Tax Lien Lawyers in Albany
A "lien" in Albany, New York 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 Albany, New York, a "tax lien" is simply a lien imposed by the government to collect back taxes from a person or corporation, when other methods for collecting have failed.
Tax liens in Albany, New York are ineffective if the taxpayer doesn't have any property to place the lien on. However, virtually any property, including that which the taxpayer obtains after the lien goes into effect, can be affected by a tax lien.
Tax Lien Procedure in Albany, New York
The actual process of setting up an Albany, New York tax lien is usually pretty simple. The agency responsible for collecting taxes must first determine that a tax lien is warranted, usually by finding that the debtor owes a significant amount of back taxes.
Then, the IRS, or state tax authorities, send a "notice and demand," informing the taxpayer that they owe back taxes, and that they are required to pay their taxes within 10 days.
If this deadline expires, and the debtor does not pay the taxes they owe, the lien will take effect automatically. When this occurs, the IRS or New York tax agency will have significant rights against the taxpayer's property.
However, in Albany, New York, and anywhere else in America, a tax lien only lasts for 10 years, and then it automatically expires. If the IRS fails to exercise the substantial rights that it has under a tax lien within that period of time, it is assumed that they never intend to do so, and the lien will cease to exist. This ensures that valuable property is only kept out of the economy for a limited period of time.
How Can a Albany, New York Tax Lien Lawyer Help?
If you receive notice from the federal government, or the government of New York that a tax lien has been imposed on your property, some pretty complicated legal issues are necessarily involved.
So, it should go without saying that if you are facing the prospect of your home or vehicle being slapped with a tax lien, you need to seek the advice of a good tax lawyer in Albany, New York as soon as you can.