Tax Lien Lawyers in Hagerstown
In Hagerstown, Maryland, 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 Hagerstown, Maryland, 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.
However, a tax lien in Hagerstown, Maryland will be ineffective if the debtor doesn't own any valuable property to encumber with a lien. As with any debt, the creditor can't collect if the debtor doesn't have any assets. Nonetheless, a tax lien can be applied to property that the taxpayer gains after the lien goes into effect.
Tax Lien Procedure in Hagerstown, Maryland
In Hagerstown, Maryland, the procedure for imposing a tax lien is relatively simple. First, the IRS makes a decision that a person is delinquent in their tax requirement.
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 Maryland tax agency, giving them all the rights in your property that the law permits.
Nonetheless, if the federal government does not seek to enforce a tax lien in Hagerstown, Maryland 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 Hagerstown, Maryland Tax Lien Lawyer Help?
If you are notified by the government that you owe back taxes in Maryland, and that they are going to pursue a tax lien to collect their money, things can get very confusing, quite quickly.
Thankfully for you, tax lawyers in Hagerstown, Maryland are experts at dealing with matters such as these, and can make sure your rights are safeguarded, and advise you on the best way to proceed, if you are facing the prospect of a tax lien.