Tax Lien Lawyers in Waveland

A "lien" in Waveland, 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 several 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 Waveland, 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 Waveland, 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 Waveland, Mississippi

The actual process of setting up a Waveland, Mississippi tax lien is typically pretty simple. The agency responsible for collecting taxes must first determine that a tax lien is warranted, typically by finding that the debtor owes a significant amount of back taxes.

At this point, the taxpayer will receive a letter containing a "notice and demand," which, as the name suggests, gives notice that the recipient owes taxes, and demands immediate payment. It will typically give the taxpayer about 10 days to pay the demanded amount.

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.

But, under federal law, there are limits to how tax liens can be enforced in Waveland, Mississippi, 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 Waveland, 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.

Accordingly, it's important that you contact a tax attorney in Waveland, Mississippi to ensure that whatever legal rights you have in this situation are protected. Your attorney will also be able to advise you on how to best deal with the situation.