Tax Lien Lawyers in King County

A "lien" in King County, 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 King County, 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 King County, 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. Apparently, this makes it quite a bit easier for the government to collect its taxes.

Tax Lien Procedure in King County, Washington

In King County, Washington, the process for creating a tax lien is fairly uncomplicated. First, the tax authorities decide that a taxpayer truly 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 particular amount of money in back taxes, and that they have a small window of time (frequently 10 days or less) to pay it.

If the deadline passes without payment, most tax liens in Washington take effect automatically, giving the tax collectors all of the options in your property that any other lien holder would have.

Nonetheless, if the federal government does not seek to enforce a tax lien in King County, Washington within 10 years of imposing it, federal law dictates that the lien automatically expires. This is effectively a statute of limitations on a tax lien, meant to encourage the federal government to collect its taxes in a reasonable period of time, and guarantee that property is not encumbered by a lien forever.

How Can a King County, Washington Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If the federal government, or the government of Washington informs you that they intend to place a tax lien on your property, you will likely face some pretty confusing and daunting legal issues.

Thus, it should go without saying that if you are facing the prospect of your home or vehicle being slapped with a tax lien, you need to pursue the advice of a reliable tax lawyer in King County, Washington as soon as you can.