What Your Family Should do if You Have an IRS Tax Lien

Having a tax lien on your property or bank account can be a scary situation. It's quite normal for you to want to do something about it. These are some things you can do about a tax lien if you've been notified that the IRS has placed one on you:

Don't let thetax lien notification scare you. You must take action as soon as possible if you want to resolve the issue. The first thing you need to do as soon as you know you have a lien on your property is to contact the IRS. The IRS has the right to release the lien if you pay your tax obligation in full. If you're unable to do that, you can still request that the IRS release your lien. You will need to file paperwork with the IRS that explains that the lien puts an undue hardship on you and your family members.

It may be easier to get a break from the IRS at this time because of the pandemic situation. The pandemic itself has put a hardship on everyone's life it has touched. Therefore, you can request that the IRS be lenient on you because of the pandemic's effect on you and your family. A hardship may also be described as a recent job loss, a new family member's birth, a divorce or an illness. The IRS may be willing to accept your circumstances as hardships if you can prove them.

The IRS will review the lien that it has on your wages, bank account or property. They will provide you with a decision. You are allowed to file an appeal if the IRS decides to deny your release request.

You may also want to try enlisting the help of a third-party company. Such a company can contact the IRS for you and help you get an IRS tax lien removal. They have a number of strategies they can use to do so. One thing they can do is complete all the forms necessary regarding the levy. This type of organization can also negotiate with the IRS about your tax lien removal.

A helpful tax lien company may be able to get the IRS to withdraw your tax lien notice. Certain situations must apply before you can receive a withdrawal. One such situation is that you must be current on all of your tax obligations for the past three years in filing your returns. You must also be current on your estimated tax payments. Professionals know which forms they need to file, and they also know how to speak the IRS's language. It may be in your best interest to hire such professionals if you think you will have a problem talking to the IRS agents. It can be a frustrating task, and it might be more suitable for someone else to handle.

You may also be able to enter an installment agreement with the IRS. By the time the IRS issues a lien, a taxpayer usually has ignored several messages. However, it's still worth trying to contact the IRS to see if they will accept a certain amount of money each month and a down payment. They may then release the lien if the installment agreement doesn't allow the lien to continue. It would be best for you to agree to sign up for the installment agreement with a debit card that the IRS can charge faithfully every month. That will increase your chances of having the lien removed. 

The IRS only wants to ensure that they are going to receive the money owed to them. Entering into an installment agreement will ease their minds about the funds. As long as you stick to your payment arrangement, you should not be in jeopardy of losing any of your assets. You have to ensure that you do not miss any payments, however.

Now you know some of the ways you can handle your tax lien. We suggest that you start taking care of this issue immediately to avoid the loss of your property. You still have time to resolve it.