What to do if the IRS has filed a Tax Lien, Levy or Garnishment

If you don’t act when you owe money to the IRS or the state, you can easily find yourself the target of tax liens, garnished paychecks and frozen bank accounts. Even if these actions have already been taken against you, it may be possible to get them reversed if you take action fast enough and speak with a qualified, focused IRS and state tax attorney.

What are Tax Liens

A tax lien is the government’s legal claim against your property when you neglect or fail to pay a tax debt. It protects the government’s interest in all of your property, including real estate, personal property, and financial assets.

Tax Levies and IRS Wage Garnishment

A tax levy is a legal seizure of your property (liquid assets typically) to satisfy a tax debt. If the IRS serves a tax levy on your bank, your bank is required by law to send all of your money to the IRS. Additionally, if they send one to your employer, they are required to send your paychecks to the IRS minus a very small amount which is exempt.

Tax levies differ from tax liens in that a lien is a legal claim against your property to secure payment of your tax debt, while a levy actually takes your property to satisfy the tax debt.

How to Prevent IRS Liens and Levies

The worst thing you can do is ignore notices. The IRS only takes these extreme measures after they have exhausted every other possible way of retrieving the debt that is owed to them and only after several failed attempts to get your attention. Before the IRS serves notice of a tax lien, levy or garnishment, take action and call a qualified IRS and state tax attorney who can put a stop to these actions before they happen. Don’t wait.

Releasing IRS Liens and Levies

If you have already been served with a tax lien or levy notification, there are still actions that can be taken to help you. Seek professional legal help immediately. Your tax attorney may be able to help mitigate your losses and salvage damage to your credit report.

Call Ayar Law for a free consultation. 800.571.7175