Tax Lien Lawyers in Ridgefield

A "lien" in Ridgefield, 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 Ridgefield, 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 Ridgefield, 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 Ridgefield, Washington

The process of imposing a tax lien on property in Ridgefield, Washington is typically fairly simple. The initial step is for the IRS or local tax agency to decide that a person truly owes back taxes, and that it is worth the effort to impose a lien.

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 this 10-day period expires without payment, the tax lien arises automatically. Once this happens, the tax authorities in Washington have all the options in the taxpayer's property that any other lien holder would have, containing priority over competing creditors.

But, under federal law, there are limits to how tax liens can be enforced in Ridgefield, Washington, and elsewhere. Usually, 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 Ridgefield, 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 challenging legal issues, which might be complicated to a layperson.

Thankfully for you, tax lawyers in Ridgefield, Washington are experts at dealing with matters such as these, and can make sure your rights are safeguarded, and advise you on the best way to proceed, if you are facing the prospect of a tax lien.