Tax Lien Lawyers in Brownfield

In Brownfield, Texas, 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 permits 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 Brownfield, Texas.

However, like any other debt-collection method, a tax lien is worthless if the debtor has no substantial property on which a lien can be imposed. To get around this limitation, most tax liens in Brownfield, Texas apply to after-acquired property (property obtained after the lien was created). Most other liens only apply to particular pieces of property, or property that the debtor owned at the time the lien went into effect.

Tax Lien Procedure in Brownfield, Texas

In Brownfield, Texas, 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.

Then, the taxpayer is sent a letter with a "notice and demand," which informs the taxpayer that the IRS has determined that they owe back taxes, and that they have a short period of time (typically 10 days) to pay them without incurring a penalty.

If the back taxes are not paid before the deadline is up, the lien will typically take effect immediately, with no further action by the IRS or Texas tax agency, giving them all the rights in your property that the law permits.

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

If you end up having a tax lien imposed on your property in Texas, you will probably have to deal with some fairly challenging 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 Brownfield, Texas, you should not hesitate to seek the advice of a skilled tax attorney immediately.