Tax Lien Lawyers in Ridgewood

A "lien" in Ridgewood, New Jersey 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.

In Ridgewood, New Jersey, a "tax lien" is simply a lien imposed by the government to compile back taxes from a person or corporation, when other methods for collecting have failed.

Tax Liens in Ridgewood, New Jersey are typically only effective if the taxpayer has a significant amount of property on which a lien can be placed. However, it's necessary to note that virtually any property, including that which is acquired after the lien is imposed, can be subject to a tax lien.

Tax Lien Procedure in Ridgewood, New Jersey

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

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 specific period of time (normally 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 New Jersey have all the rights in the taxpayer's property that any other lien holder would have, including priority over competing creditors.

However, there are limits to how and when a tax lien can be enforced, at least under federal law. The IRS has 10 years to enforce a tax lien in Ridgewood, New Jersey or anywhere else in the U.S. If it never bothers to take action to seize property that's subject to a tax lien, the lien simply ceases to exist after 10 years. This rule is in place to ensure that the government does not sit on its rights, and to prevent potentially-valuable property from being encumbered indefinitely. Basically, it creates a measure of certainty for both parties.

How Can a Ridgewood, New Jersey Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you find yourself on the receiving end of a tax lien in New Jersey, you are going to have to wade through some substantial and difficult legal contentions.

Accordingly, it's important that you retain a tax attorney in Ridgewood, New Jersey 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.