Tax Lien Lawyers in Takoma Park

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

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

However, a tax lien in Takoma Park, 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 Takoma Park, Maryland

In Takoma Park, Maryland, the process for creating a tax lien is fairly uncomplicated. First, the tax authorities determine that a taxpayer really 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 some amount of money in back taxes, and that they have a small window of time (commonly 10 days or less) to pay it.

If the back taxes are not paid before the deadline is up, the lien will normally 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 authorizes.

But, these rights are limited. In Takoma Park, Maryland, 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." Second, it acknowledges the fact that any encumbrance on a piece of property, such as a lien, makes the property less valuable. By ensuring that the lien will either be satisfied or expire within 10 years, this prevents property from being withheld from the stream of commerce indefinitely.

How Can a Takoma Park, 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 convoluted, extremely quickly.

Accordingly, if you think that any piece of property you own might become subject to a tax lien in Takoma Park, Maryland, you should not hesitate to seek the advice of a qualified tax attorney immediately.