Tax Lien Lawyers in Shorewood

A "lien" in Shorewood, Wisconsin 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.

As you might have gathered, a "tax lien" is simply a lien placed on property by the IRS or Shorewood, Wisconsin tax authorities, to collect taxes that the property-owner has failed to pay.

Tax Liens in Shorewood, Wisconsin are generally only effective if the taxpayer has a significant amount of property on which a lien can be placed. However, it's important to note that virtually any property, including that which is acquired after the lien is imposed, can be subject to a tax lien.

Tax Lien Procedure in Shorewood, Wisconsin

The actual process of setting up a Shorewood, Wisconsin 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.

Then, the taxpayer is sent a letter with a "notice and demand," which informs the taxpayer that the IRS has determined that they owe back taxes, and that they have a short period of time (usually 10 days) to pay them without incurring a penalty.

If this deadline expires, and the debtor does not pay the taxes they owe, the lien will take effect automatically. When this occurs, the IRS or Wisconsin tax agency will have significant rights against the taxpayer's property.

However, there are limits to how and when a tax lien can be enforced, at least under federal law. The IRS has 10 years to enforce a tax lien in Shorewood, Wisconsin or anywhere else in the U.S. If it never bothers to take action to seize property that's subject to a tax lien, the lien simply ceases to exist after 10 years. This rule is in place to ensure that the government does not sit on its rights, and to prevent potentially-valuable property from being encumbered indefinitely. Basically, it creates a measure of certainty for both parties.

How Can a Shorewood, Wisconsin Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you receive notice from the federal government, or the government of Wisconsin that a tax lien has been imposed on your property, some pretty complicated legal issues are necessarily involved.

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