Tax Lien Lawyers in Woodinville

A "lien" in Woodinville, Washington is a type of security interest that one person or entity has in someone else's property. Typically, 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 Woodinville, 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 Woodinville, 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. Obviously, this makes it quite a bit easier for the government to collect its taxes.

Tax Lien Procedure in Woodinville, Washington

The actual process of setting up a Woodinville, Washington tax lien is usually pretty simple. The agency responsible for collecting taxes must first determine that a tax lien is warranted, usually by finding that the debtor owes a significant amount of back taxes.

They will then mail a document called a "notice and demand," which lets the taxpayer know that they owe money on their taxes, and that they have a certain period of time (usually 10 days) to pay what they owe.

If the back taxes are not paid before the deadline is up, the lien will usually 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 allows.

However, if the federal government does not seek to enforce a tax lien in Woodinville, 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 ensure that property is not encumbered by a lien forever.

How Can a Woodinville, Washington Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you find yourself on the receiving end of a tax lien in Washington, you are going to have to wade through some substantial and complex legal issues.

Accordingly, it's important that you hire a tax attorney in Woodinville, 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.