Tax Lien Lawyers in Russellville

In Russellville, Kentucky, 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," then, is a lien held by the government to collect a tax-related debt from a private entity, such as a person or corporation in Russellville, Kentucky.

Of course, a tax lien in Russellville, Kentucky 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. However, 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 Russellville, Kentucky

The actual process of setting up a Russellville, Kentucky tax lien is normally pretty simple. The agency responsible for collecting taxes must first determine that a tax lien is warranted, normally by finding that the debtor owes a significant amount of back taxes.

At this point, the taxpayer will receive a letter containing a "notice and demand," which, as the name suggests, gives notice that the recipient owes taxes, and demands immediate payment. It will normally give the taxpayer about 10 days to pay the demanded amount.

If this 10-day period expires without payment, the tax lien arises automatically. Once this happens, the tax authorities in Kentucky have all the rights in the taxpayer's property that any other lien holder would have, including priority over competing creditors.

But, under federal law, there are limits to how tax liens can be enforced in Russellville, Kentucky, and elsewhere. Typically, the IRS has 10 years to try and enforce a tax lien. If no effort is made to enforce a tax lien for 10 years, the lien is automatically lifted, and the lien holder loses all rights in it. This rule exists to ensure that the government collects its taxes in a reasonable time period, and it prevents valuable property (which could otherwise be contributing to the economy by being bought and sold) is not laded with a lien for an indefinite period of time.

How Can a Russellville, Kentucky Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you find yourself on the receiving end of a tax lien in Kentucky, you are going to have to wade through some substantial and difficult legal contentions.

Accordingly, if you think that any piece of property you own might become subject to a tax lien in Russellville, Kentucky, you should not hesitate to seek the advice of a qualified tax attorney immediately.