Tax Lien Lawyers in North Adams

In North Adams, 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 North Adams, 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 North Adams, Massachusetts are usually only effective if the taxpayer has a significant amount of property on which a lien can be placed. However, it's important 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 North Adams, Massachusetts

The process of imposing a tax lien on property in North Adams, Massachusetts is typically fairly simple. The initial step is for the IRS or local tax agency to decide that a person truly owes back taxes, and that it is worth the effort to impose a lien.

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

But, under federal law, there are limits to how tax liens can be enforced in North Adams, Massachusetts, and elsewhere. Usually, 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 North Adams, Massachusetts Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

Therefore, if you think that any piece of property you own might become subject to a tax lien in North Adams, Massachusetts, you should not delay to seek the advice of a skilled tax attorney immediately.