Tax Lien Lawyers in Laurel

A "lien" in Laurel, 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 numerous 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 Laurel, 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 Laurel, 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. Nonetheless, 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 Laurel, Mississippi

The process of imposing a tax lien on property in Laurel, Mississippi is typically fairly simple. The initial step is for the IRS or local tax agency to decide 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 that time period expires, and the debtor still hasn't paid, the Mississippi 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 Laurel, Mississippi 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 Laurel, 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 confusing and daunting legal issues.

Therefore, it's important that you contact a tax attorney in Laurel, Mississippi 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.