Tax Lien Lawyers in Greeneville

In Greeneville, Tennessee, 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.

A "tax lien," then, is a lien held by the government to collect a tax-related debt from a private entity, such as a person or corporation in Greeneville, Tennessee.

Tax liens in Greeneville, Tennessee are ineffective if the taxpayer doesn't have any property to place the lien on. However, essentially 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 Greeneville, Tennessee

In Greeneville, Tennessee, 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.

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 the deadline passes without payment, most tax liens in Tennessee take effect automatically, giving the tax collectors all of the rights in your property that any other lien holder would have.

But, under federal law, there are limits to how tax liens can be enforced in Greeneville, Tennessee, and elsewhere. Generally, 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 Greeneville, Tennessee Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

Luckily for you, tax lawyers in Greeneville, Tennessee 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.