Tax Lien Lawyers in Iron Mountain

In Iron Mountain, Michigan, a "lien" is a type of property right, which is created by a court to acquire 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.

A tax lien, then, is simply a lien that is formed for the particular purpose of collecting taxes from a delinquent tax payer in Iron Mountain, Michigan.

Tax Liens in Iron Mountain, Michigan are generally only effective if the taxpayer has a significant amount of property on which a lien can be placed. However, it's critical to note that basically any property, including that which is acquired after the lien is imposed, can be subject to a tax lien.

Tax Lien Procedure in Iron Mountain, Michigan

In Iron Mountain, Michigan, the process for creating a tax lien is fairly uncomplicated. First, the tax authorities decide that a taxpayer actually owes taxes that they haven't paid (that they're delinquent in their taxes).

Then, the taxpayer is sent a letter with a "notice and demand," which informs the taxpayer that the IRS has decided that they owe back taxes, and that they have a short period of time (usually 10 days) to pay them without incurring a penalty.

If that time period expires, and the debtor still hasn't paid, the Michigan tax lien will go into effect automatically, with no additional action required.

Nonetheless, if the federal government does not seek to enforce a tax lien in Iron Mountain, Michigan 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 Iron Mountain, Michigan Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If the federal government, or the government of Michigan informs you that they intend to place a tax lien on your property, you will likely face some pretty perplexing and daunting legal issues.

Therefore, it's important that you hire a tax attorney in Iron Mountain, Michigan to ensure that whatever legal rights you have in this situation are defended. Your attorney will also be able to advise you on how to best deal with the situation.