Tax Lien Lawyers in Woodbury

A "lien" in Woodbury, 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.

A tax lien, then, is simply a lien that is appointed for the specific purpose of collecting taxes from a delinquent tax payer in Woodbury, New York.

Tax liens in Woodbury, 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 Woodbury, New York

The process of imposing a tax lien on property in Woodbury, New York is normally fairly simple. The first step is for the IRS or local tax agency to determine that a person really owes back taxes, and that it is worth the effort to impose a lien.

Then, the taxpayer is sent a letter with a "notice and demand," which informs the taxpayer that the IRS has determined that they owe back taxes, and that they have a short period of time (normally 10 days) to pay them without incurring a penalty.

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 Woodbury, 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 Woodbury, New York Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

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