What Is a Tax Lien? How It Works, How to Stop One

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- Federal: $79 to $139. Free version available for Simple Form 1040 returns only.
- State: $0 to $69 per state.
- Expert help or full service filing is available with an upgrade to Live packages for a fee.
What is a tax lien?
What does it mean if you have a tax lien?
- Your creditworthiness could take a nosedive. Tax liens may not appear on credit reports anymore, but the IRS can still file a public notice of the tax lien, telling creditors the government has a right to your property. That could jeopardize your ability to get a loan, says David Klasing, a CPA and tax attorney in Irvine, California.
- It can jeopardize a home sale or refinancing. Tax liens often surface during title searches. If you have equity in a house you’re trying to sell or refinance, you’ll likely have to use some of it to pay your taxes in order to close.
- It can cost you a lot of time. The IRS funnels many overdue taxpayers into its automated collection system, or ACS, which can mean spending hours on hold with the call center, Klasing warns. Some taxpayers might be assigned to a revenue officer, which could mean in-person visits, he adds.
- You can end up with a tax levy. If you don’t pay your back taxes after the IRS files a federal tax lien, the IRS may then issue a Notice of Intent to Levy.
- Federal: $79 to $139. Free version available for Simple Form 1040 returns only.
- State: $0 to $69 per state.
- Expert help or full service filing is available with an upgrade to Live packages for a fee.
How to get a tax lien removed
Get on an IRS payment plan
Ask for an offer in compromise
File an appeal
Bankruptcy
Article sources
- 1. Internal Revenue Service. Understanding a Federal Tax Lien.
- 1. Internal Revenue Service. Understanding a Federal Tax Lien. Accessed May 3, 2023.
- 3. Internal Revenue Service. 2022 IRS Data Book.
- 4. Taxpayer Advocate Service. Taxpayer Requests Collection Appeals Program. Accessed Sep 16, 2022.
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