Tax Lien Lawyers in Kittery

In Kittery, Maine, 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 Kittery, Maine, 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, like any other debt-collection method, a tax lien is worthless if the debtor has no considerable property on which a lien can be imposed. To get around this limitation, most tax liens in Kittery, Maine apply to after-acquired property (property obtained after the lien was created). Most other liens only apply to certain pieces of property, or property that the debtor owned at the time the lien went into effect.

Tax Lien Procedure in Kittery, Maine

In Kittery, Maine, 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.

They will then mail a document called a "notice and demand," which lets the taxpayer know that they owe money on their taxes, and that they have a specific period of time (normally 10 days) to pay what they owe.

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 Maine tax agency, giving them all the rights in your property that the law authorizes.

However, in Kittery, Maine, 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 certain period of time.

How Can a Kittery, Maine Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

Fortunately for you, tax lawyers in Kittery, Maine are experts at dealing with matters such as these, and can make sure your rights are protected, and advise you on the best way to proceed, if you are facing the prospect of a tax lien.