IRS Tax Lien Defense Attorney in New York
Dealing with an IRS tax lien? Then, you need our help. IRS tax liens and NY warrants are legal claims against your property for unpaid taxes. They attach to all of your assets, making it difficult to sell or borrow against them.
To protect your finances and avoid asset seizure, you need to deal with the lien as soon as possible. Attorney Stephen Kass can help you negotiate a strategic lien resolution, whether that includes a withdrawal, subordination, or release. Contact our New York tax lien lawyer to get started now.
You’re in the Right Place If…
Is this page for you? If you’re dealing with one of these situations, you’re in the right place:
- You received a Notice of Federal Tax Lien in the mail from the IRS.
- The New York State Department of Taxation filed a tax warrant against you.
- You discovered a tax lien during a real estate transaction or while applying for a loan.
- You are unable to refinance or sell property due to a lien.
- You owe significant back taxes, and the IRS has escalated enforcement.
- You’re worried about the IRS or NYS taking action on the lien or warrant to seize your assets.
Our IRS tax lien attorney is ready to help you navigate these issues and get your matter resolved as quickly as possible. We help with state and federal tax liens against individual or business assets.
What Is an IRS Tax Lien?
A tax lien works similarly to any type of lien – it’s a legal claim on someone’s property to ensure payment can be secured to cover a debt. The IRS will only file a federal tax lien against your property if you have unpaid tax debt and you have already received several notices that demand payment.
A tax lien is not the first step the IRS takes to try to collect from you. You’ll first be charged with penalties and interest and will receive multiple notices in the mail. If you ignore notices and do not take steps to address your tax debt, the IRS may file a Notice of Federal Tax Lien to protect its interest in your assets.
This lien is a public document that attaches to current and future assets. So, creditors will see it during the underwriting process, making it harder to get loans, and you won’t be able to transfer assets easily while it’s in place.
Note that a federal tax lien is not the actual seizure of your property. It’s a legal claim on your assets. But it sets the stage for the IRS or the NY DTF to take your assets.
Tax Lien vs. Tax Levy
While a lien is a claim against your property, a tax levy is the actual seizure of your property to cover tax debts. Property at risk includes:
- Wages from your job
- Bank, investment, and retirement accounts
- Real estate
- Rental income
- Cars, boats, or other personal property
- Business assets, including inventory, equipment, receivables, and bank accounts
Typically, the IRS files a federal tax lien before it takes levy action. This is why it’s important to act quickly when a tax lien is filed so you can avoid asset seizure. Stephen Kass will work with you right away to prevent levies and further IRS escalation.
New York State Tax Liens and Tax Warrants
The IRS isn’t the only entity that can take collection actions against taxpayers. The New York Department of Taxation and Finance (DTF) may file a tax warrant if you haven’t paid your state taxes or made arrangements to pay off the debt.
A state tax warrant is also a public record, like a lien, and it acts as a civil judgment against you. A warrant can similarly lead to the seizure of assets, including wages or property. The only way to get rid of the tax warrant is to pay off your debt, even if you have to set up an installment agreement with the state.
The state taxation department will first send you a notice regarding your debt to encourage you to pay and avoid further action. As soon as you receive a notice or are alerted to the tax warrant, contact our NY tax warrant defense lawyer. We handle both state and federal lien issues.
How Does an IRS Tax Lien Impact You?
There are a few things to know about tax liens and the negative impacts they can have on your credit and financial activities. Here’s a breakdown of the consequences:
- Ability to get credit: While tax liens are no longer part of your credit history or score, they can impact your ability to get new lines of credit should you need them, such as a personal or business loan.
- Refinancing or selling property: Liens can also get in the way of refinancing loans secured by collateral or selling property you own.
- Reputational damage: Tax liens are public records, and they alert other creditors that you have had challenges paying what you owe. This can impact you or your business’s reputation – especially with vendors who do credit checks.
The good news is that working with the team at the Law Offices of Stephen B. Kass can help you get a lien resolved quickly and limit its impact on your finances.
How We Help With IRS Tax Liens
Here is a look at exactly how we work with you to address IRS tax liens quickly and effectively:
- Review your tax history: We first obtain and review IRS transcripts and other documents to get information about your tax issue.
- Confirm IRS accuracy: We make sure the tax, penalties, and interest assessed by the IRS are accurate and that everything is filed correctly.
- Develop a strategy: Then, based on your situation and your budget, we develop a strategy to resolve the lien and your tax debt.
