Tax Lien Lawyers in Greencastle

In Greencastle, Pennsylvania, a "lien" is defined as a property right that's granted 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 allows 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.

As you might have gathered, a "tax lien" is simply a lien placed on property by the IRS or Greencastle, Pennsylvania tax authorities, to collect taxes that the property-owner has failed to pay.

Tax Liens in Greencastle, Pennsylvania are generally only effective if the taxpayer has a significant amount of property on which a lien can be placed. However, it's essential to note that virtually any property, including that which is acquired after the lien is imposed, can be subject to a tax lien.

Tax Lien Procedure in Greencastle, Pennsylvania

The process of imposing a tax lien on property in Greencastle, Pennsylvania is usually fairly simple. The first step is for the IRS or local tax agency to determine that a person actually owes back taxes, and that it is worth the effort to impose a lien.

At this point, they will send the taxpayer a written notice stating that they owe a certain amount of money in back taxes, and that they have a small window of time (often 10 days or less) to pay it.

If this 10-day period expires without payment, the tax lien arises automatically. Once this happens, the tax authorities in Pennsylvania have all the rights in the taxpayer's property that any other lien holder would have, including priority over competing creditors.

However, there are limits to how and when a tax lien can be enforced, at least under federal law. The IRS has 10 years to enforce a tax lien in Greencastle, Pennsylvania or anywhere else in the U.S. If it never bothers to take action to seize property that's subject to a tax lien, the lien simply ceases to exist after 10 years. This rule is in place to ensure that the government does not sit on its rights, and to prevent potentially-valuable property from being encumbered indefinitely. Basically, it creates a measure of certainty for both parties.

How Can a Greencastle, Pennsylvania Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you end up having a tax lien imposed on your property in Pennsylvania, you will probably have to deal with some fairly difficult legal issues, which might be confusing to a layperson.

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