Tax Lien Lawyers in Pickerington

A "lien" in Pickerington, 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 Pickerington, Ohio.

Of course, a tax lien in Pickerington, 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 Pickerington, Ohio

The process of imposing a tax lien on property in Pickerington, Ohio 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.

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 Pickerington, 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 Pickerington, 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.

Fortunately for you, tax lawyers in Pickerington, Ohio are experts at dealing with matters such as these, and can make sure your rights are protected, and advise you on the best way to proceed, if you are facing the prospect of a tax lien.