Tax Lien Lawyers in St. Helens

In St. Helens, Oregon, a "lien" is specified as a property right that's authorized to a creditor against a piece of property owned by a debtor, for the purpose of collecting on the debt if the debtor is unwilling or unable to pay. A lien authorizes its owner to exercise some control over the property that is the subject of the lien. This includes the right to force a sale of the property, and to seize the resulting revenue, and priority access to the property ahead of other creditors.

A "tax lien" is simply a lien placed on a piece of property by the state or local government, to acquire the payment of back taxes. A tax lien in St. Helens, Oregon can arise to secure the payment of any federal or state tax, including income tax, estate tax, or gift tax.

However, a tax lien in St. Helens, Oregon will be ineffective if the debtor doesn't own any valuable property to encumber with a lien. As with any debt, the creditor can't collect if the debtor doesn't have any assets. Nonetheless, a tax lien can be applied to property that the taxpayer gains after the lien goes into effect.

Tax Lien Procedure in St. Helens, Oregon

The actual process of setting up a St. Helens, Oregon tax lien is normally pretty simple. The agency responsible for collecting taxes must first decide that a tax lien is warranted, normally by finding that the debtor owes a significant amount of back taxes.

Then, the taxpayer is sent a letter with a "notice and demand," which informs the taxpayer that the IRS has decided 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 deadline expires, and the debtor does not pay the taxes they owe, the lien will take effect automatically. When this happens, the IRS or Oregon tax agency will have considerable rights against the taxpayer's property.

Nonetheless, in St. Helens, Oregon, 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 considerable 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 St. Helens, Oregon Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If the federal government, or the government of Oregon informs you that they intend to place a tax lien on your property, you will likely face some pretty difficult and daunting legal issues.

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