Tax Lien Lawyers in Harrison
A "lien" in Harrison, 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 numerous 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 possible that the lien holder will collect something.
In Harrison, New York, a "tax lien" is simply a lien imposed by the government to collect back taxes from a citizen 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 Harrison, New York apply to after-acquired property (property acquired 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 Harrison, New York
The process of imposing a tax lien on property in Harrison, New York is usually fairly simple. The initial step is for the IRS or local tax agency to decide that a person actually owes back taxes, and that it is worth the effort to impose a lien.
Then, the IRS, or state tax authorities, send a "notice and demand," informing the taxpayer that they owe back taxes, and that they are obligated to pay their taxes within 10 days.
If the deadline passes without payment, most tax liens in New York take effect automatically, giving the tax collectors all of the options 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 Harrison, 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 Harrison, 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 complicated to a layperson.
Therefore, if you think that any piece of property you own might become subject to a tax lien in Harrison, New York, you should not delay to seek the advice of a competent tax attorney immediately.