Tax Lien Lawyers in Fall River
In Fall River, Massachusetts, 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.
In Fall River, Massachusetts, a "tax lien" is simply a lien imposed by the government to gather back taxes from a citizen or corporation, when other methods for collecting have failed.
Tax Liens in Fall River, Massachusetts are usually only effective if the taxpayer has a significant amount of property on which a lien can be placed. However, it's critical to note that basically any property, including that which is acquired after the lien is imposed, can be subject to a tax lien.
Tax Lien Procedure in Fall River, Massachusetts
In Fall River, Massachusetts, 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).
At this point, they will send the taxpayer a written notice stating that they owe a particular amount of money in back taxes, and that they have a small window of time (frequently 10 days or less) to pay it.
If the back taxes are not paid before the deadline is up, the lien will typically take effect immediately, with no further action by the IRS or Massachusetts tax agency, giving them all the rights in your property that the law permits.
But, these rights are limited. In Fall River, Massachusetts, and everywhere else in the United States, the IRS has 10 years to enforce a tax lien. If they do nothing about it within 10 years, the lien expires. This rule exists for a few reasons. First, it encourages the IRS to act as quickly and efficiently as possible, and not "sit on its rights." Also, it acknowledges the fact that any encumbrance on a piece of property, such as a lien, makes the property less valuable. By guaranteeing that the lien will either be satisfied or expire within 10 years, this prevents property from being withheld from the stream of commerce forever.
How Can a Fall River, Massachusetts Tax Lien Lawyer Help?
If you receive notice from the federal government, or the government of Massachusetts that a tax lien has been imposed on your property, some pretty intricate legal issues are necessarily involved.
Thus, it should go without saying that if you are facing the prospect of your home or vehicle being slapped with a tax lien, you need to pursue the advice of a reliable tax lawyer in Fall River, Massachusetts as soon as you can.