Tax Lien Lawyers in Litchfield

A "lien" in Litchfield, New Hampshire 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.

As you might have gathered, a "tax lien" is simply a lien placed on property by the IRS or Litchfield, New Hampshire tax authorities, to compile taxes that the property-owner has failed to pay.

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

Tax Lien Procedure in Litchfield, New Hampshire

The process of imposing a tax lien on property in Litchfield, New Hampshire is normally fairly simple. The first step is for the IRS or local tax agency to determine that a person really owes back taxes, and that it is worth the effort to impose a lien.

Then, the taxpayer is sent a letter with a "notice and demand," which informs the taxpayer that the IRS has determined that they owe back taxes, and that they have a short period of time (normally 10 days) to pay them without incurring a penalty.

If that time period expires, and the debtor still hasn't paid, the New Hampshire tax lien will go into effect automatically, with no further action required.

However, if the federal government does not seek to enforce a tax lien in Litchfield, New Hampshire 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 ensure that property is not encumbered by a lien forever.

How Can a Litchfield, New Hampshire Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

Accordingly, it's important that you retain a tax attorney in Litchfield, New Hampshire 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.