Tax Lien Lawyers in Bath

A "lien" in Bath, 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 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.

In Bath, New York, 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 Bath, New York are ineffective if the taxpayer doesn't have any property to place the lien on. However, essentially 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 Bath, New York

The actual process of setting up a Bath, New York 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.

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 normally 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 New York have all the rights in the taxpayer's property that any other lien holder would have, including priority over competing creditors.

However, in Bath, 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 certain period of time.

How Can a Bath, New York Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you are notified by the government that you owe back taxes in New York, and that they are going to pursue a tax lien to collect their money, things can get very convoluted, extremely quickly.

Fortunately for you, tax lawyers in Bath, New York are experts at dealing with matters such as these, and can make sure your rights are protected, and advise you on the best way to proceed, if you are facing the prospect of a tax lien.