Tax Lien Lawyers in Lexington

A "lien" in Lexington, Virginia is a type of security interest that one person or entity has in someone else's property. Typically, a lien is created by a court, to secure payment of a debt. A lien gives its holder many rights in the property that is subject to it, including the right to seize the funds if the property is sold, and priority access to the property, in front of other creditors.

A "tax lien" is simply a lien placed on a piece of property by the state or local government, to acquire the payment of back taxes. A tax lien in Lexington, Virginia can arise to secure the payment of any federal or state tax, including income tax, estate tax, or gift tax.

Tax liens in Lexington, Virginia 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 Lexington, Virginia

The actual process of setting up a Lexington, Virginia 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 Virginia take effect automatically, giving the tax collectors all of the options 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 Lexington, Virginia, 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 Lexington, Virginia Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

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

Fortunately, Lexington, Virginia 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.