Tax Lien Lawyers in Lafayette Parish

In Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, 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," then, is a lien held by the government to collect a tax-related debt from a private entity, such as a citizen or corporation in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana.

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

Tax Lien Procedure in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana

In Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, the process for creating a tax lien is fairly uncomplicated. First, the tax authorities decide that a taxpayer truly owes taxes that they haven't paid (that they're delinquent in their taxes).

Then, the taxpayer is sent a letter with a "notice and demand," which informs the taxpayer that the IRS has decided that they owe back taxes, and that they have a short period of time (typically 10 days) to pay them without incurring a penalty.

If that time period expires, and the debtor still hasn't paid, the Louisiana tax lien will go into effect automatically, with no additional action required.

Nonetheless, if the federal government does not seek to enforce a tax lien in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana 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 Lafayette Parish, Louisiana Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you are notified by the government that you owe back taxes in Louisiana, 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 Lafayette Parish, Louisiana 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.