Can a tax lien be placed on Your House?
John Thompson
Published Mar 01, 2026
You could have a federal tax lien on your house, but you could also have a state tax lien or a tax lien from your county or city. There‘s also the “super lien,” which involves being behind on homeowner association fees. And you aren’t alone if you have a tax lien: In fiscal year 2012, the IRS filed over 708,000 Notices of Federal Tax Liens.
How can I get Out of a federal tax lien?
The IRS files a public document, the Notice of Federal Tax Lien, to alert creditors that the government has a legal right to your property. For more information, refer to Publication 594, The IRS Collection Process PDF . Paying your tax debt – in full – is the best way to get rid of a federal tax lien.
When does the IRS tax lien go away?
If the IRS tax lien is junior to the mortgage being foreclosed, the IRS tax lien will be foreclosed through the judicial sale and the lien on the property will be extinguished after the judicial deed is issued. However, the IRS will have a redemption period of 120 days after the date of the judicial sale…
What does it mean to subordinate a federal tax lien?
“Subordination” does not remove the lien, but allows other creditors to move ahead of the IRS, which may make it easier to get a loan or mortgage. To determine eligibility, refer to Publication 784, Instructions on How to Apply for a Certificate of Subordination of Federal Tax Lien PDF and the video Selling or Refinancing when there is an IRS Lien.
Can a tax lien turn into a levy?
The IRS puts liens on all types of property, including real estate. A federal tax lien differs from an IRS levy, which is the actual seizure of the property and eventual sale to pay off your tax debt to the IRS. However, if you fail to pay your taxes and do not make good faith arrangements with the IRS to do so, a lien can turn into a levy.
Where can I find list of delinquent property taxes?
When property taxes go unpaid, or are delinquent for a period of time, this is recorded by the tax assessor or tax collector. It’s public record, too. That’s the key to this real estate investment strategy.
