Tax Lien Lawyers in Hinds County

A "lien" in Hinds County, Mississippi 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 many 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 likely 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 secure the payment of back taxes. A tax lien in Hinds County, Mississippi can arise to secure the payment of any federal or state tax, including income tax, estate tax, or gift tax.

Of course, a tax lien in Hinds County, Mississippi 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. However, a tax lien applies to property that the taxpayer obtains even after the lien is created. Apparently, this makes it quite a bit easier for the government to collect its taxes.

Tax Lien Procedure in Hinds County, Mississippi

The process of imposing a tax lien on property in Hinds County, Mississippi is typically fairly simple. The first step is for the IRS or local tax agency to determine that a person truly owes back taxes, and that it is worth the effort to impose a lien.

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 given period of time (typically 10 days) to pay what they owe.

If this 10-day period expires without payment, the tax lien arises automatically. Once this happens, the tax authorities in Mississippi have all the rights in the taxpayer's property that any other lien holder would have, including priority over competing creditors.

However, in Hinds County, Mississippi, 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 narrow period of time.

How Can a Hinds County, Mississippi Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

Thus, it should go without saying that if you are facing the prospect of your home or vehicle being slapped with a tax lien, you need to pursue the advice of a knowledgeable tax lawyer in Hinds County, Mississippi as soon as you can.