Tax Lien Lawyers in Baraboo

A "lien" in Baraboo, Wisconsin 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 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 Baraboo, Wisconsin 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 Baraboo, Wisconsin 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. Evidently, this makes it quite a bit easier for the government to collect its taxes.

Tax Lien Procedure in Baraboo, Wisconsin

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

At this point, the taxpayer will receive a letter containing a "notice and demand," which, as the name suggests, gives notice that the recipient owes taxes, and demands immediate payment. It will normally give the taxpayer about 10 days to pay the demanded amount.

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

However, in Baraboo, Wisconsin, and anywhere else in America, a tax lien only lasts for 10 years, and then it automatically expires. If the IRS fails to exercise the substantial rights that it has under a tax lien within that period of time, it is assumed that they never intend to do so, and the lien will cease to exist. This ensures that valuable property is only kept out of the economy for a certain period of time.

How Can a Baraboo, Wisconsin Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you are notified by the government that you owe back taxes in Wisconsin, and that they are going to pursue a tax lien to collect their money, things can get very convoluted, extremely quickly.

Accordingly, if you think that any piece of property you own might become subject to a tax lien in Baraboo, Wisconsin, you should not hesitate to seek the advice of a qualified tax attorney immediately.