Tax Lien in Elizabeth City, North Carolina

Find the right Tax Lien attorney in Elizabeth City, NC

Tax Lien Lawyers in Elizabeth City

A "lien" in Elizabeth City, North Carolina 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 Elizabeth City, North Carolina can arise to secure the payment of any federal or state tax, including income tax, estate tax, or gift tax.

However, like any other debt-collection method, a tax lien is worthless if the debtor has no substantial property on which a lien can be imposed. To get around this limitation, most tax liens in Elizabeth City, North Carolina apply to after-acquired property (property obtained after the lien was created). Most other liens only apply to particular pieces of property, or property that the debtor owned at the time the lien went into effect.

Tax Lien Procedure in Elizabeth City, North Carolina

Imposing a tax lien in Elizabeth City, North Carolina is normally an uncomplicated process. Usually, the tax authorities simply have to make a determination that the taxpayer is delinquent in their taxes, and that imposing and enforcing a tax lien will actually be worth the effort.

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 North Carolina tax lien will go into effect automatically, with no further action required.

But, these rights are limited. In Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and everywhere else in the United States, the IRS has 10 years to enforce a tax lien. If they do nothing about it within 10 years, the lien expires. This rule exists for a few reasons. First, it encourages the IRS to act as quickly and efficiently as possible, and not "sit on its rights." Second, it acknowledges the fact that any encumbrance on a piece of property, such as a lien, makes the property less valuable. By ensuring that the lien will either be satisfied or expire within 10 years, this prevents property from being withheld from the stream of commerce indefinitely.

How Can a Elizabeth City, North Carolina Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If the federal government, or the government of North Carolina 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, if you think that any piece of property you own might become subject to a tax lien in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, you should not hesitate to seek the advice of a skilled tax attorney immediately.

Talk to a Tax Law Attorney now!

Life in Elizabeth City

Elizabeth City, North Carolina is a city in Camden County. It has a population of about 21,000 people, as of a 2009 Census estimate.

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