Tax Lien Lawyers in Pleasant Hill

A "lien" in Pleasant Hill, Missouri is a property right that a person or entity has in property owned by someone else, created by law, for the purpose of enforcing a debt. A lien gives its holder various rights in the property of another person, including the right to seize the proceeds of a sale of the property, and, if the debtor files for bankruptcy, the right to go to the front of the line among other creditors, making it more possible that the lien holder will collect something.

A "tax lien" is simply a lien placed on a piece of property by the state or local government, to acquire the payment of back taxes. A tax lien in Pleasant Hill, Missouri can arise to secure the payment of any federal or state tax, including income tax, estate tax, or gift tax.

Tax liens in Pleasant Hill, Missouri are ineffective if the taxpayer doesn't have any property to place the lien on. However, practically any property, including that which the taxpayer acquires after the lien goes into effect, can be affected by a tax lien.

Tax Lien Procedure in Pleasant Hill, Missouri

The actual process of setting up a Pleasant Hill, Missouri tax lien is typically pretty simple. The agency responsible for collecting taxes must first decide that a tax lien is warranted, typically by finding that the debtor owes a significant amount of back 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 the deadline passes without payment, most tax liens in Missouri take effect automatically, giving the tax collectors all of the options in your property that any other lien holder would have.

But, under federal law, there are limits to how tax liens can be enforced in Pleasant Hill, Missouri, and elsewhere. Usually, the IRS has 10 years to try and enforce a tax lien. If no effort is made to enforce a tax lien for 10 years, the lien is automatically lifted, and the lien holder loses all rights in it. This rule exists to ensure that the government collects its taxes in a reasonable time period, and it prevents valuable property (which could otherwise be contributing to the economy by being bought and sold) is not laded with a lien for an indefinite period of time.

How Can a Pleasant Hill, Missouri Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

Thankfully for you, tax lawyers in Pleasant Hill, Missouri are experts at dealing with matters such as these, and can make sure your rights are safeguarded, and advise you on the best way to proceed, if you are facing the prospect of a tax lien.