Tax Lien Lawyers in Fort Drum

A "lien" in Fort Drum, 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 Fort Drum, 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.

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

Tax Lien Procedure in Fort Drum, New York

In Fort Drum, New York, the process for creating a tax lien is fairly uncomplicated. First, the tax authorities determine that a taxpayer actually owes taxes that they haven't paid (that they're delinquent in their 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 usually give the taxpayer about 10 days to pay the demanded amount.

If the deadline passes without payment, most tax liens in New York take effect automatically, giving the tax collectors all of the rights in your property that any other lien holder would have.

But, under federal law, there are limits to how tax liens can be enforced in Fort Drum, New York, and elsewhere. Generally, the IRS has 10 years to try and enforce a tax lien. If no effort is made to enforce a tax lien for 10 years, the lien is automatically lifted, and the lien holder loses all rights in it. This rule exists to ensure that the government collects its taxes in a reasonable time period, and it prevents valuable property (which could otherwise be contributing to the economy by being bought and sold) is not laded with a lien for an indefinite period of time.

How Can a Fort Drum, New York Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you end up having a tax lien imposed on your property in New York, you will probably have to deal with some fairly difficult legal issues, which might be complex to a layperson.

Accordingly, if you think that any piece of property you own might become subject to a tax lien in Fort Drum, New York, you should not hesitate to seek the advice of a competent tax attorney immediately.