The approach varies based on the situation, but here are some of the most common ways we resolve tax liens and warrants for our clients:
- Pursue lien withdrawal: You may be eligible for lien withdrawal once your taxes are paid or you set up a Direct Debit installment agreement with the IRS.
- Assess lien subordination eligibility: Another option is subordination, which allows your other credits to move up in line in front of the IRS. This could be necessary when you need a loan.
- Consider lien discharge: The IRS may agree to remove the lien from select property if necessary – for example, if you need to sell the property to pay your taxes or if the property’s value is insufficient to pay the tax debt.
- Set up an installment agreement: Once you set up payments, the IRS won’t be able to pursue an actual levy, as long as you stay current on your agreement and are up to date on your other requirements, and depending on your balance due and the type of plan, the IRS may withdraw the lien.
- Request an offer in compromise: An offer in compromise is a good option when you can’t afford to pay your tax debt, even through a payment plan. You are required to share details about your finances with the IRS and an offer of what you can afford. Once the debt is satisfied, the lien will be released.
- Seek a Collection Due Process (CDP) hearing: The IRS should have outlined your right to a hearing in your lien notice. If it’s before the deadline, you can pursue a CDP hearing to protest the lien – if you’re past that deadline, you may still qualify for an equivalent hearing.
- Collection statute expiration: In some cases, we may advise you to strategically wait until the collection statute expiration date (CSED) passes if it’s nearing 10 years from when the tax was first assessed. The IRS can no longer collect following this period, making the lien lose its power.
When you contact us for help, we’ll help you negotiate and explore options to resolve the tax lien quickly. The right strategy for you depends on factors like your financial situation and timing.
Tax Liens for Business Owners
Federal tax liens and state tax warrants aren’t just reserved for individual taxpayers. Businesses may face liens and levies as well for payroll and other taxes.
It’s important to address business tax liens as soon as possible to avoid risks like business asset seizure, Trust Fund Recovery Penalty investigations and assessments, and impacts on contracts and vendor relationships. Reputational risks can be high when a business is hit with a tax lien or warrant.
Fortunately, Stephen Kass and his team help both individuals and businesses address tax liens and warrants. Talk to us about the best course of action for your business.
When to Hire a Tax Lien Attorney
If you have a small tax debt balance that you can afford to pay off quickly, you may not need to work with an IRS lien release attorney. However, most lien and levy cases benefit from seeking legal help to explore options and get the matter resolved quickly.
Hire an attorney in these cases:
- You have a very large tax debt balance.
- The IRS has filed a federal tax lien against you.
- You need a line of credit, and approval is impacted by the lien.
- A real estate transaction has been blocked because of the lien.
- NY DTF filed a tax warrant against you.
- An IRS revenue officer has been assigned to your case.
- Multiple tax years are involved in your tax issue.
We’ve seen it all at our law office, and our attorney will pursue the best option to get your tax lien taken care of for good.
Why Choose Stephen B. Kass?
Our law office stands apart in a few important ways, which is why taxpayers in New York and across the country turn to us for help:
- Our attorney specializes in tax controversy and IRS enforcement defense.
- We represent New York taxpayers and businesses.
- Our attorney has experience with both IRS liens and NY tax warrants.
- We deliver a thorough analysis to build a personalized strategy.
- Stephen Kass negotiates with IRS revenue officers and state enforcement agents.
- We will coordinate federal and state resolution planning.
Our legal team understands how serious tax liens and warrants can be. We help you manage the process and address these issues as quickly as possible.
Contact the Law Offices of Stephen B. Kass to set up a consultation now.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tax Liens
Does a Federal Tax Lien Impact My Credit?
Liens no longer show up on your credit history report, nor do they impact your credit score. However, creditors can see liens since they are public records, so a lien will likely impact your ability to get new lines of credit or refinance.
Can I Sell My Home If I Have a Tax Lien?
If the IRS puts a tax lien on your home and you’re trying to sell it, it needs to be removed before you can sell or refinance that property. However, if the lien amount is more than the projected proceeds of the sale, you can request that the IRS discharge the lien on that property so you can move forward with the sale.
How Long Does a Tax Lien Last?
If you pay your debt in full, the lien is released within 30 days following payment. If you don’t pay off your debt, the tax lien self-releases in 10 years, which is the collection statute expiration date.
How Does a New York Tax Warrant Work?
Similar to a tax lien, a tax warrant in New York allows the state to assert its interest in your property because of tax debt. Your balance must be paid off to satisfy the tax warrant. You can set up a payment plan to prevent further state action while you pay off your debt.
