Tax Lien Lawyers in Kanawha County

A "lien" in Kanawha County, West Virginia 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.

As you might have gathered, a "tax lien" is simply a lien placed on property by the IRS or Kanawha County, West Virginia tax authorities, to compile taxes that the property-owner has failed to pay.

However, a tax lien in Kanawha County, West Virginia 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 Kanawha County, West Virginia

The actual process of setting up a Kanawha County, West Virginia 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.

Then, the IRS, or state tax authorities, send a "notice and demand," informing the taxpayer that they owe back taxes, and that they are required to pay their taxes within 10 days.

If the back taxes are not paid before the deadline is up, the lien will normally take effect immediately, with no further action by the IRS or West Virginia tax agency, giving them all the rights in your property that the law authorizes.

However, in Kanawha County, West Virginia, 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 Kanawha County, West Virginia Tax Lien Lawyer Help?

If you find yourself on the receiving end of a tax lien in West Virginia, you are going to have to wade through some substantial and difficult legal contentions.

Thankfully, Kanawha County, West Virginia tax attorneys can help. If you are facing the prospect of a tax lien, you should not hesitate to seek qualified legal advice, to ensure that your legal rights are protected.