Tax Lien Lawyers in Bellevue
A "lien" in Bellevue, Washington is a type of security interest that one person or entity has in someone else's property. Usually, 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 proceeds 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 secure the payment of back taxes. A tax lien in Bellevue, Washington can arise to secure the payment of any federal or state tax, including income tax, estate tax, or gift tax.
Of course, a tax lien in Bellevue, Washington isn't worth much more than the paper it's printed on if the debtor doesn't own any property of value, on which a lien could be placed. However, a tax lien applies to property that the taxpayer obtains even after the lien is created. Evidently, this makes it quite a bit easier for the government to collect its taxes.
Tax Lien Procedure in Bellevue, Washington
In Bellevue, Washington, the process for creating a tax lien is fairly uncomplicated. First, the tax authorities determine that a taxpayer really owes taxes that they haven't paid (that they're delinquent in their 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 required to pay their taxes within 10 days.
If the back taxes are not paid before the deadline is up, the lien will normally 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 authorizes.
But, under federal law, there are limits to how tax liens can be enforced in Bellevue, Washington, 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 Bellevue, Washington Tax Lien Lawyer Help?
If you receive notice from the federal government, or the government of Washington that a tax lien has been imposed on your property, some pretty complex legal issues are necessarily involved.
Accordingly, it's important that you retain a tax attorney in Bellevue, Washington to ensure that whatever legal rights you have in this situation are protected. Your attorney will also be able to advise you on how to best deal with the situation.