Tax Lien Lawyers in Montgomery County

In Montgomery County, Maryland, a "lien" is a type of property right, which is created by a court to obtain payment of a lawful debt. Generally, 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 also put them "first in line" compared to other creditors, if the debtor files for bankruptcy.

In Montgomery County, Maryland, a "tax lien" is simply a lien imposed by the government to collect back taxes from a person or corporation, when other methods for collecting have failed.

However, a tax lien in Montgomery County, 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 Montgomery County, Maryland

In Montgomery County, Maryland, the process for creating a tax lien is fairly uncomplicated. First, the tax authorities determine that a taxpayer actually owes taxes that they haven't paid (that they're delinquent in their taxes).

Then, the IRS, or state tax authorities, send a "notice and demand," informing the taxpayer that they owe back taxes, and that they are required to pay their taxes within 10 days.

If the deadline passes without payment, most tax liens in Maryland take effect automatically, giving the tax collectors all of the rights in your property that any other lien holder would have.

However, in Montgomery County, Maryland, and anywhere else in America, a tax lien only lasts for 10 years, and then it automatically expires. If the IRS fails to exercise the substantial rights that it has under a tax lien within that period of time, it is assumed that they never intend to do so, and the lien will cease to exist. This ensures that valuable property is only kept out of the economy for a limited period of time.

How Can a Montgomery County, 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 complicated legal issues are necessarily involved.

Fortunately, Montgomery County, Maryland tax attorneys can help. If you are facing the prospect of a tax lien, you should not hesitate to seek competent legal advice, to ensure that your legal rights are protected.