Tax Lien Lawyers in Broadview Heights

A "lien" in Broadview Heights, Ohio 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.

A tax lien, then, is simply a lien that is created for the specific purpose of collecting taxes from a delinquent tax payer in Broadview Heights, Ohio.

Tax liens in Broadview Heights, Ohio 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 Broadview Heights, Ohio

Imposing a tax lien in Broadview Heights, Ohio is usually an uncomplicated process. Typically, the tax authorities simply have to make a determination that the taxpayer is delinquent in their taxes, and that imposing and enforcing a tax lien will actually be worth the effort.

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 that time period expires, and the debtor still hasn't paid, the Ohio tax lien will go into effect automatically, with no further action required.

But, under federal law, there are limits to how tax liens can be enforced in Broadview Heights, Ohio, and elsewhere. Typically, 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 Broadview Heights, Ohio Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you receive notice from the federal government, or the government of Ohio that a tax lien has been imposed on your property, some pretty complex legal issues are necessarily involved.

Accordingly, it's important that you retain a tax attorney in Broadview Heights, Ohio to ensure that whatever legal rights you have in this situation are protected. Your attorney will also be able to advise you on how to best deal with the situation.