Tax Lien Lawyers in Sun Prairie

A "lien" in Sun Prairie, 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 Sun Prairie, Wisconsin tax authorities, to collect taxes that the property-owner has failed to pay.

However, a tax lien in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin will be ineffective if the debtor doesn't own any valuable property to encumber with a lien. As with any debt, the creditor can't collect if the debtor doesn't have any assets. However, a tax lien can be applied to property that the taxpayer acquires after the lien goes into effect.

Tax Lien Procedure in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

In Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, the procedure for imposing a tax lien is relatively simple. First, the IRS makes a determination that a person is delinquent in their tax obligation.

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 Wisconsin tax agency, giving them all the rights in your property that the law allows.

But, these rights are limited. In Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and everywhere else in the United States, the IRS has 10 years to enforce a tax lien. If they do nothing about it within 10 years, the lien expires. This rule exists for a few reasons. First, it encourages the IRS to act as quickly and efficiently as possible, and not "sit on its rights." Furthermore, it acknowledges the fact that any encumbrance on a piece of property, such as a lien, makes the property less valuable. By ensuring that the lien will either be satisfied or expire within 10 years, this prevents property from being withheld from the stream of commerce indefinitely.

How Can a Sun Prairie, 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 Sun Prairie, 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.