IRS Tax Lien Defense Attorney in New York
Dealing with an IRS tax lien? Then, you need our help. IRS tax liens and NY warrants are legal claims against your property for unpaid taxes. They attach to all of your assets, making it difficult to sell or borrow against them.
To protect your finances and avoid asset seizure, you need to deal with the lien as soon as possible. Attorney Stephen Kass can help you negotiate a strategic lien resolution, whether that includes a withdrawal, subordination, or release. Contact our New York tax lien lawyer to get started now.
You’re in the Right Place If…
Is this page for you? If you’re dealing with one of these situations, you’re in the right place:
- You received a Notice of Federal Tax Lien in the mail from the IRS.
- The New York State Department of Taxation filed a tax warrant against you.
- You discovered a tax lien during a real estate transaction or while applying for a loan.
- You are unable to refinance or sell property due to a lien.
- You owe significant back taxes, and the IRS has escalated enforcement.
- You’re worried about the IRS or NYS taking action on the lien or warrant to seize your assets.
Our IRS tax lien attorney is ready to help you navigate these issues and get your matter resolved as quickly as possible. We help with state and federal tax liens against individual or business assets.
What Is an IRS Tax Lien?
A tax lien works similarly to any type of lien – it’s a legal claim on someone’s property to ensure payment can be secured to cover a debt. The IRS will only file a federal tax lien against your property if you have unpaid tax debt and you have already received several notices that demand payment.
A tax lien is not the first step the IRS takes to try to collect from you. You’ll first be charged with penalties and interest and will receive multiple notices in the mail. If you ignore notices and do not take steps to address your tax debt, the IRS may file a Notice of Federal Tax Lien to protect its interest in your assets.
This lien is a public document that attaches to current and future assets. So, creditors will see it during the underwriting process, making it harder to get loans, and you won’t be able to transfer assets easily while it’s in place.
Note that a federal tax lien is not the actual seizure of your property. It’s a legal claim on your assets. But it sets the stage for the IRS or the NY DTF to take your assets.
Tax Lien vs. Tax Levy
While a lien is a claim against your property, a tax levy is the actual seizure of your property to cover tax debts. Property at risk includes:
- Wages from your job
- Bank, investment, and retirement accounts
- Real estate
- Rental income
- Cars, boats, or other personal property
- Business assets, including inventory, equipment, receivables, and bank accounts
Typically, the IRS files a federal tax lien before it takes levy action. This is why it’s important to act quickly when a tax lien is filed so you can avoid asset seizure. Stephen Kass will work with you right away to prevent levies and further IRS escalation.
New York State Tax Liens and Tax Warrants
The IRS isn’t the only entity that can take collection actions against taxpayers. The New York Department of Taxation and Finance (DTF) may file a tax warrant if you haven’t paid your state taxes or made arrangements to pay off the debt.
A state tax warrant is also a public record, like a lien, and it acts as a civil judgment against you. A warrant can similarly lead to the seizure of assets, including wages or property. The only way to get rid of the tax warrant is to pay off your debt, even if you have to set up an installment agreement with the state.
The state taxation department will first send you a notice regarding your debt to encourage you to pay and avoid further action. As soon as you receive a notice or are alerted to the tax warrant, contact our NY tax warrant defense lawyer. We handle both state and federal lien issues.
How Does an IRS Tax Lien Impact You?
There are a few things to know about tax liens and the negative impacts they can have on your credit and financial activities. Here’s a breakdown of the consequences:
- Ability to get credit: While tax liens are no longer part of your credit history or score, they can impact your ability to get new lines of credit should you need them, such as a personal or business loan.
- Refinancing or selling property: Liens can also get in the way of refinancing loans secured by collateral or selling property you own.
- Reputational damage: Tax liens are public records, and they alert other creditors that you have had challenges paying what you owe. This can impact you or your business’s reputation – especially with vendors who do credit checks.
The good news is that working with the team at the Law Offices of Stephen B. Kass can help you get a lien resolved quickly and limit its impact on your finances.
How We Help With IRS Tax Liens
Here is a look at exactly how we work with you to address IRS tax liens quickly and effectively:
- Review your tax history: We first obtain and review IRS transcripts and other documents to get information about your tax issue.
- Confirm IRS accuracy: We make sure the tax, penalties, and interest assessed by the IRS are accurate and that everything is filed correctly.
- Develop a strategy: Then, based on your situation and your budget, we develop a strategy to resolve the lien and your tax debt.
