Unlike IRS wage garnishment or IRS bank levies, which are technical terms used to represent administrative actions by the Internal Revenue Service to seize property and satisfy a tax liability, a lien is a claim to the right to take your property. This is like a mortgage against your personal property. When you owe taxes due to a late or unfiled tax return the Internal Revenue Service can claim a right to things like homes, cars and boats and lawfully take any proceeds from the sale of those possessions to satisfy your debt.

While an IRS wage garnishment results in money being taken straight from your paycheck, and IRS bank levies are used to deduct tax debts straight from taxpayers? bank accounts, levies can be even more frightening because they involve the most substantial property. In either case you will always have time to act before the Internal Revenue Service takes action. Typically, they will give you 30 days to act by presenting you with written notice delivered to your home or office.

If you have found yourself in this most undesirable situation, the best way to avoid such claims against your property is to apply for lien subordination, after which you will obtain a Release of the Notice of Federal Tax Lien if your application is accepted. The Internal Revenue Service is not eager to accept taxpayer's pleas for lien subordination, though, and there are many standardized procedures for lien releases, discharges and subordination. This is why most people work with professional tax relief specialists when they find themselves in this state of affairs.

If you are fortunate enough to qualify for lien subordination, the Internal Revenue Service will usually remove the lien within 30 days. At this point, you will receive a copy of the Certificate of Release of Federal Tax Lien. With expert help from experienced tax relief specialists it is possible to get to this point and avoid having all your possessions stripped away.