Tax Lien Lawyers in Battle Ground

A "lien" in Battle Ground, Washington is a type of security interest that one person or entity has in someone else's property. Normally, 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 Battle Ground, Washington can arise to secure the payment of any federal or state tax, including income tax, estate tax, or gift tax.

However, a tax lien in Battle Ground, Washington will be ineffective if the debtor doesn't own any valuable property to encumber with a lien. As with any debt, the creditor can't collect if the debtor doesn't have any assets. Nonetheless, a tax lien can be applied to property that the taxpayer gains after the lien goes into effect.

Tax Lien Procedure in Battle Ground, Washington

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

Then, the taxpayer is sent a letter with a "notice and demand," which informs the taxpayer that the IRS has decided 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 Washington tax agency, giving them all the rights in your property that the law permits.

Nonetheless, in Battle Ground, Washington, 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 narrow period of time.

How Can a Battle Ground, Washington Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you are notified by the government that you owe back taxes in Washington, and that they are going to pursue a tax lien to collect their money, things can get very confusing, quite quickly.

Luckily, Battle Ground, Washington tax attorneys can help. If you are facing the prospect of a tax lien, you should not hesitate to seek skilled legal advice, to ensure that your legal rights are protected.