Tax Lien Lawyers in Donna

In Donna, 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 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," 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 Donna, Texas.

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

Tax Lien Procedure in Donna, Texas

Imposing a tax lien in Donna, Texas is usually an uncomplicated process. Typically, the tax authorities simply have to make a determination that the taxpayer is delinquent in their taxes, and that imposing and enforcing a tax lien will actually be worth the effort.

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

If that time period expires, and the debtor still hasn't paid, the Texas tax lien will go into effect automatically, with no further action required.

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

If you find yourself on the receiving end of a tax lien in Texas, you are going to have to wade through some substantial and difficult legal contentions.

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