Tax Lien Lawyers in Kennewick
A "lien" in Kennewick, 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 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 Kennewick, 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 Kennewick, 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. Nonetheless, 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 Kennewick, Washington
In Kennewick, Washington, the process for creating a tax lien is fairly uncomplicated. First, the tax authorities decide that a taxpayer really owes taxes that they haven't paid (that they're delinquent in their taxes).
At this point, they will send the taxpayer a written notice stating that they owe a some amount of money in back taxes, and that they have a small window of time (commonly 10 days or less) to pay it.
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, these rights are limited. In Kennewick, Washington, and everywhere else in the United States, the IRS has 10 years to enforce a tax lien. If they do nothing about it within 10 years, the lien expires. This rule exists for a few reasons. First, it encourages the IRS to act as quickly and efficiently as possible, and not "sit on its rights." Additionally, it acknowledges the fact that any encumbrance on a piece of property, such as a lien, makes the property less valuable. By guaranteeing that the lien will either be satisfied or expire within 10 years, this prevents property from being withheld from the stream of commerce forever.
How Can a Kennewick, Washington Tax Lien Lawyer Help?
If you end up having a tax lien imposed on your property in Washington, you will probably have to deal with some fairly hard legal issues, which might be intricate to a layperson.
Therefore, if you think that any piece of property you own might become subject to a tax lien in Kennewick, Washington, you should not delay to seek the advice of a qualified tax attorney immediately.