The approach varies based on the situation, but here are some of the most common ways we resolve tax liens and warrants for our clients:
- Pursue lien withdrawal: You may be eligible for lien withdrawal once your taxes are paid or you set up a Direct Debit installment agreement with the IRS.
- Assess lien subordination eligibility: Another option is subordination, which allows your other credits to move up in line in front of the IRS. This could be necessary when you need a loan.
- Consider lien discharge: The IRS may agree to remove the lien from select property if necessary – for example, if you need to sell the property to pay your taxes or if the property’s value is insufficient to pay the tax debt.
- Set up an installment agreement: Once you set up payments, the IRS won’t be able to pursue an actual levy, as long as you stay current on your agreement and are up to date on your other requirements, and depending on your balance due and the type of plan, the IRS may withdraw the lien.
- Request an offer in compromise: An offer in compromise is a good option when you can’t afford to pay your tax debt, even through a payment plan. You are required to share details about your finances with the IRS and an offer of what you can afford. Once the debt is satisfied, the lien will be released.
- Seek a Collection Due Process (CDP) hearing: The IRS should have outlined your right to a hearing in your lien notice. If it’s before the deadline, you can pursue a CDP hearing to protest the lien – if you’re past that deadline, you may still qualify for an equivalent hearing.
- Collection statute expiration: In some cases, we may advise you to strategically wait until the collection statute expiration date (CSED) passes if it’s nearing 10 years from when the tax was first assessed. The IRS can no longer collect following this period, making the lien lose its power.
When you contact us for help, we’ll help you negotiate and explore options to resolve the tax lien quickly. The right strategy for you depends on factors like your financial situation and timing.
Tax Liens for Business Owners
Federal tax liens and state tax warrants aren’t just reserved for individual taxpayers. Businesses may face liens and levies as well for payroll and other taxes.
It’s important to address business tax liens as soon as possible to avoid risks like business asset seizure, Trust Fund Recovery Penalty investigations and assessments, and impacts on contracts and vendor relationships. Reputational risks can be high when a business is hit with a tax lien or warrant.
Fortunately, Stephen Kass and his team help both individuals and businesses address tax liens and warrants. Talk to us about the best course of action for your business.
When to Hire a Tax Lien Attorney
If you have a small tax debt balance that you can afford to pay off quickly, you may not need to work with an IRS lien release attorney. However, most lien and levy cases benefit from seeking legal help to explore options and get the matter resolved quickly.
Hire an attorney in these cases:
- You have a very large tax debt balance.
- The IRS has filed a federal tax lien against you.
- You need a line of credit, and approval is impacted by the lien.
- A real estate transaction has been blocked because of the lien.
- NY DTF filed a tax warrant against you.
- An IRS revenue officer has been assigned to your case.
- Multiple tax years are involved in your tax issue.
We’ve seen it all at our law office, and our attorney will pursue the best option to get your tax lien taken care of for good.
Why Choose Stephen B. Kass?
Our law office stands apart in a few important ways, which is why taxpayers in New York and across the country turn to us for help:
- Our attorney specializes in tax controversy and IRS enforcement defense.
- We represent New York taxpayers and businesses.
- Our attorney has experience with both IRS liens and NY tax warrants.
- We deliver a thorough analysis to build a personalized strategy.
- Stephen Kass negotiates with IRS revenue officers and state enforcement agents.
- We will coordinate federal and state resolution planning.
Our legal team understands how serious tax liens and warrants can be. We help you manage the process and address these issues as quickly as possible.
Contact the Law Offices of Stephen B. Kass to set up a consultation now.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tax Liens
Does a Federal Tax Lien Impact My Credit?
Liens no longer show up on your credit history report, nor do they impact your credit score. However, creditors can see liens since they are public records, so a lien will likely impact your ability to get new lines of credit or refinance.
Can I Sell My Home If I Have a Tax Lien?
If the IRS puts a tax lien on your home and you’re trying to sell it, it needs to be removed before you can sell or refinance that property. However, if the lien amount is more than the projected proceeds of the sale, you can request that the IRS discharge the lien on that property so you can move forward with the sale.
How Long Does a Tax Lien Last?
If you pay your debt in full, the lien is released within 30 days following payment. If you don’t pay off your debt, the tax lien self-releases in 10 years, which is the collection statute expiration date.
How Does a New York Tax Warrant Work?
Similar to a tax lien, a tax warrant in New York allows the state to assert its interest in your property because of tax debt. Your balance must be paid off to satisfy the tax warrant. You can set up a payment plan to prevent further state action while you pay off your debt.
