Tax Lien Lawyers in Franklin

A "lien" in Franklin, 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 Franklin, Ohio.

Of course, a tax lien in Franklin, Ohio isn't worth much more than the paper it's printed on if the debtor doesn't own any property of value, on which a lien could be placed. However, a tax lien applies to property that the taxpayer obtains even after the lien is created. Evidently, this makes it quite a bit easier for the government to collect its taxes.

Tax Lien Procedure in Franklin, Ohio

In Franklin, Ohio, the procedure for imposing a tax lien is relatively simple. First, the IRS makes a determination that a person is delinquent in their tax obligation.

They will then mail a document called a "notice and demand," which lets the taxpayer know that they owe money on their taxes, and that they have a specific period of time (normally 10 days) to pay what they owe.

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.

However, if the federal government does not seek to enforce a tax lien in Franklin, Ohio within 10 years of imposing it, federal law dictates that the lien automatically expires. This is effectively a statute of limitations on a tax lien, meant to encourage the federal government to collect its taxes in a reasonable period of time, and ensure that property is not encumbered by a lien forever.

How Can a Franklin, Ohio Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

Accordingly, it's important that you retain a tax attorney in Franklin, 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.