Has a Federal Tax Lien Been Filed in Your Name?

Worried if a federal tax lien has already been filed in your name? Normally, you’ll have to visit your local county courthouse to see if you have an IRS tax lien filed against you or your home. What if you’re too busy or can’t get to the county courthouse yourself? Hopefully, you’re reading this article because you’re connected to the Internet, and that little detail can work to your advantage.

The good news is that many state and county courthouses have an online system in place that people like you can easily access to check certain recorded or filed documents, IRS tax liens included. That said, there are a couple of ways to find out if a tax lien with your name exists.

The first step is to review your home’s document history on record. The IRS usually files lien documents at the state level, but they may file such documents at the county level as well. Start at the state level by visiting your Secretary of State’s website. Use the site’s search function to search the database for any document that includes your name.

If you don’t see any such document at the state level, move on to the county level. Check your local county’s official website and, again, use the site’s search function to locate any document that has your name.

Once you see a federal tax lien with your name on it, it would be wise to get in touch with a tax lawyer immediately.