Tax Lien Lawyers in Havre De Grace

In Havre De Grace, Maryland, a "lien" is a type of property right, which is created by a court to obtain 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 Havre De Grace, Maryland, a "tax lien" is simply a lien imposed by the government to gather back taxes from a person or corporation, when other methods for collecting have failed.

However, a tax lien in Havre De Grace, 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. However, a tax lien can be applied to property that the taxpayer acquires after the lien goes into effect.

Tax Lien Procedure in Havre De Grace, Maryland

In Havre De Grace, Maryland, the procedure for imposing a tax lien is relatively simple. First, the IRS makes a determination that a person is delinquent in their tax obligation.

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.

But, under federal law, there are limits to how tax liens can be enforced in Havre De Grace, Maryland, 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 Havre De Grace, Maryland Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you receive notice from the federal government, or the government of Maryland that a tax lien has been imposed on your property, some pretty intricate legal issues are necessarily involved.

Luckily, Havre De Grace, Maryland tax attorneys can help. If you are facing the prospect of a tax lien, you should not hesitate to seek skilled legal advice, to ensure that your legal rights are protected.