Of course, a tax lien in Swansea, 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. Evidently, this makes it quite a bit easier for the government to collect its taxes.

Tax Lien Procedure in Swansea, Illinois

In Swansea, Illinois, the process for creating a tax lien is fairly uncomplicated. First, the tax authorities decide that a taxpayer really 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 some amount of money in back taxes, and that they have a small window of time (commonly 10 days or less) to pay it.

If the back taxes are not paid before the deadline is up, the lien will normally 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 authorizes.

Nonetheless, if the federal government does not seek to enforce a tax lien in Swansea, Illinois within 10 years of imposing it, federal law dictates that the lien automatically expires. This is effectively a statute of limitations on a tax lien, meant to encourage the federal government to collect its taxes in a reasonable period of time, and guarantee that property is not encumbered by a lien forever.

How Can a Swansea, Illinois Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you end up having a tax lien imposed on your property in Illinois, you will probably have to deal with some fairly hard legal issues, which might be complicated to a layperson.

Thankfully, Swansea, Illinois tax attorneys can help. If you are facing the prospect of a tax lien, you should not hesitate to seek qualified legal advice, to ensure that your legal rights are protected.