Tax Lien Lawyers in Washington County

In Washington County, Minnesota, 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 Washington County, Minnesota.

Of course, a tax lien in Washington County, Minnesota isn't worth much more than the paper it's printed on if the debtor doesn't own any property of value, on which a lien could be placed. Nonetheless, a tax lien applies to property that the taxpayer obtains even after the lien is created. Obviously, this makes it quite a bit easier for the government to collect its taxes.

Tax Lien Procedure in Washington County, Minnesota

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

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

Nonetheless, there are limits to how and when a tax lien can be enforced, at least under federal law. The IRS has 10 years to enforce a tax lien in Washington County, Minnesota or anywhere else in the U.S. If it never bothers to take action to seize property that's subject to a tax lien, the lien simply ceases to exist after 10 years. This rule is in place to ensure that the government does not sit on its rights, and to keep potentially-valuable property from being encumbered forever. Essentially, it creates a measure of certainty for both parties.

How Can a Washington County, Minnesota Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you are notified by the government that you owe back taxes in Minnesota, and that they are going to pursue a tax lien to collect their money, things can get very perplexing, very quickly.

Therefore, it's important that you hire a tax attorney in Washington County, Minnesota 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.