Tax Lien Lawyers in Mercer Island
A "lien" in Mercer Island, 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 Mercer Island, 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 Mercer Island, 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 Mercer Island, Washington
The process of imposing a tax lien on property in Mercer Island, Washington is normally fairly simple. The initial step is for the IRS or local tax agency to decide that a person really owes back taxes, and that it is worth the effort to impose a lien.
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 that time period expires, and the debtor still hasn't paid, the Washington tax lien will go into effect automatically, with no additional action required.
But, under federal law, there are limits to how tax liens can be enforced in Mercer Island, 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 Mercer Island, 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 difficult and daunting legal issues.
Therefore, if you think that any piece of property you own might become subject to a tax lien in Mercer Island, Washington, you should not delay to seek the advice of a qualified tax attorney immediately.