Don’t miss out on tens of thousands of dollars by letting the IRS or State torpedo your sale! Learn what other realtors have already discovered!
Have You Worked Hard To Sell A Home Only To Find Out An IRS (or State) Tax Lien Is Holding Up The Sale AND Holding Up Your Commission?
Have you reached escrow only to have the sale be delayed by an IRS or State of California tax lien – not to mention your commission being potentially delayed or permanently lost? Millions of homeowners have tax liens on their homes, and the IRS won’t let the sale of their home go through if the lien is not addressed, even if there’s a motivated buyer! Unfortunately, the sale can’t close until the IRS gives their stamp of approval – the lien problem won’t go away on its own, but YOU can take steps to help your client resolve the lien, and get the property sold!
Have You Lost Out On A Sale In The Past Because Of A Tax Lien?
Do You Avoid Selling Homes With Tax Liens Because You’re Not Sure If You’ll Get Paid?
IRS Problems have a way of ruining all aspects of a person’s life – including that of listing agents, realtors, escrow officers, and mortgage brokers! When a sale enters escrow, an IRS lien can cause the sale to be lost when the buyer wants to close fast and is worried about his or her deposit. The IRS adds salt to your wounds by adding complicated procedures and red tape that negatively affects all stakeholders involved – the seller, the buyer, the listing agent, the seller’s agent, the escrow officer, the lenders on both sides, and more!
What’s So Special About An IRS Lien?
The IRS doesn’t like being ignored, so liens are how they get a taxpayer’s attention. The IRS wants to be sure a homeowner knows they are not going away! They file their special paperwork with the County Recorder’s Office and, instantly, the government’s interest is fully secured. On top of that, their lien is a “super-priority” lien, meaning their lien supersedes almost all other liens, judgments and creditors!
How Do I Find Out If There’s A Real Estate Tax Lien?
Typically, a title search will not only determine the legal owner of a property and identify mortgages and judgments, it will also reveal tax liens on the property for unpaid taxes that will have to be addressed before the property can be sold!
If I Find Out There’s A Tax Lien, What Do I Do?
First, stay calm! You can still help the sale go through! Once you find out an IRS or State real estate tax lien exists on the property, it’s time to take action, and fast! Why? Because, while you may be efficient, and while both the seller and buyer are ready to close right away, the IRS does not care. They have a very specific process and procedure for determining if they will ALLOW the property to be sold. And they go at their own pace, UNLESS you know their rules and how to expedite the process, while also increasing the chance of getting their approval before the buyer gets impatient and backs out. Remember, no IRS approval means no sale. And no sale means no commission!
What If There’s Not Enough Equity To Full Pay The IRS Lien?
Will I Still Get Paid?!
The IRS may still be able to approve the sale under certain conditions. The Tax Code says the IRS is allowed to approve a sale if a partial payment, or even no payment, against the lien is received, but strict criteria and all required procedures must be met. The request must be made in accordance with IRS rules and guidelines, and EVERYTHING must be properly included in the package that contains the initial “discharge” request. Once the approval is secured, everyone gets paid!
Who Makes The Decision To Grant A Discharge?
And When Will The “Certificate of Discharge” Be Received?
The IRS Advisory Unit is responsible for reviewing and verifying the information provided by a Seller to determine whether a “certificate of discharge” should be issued. The IRS will work closely with a Seller’s License Lien Specialist to discuss all matters relative to the discharge request. Therefore, it is absolutely crucial that the lien discharge request is PREPARED PERFECTLY! This will increase the chance that the IRS will grant an approval, and do so in a timely manner! Once approved, the IRS will issue something called a “Conditional Commitment Letter” followed by a “Certificate of Discharge”, which means the property can be SOLD, and you can get PAID!
Is There Anything I Can Do To Ensure The Sale Goes Through So I Can Get Paid?
Yes, there is! YOU can help push the sale through. First, you have to decide that you won’t let the IRS or State prevent you from receiving your hard-earned commission ever again! Once you make the decision that you won’t let a real estate tax lien torpedo your sale, you need to take action right away to TAKE CONTROL and RESPONSIBILITY for the sale!
YOU need to ensure the seller/owner immediately gets a Licensed Lien Specialist to prepare, submit, and defend a lien discharge request! Someone who knows all the ins- and-outs of discharging tax liens, someone who SPECIALIZES in dealing with the IRS and State on a daily basis, and someone who has dealt with literally thousands of real estate tax liens over 15 years! Someone who cares about you and your client, and is an expert in taking on the IRS and State. Someone who USED TO WORK AT THE IRS and knows all of their collection procedures and secrets!
Hi, I’m Michael Raanan. I’m a licensed Enrolled Agent and lien specialist.
I’m also a former IRS Agent, and I currently work with tons of real estate professionals just like you.
Myself and my team at Landmark Tax Group are experts in resolving back taxes and helping taxpayers get their tax liens released so they can sell their homes.
We used to work at the IRS as Senior Revenue Officers (collectors), we helped shape some of the well-known IRS programs, and we even trained other IRS employees during our time there.
In short, we know exactly how the IRS works and how to get the IRS to grant a lien discharge!
Landmark Tax Group
2030 Main Street, Suite 1300 Irvine, CA 92614
Tel: (949) 260-4770