Tax Lien Lawyers in Rochester

In Rochester, Indiana, a "lien" is a type of property right, which is created by a court to obtain 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 secure the payment of back taxes. A tax lien in Rochester, Indiana can arise to secure the payment of any federal or state tax, including income tax, estate tax, or gift tax.

However, like any other debt-collection method, a tax lien is worthless if the debtor has no considerable property on which a lien can be imposed. To get around this limitation, most tax liens in Rochester, Indiana apply to after-acquired property (property obtained after the lien was created). Most other liens only apply to certain pieces of property, or property that the debtor owned at the time the lien went into effect.

Tax Lien Procedure in Rochester, Indiana

The process of imposing a tax lien on property in Rochester, Indiana is normally fairly simple. The first step is for the IRS or local tax agency to determine that a person really owes back taxes, and that it is worth the effort to impose a lien.

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 specific period of time (normally 10 days) to pay what they owe.

If the deadline passes without payment, most tax liens in Indiana take effect automatically, giving the tax collectors all of the rights in your property that any other lien holder would have.

However, 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 Rochester, Indiana 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 prevent potentially-valuable property from being encumbered indefinitely. Basically, it creates a measure of certainty for both parties.

How Can a Rochester, Indiana Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

Accordingly, it's important that you retain a tax attorney in Rochester, Indiana to ensure that whatever legal rights you have in this situation are protected. Your attorney will also be able to advise you on how to best deal with the situation.