How To Find A Federal Tax Lien List On The Web


A potential investor in tax lien certificates or deeds needs to have adequate information regarding various aspects of tax liens before being able to take a definite decision to invest. Investors are interested in knowing details of the lien like date of filing , redemption periods and interest rates as well as the current status, details of the creditor, etc. Tax lien lists give all this information and more and are readily available to both individuals and corporations who are contemplating investing in tax liens.

Tax lien lists can be obtained from the county office itself. Newspapers too print lists of tax liens that are waiting to be sold. However, one of the widest data bases is available on the internet. There are several websites which are devoted solely to the compilation of public records like tax liens and bankruptcies. These sites collect information on those who are in financial distress and list them for the convenience of those who might find it useful for various reasons. Using these tax lien lists investors can learn about potential investment opportunities and take an informed decision regarding the tax liens they are interested in.

The tax lien lists on the sites can relate to both federal and state tax liens. Various kinds of liens appear on the list including payroll withholdings, sales and use tax, income tax, etc. The investor can use a host of different criteria to search the lists effectively. These include region, specific time periods and specific types of tax lien. The investor may also want to know if the tax lien relates to the state or to the federal government. Further, investors can search according to the amount and nature of the tax lien (that is whether it pertains to an individual or a business).The search need not be restricted to a single criteria; it can be conducted using a combination of criterion.

Once the investor has narrowed down the list, the particulars of the lien can be viewed in greater detail. Most tax lien lists will give information on the name and address of the debtor, the name of the county where the lien has been filed, the date it was filed and who the creditor is. The amount of the tax lien and whether it is a state or federal lien can also be learnt.

The coverage area of the websites varies considerably. Some limit their tax lien lists to specific regions or kinds of tax liens while others may have a wider data base covering several states or even the whole country. In addition to the websites which are devoted to investment or tax liens, every state too has its own tax lien list which can be accessed online.