Many people here in San Diego may be struggling with tax debt, but they do what they can to adequately and properly address the problem. Some people, though, may either ignore their tax debt, or they simply aren’t able to adequately and properly address the debt. In these cases, the individual risks the wrath of the Internal Revenue Service — and that rarely goes well for the individual taxpayer.
If your tax debt lingers for too long, eventually the IRS will file a lien against your name. This tax lien will cripple you financially. It will make it very difficult (if not outright impossible) to get new credit cards or any new lines of credit at all. The lien will tarnish your reputation until you fulfill your obligations with the IRS.
However, there are some steps you can take to get out from underneath the lien. Aside from actually paying off your tax debt, you could use these processes to help your cause:
- You could file for a discharge of property, which means that you are able to sell property without the lien holding up the process.
- You could “subordinate” the lien by filing for a certificate of subordination. When a lien goes into effect, it basically forces you to prioritize your IRS debt first. But this subordination allows you to prioritize your debts in any way you choose.
- You could appeal for a withdrawal of the lien, which, if successful, would mean that it was like the lien wasn’t even in effect in the first place.