Tax Lien Lawyers in Sparta

In Sparta, Tennessee, 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 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 citizen or corporation in Sparta, Tennessee.

Tax liens in Sparta, Tennessee are ineffective if the taxpayer doesn't have any property to place the lien on. However, practically any property, including that which the taxpayer acquires after the lien goes into effect, can be affected by a tax lien.

Tax Lien Procedure in Sparta, Tennessee

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

Then, the IRS, or state tax authorities, send a "notice and demand," informing the taxpayer that they owe back taxes, and that they are obligated to pay their taxes within 10 days.

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

Nonetheless, in Sparta, Tennessee, 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 limited period of time.

How Can a Sparta, 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.

Fortunately, Sparta, Tennessee tax attorneys can help. If you are facing the prospect of a tax lien, you should not hesitate to seek competent legal advice, to ensure that your legal rights are protected.