En esta noticia
Many taxpayers believe that a tax debt automatically disappears after a few years. However, in the United States there are legal mechanisms that allow the Government to continue and even reactivate collection processes long after the original obligation has been forgotten.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) retains the authority to seize bank accounts, wages, and property when tax debts remain legally valid.
Tax debts do NOT disappear
The IRS generally has a 10-year period to collect taxes owed from the date the debt was officially assessed, a period known as the Collection Statute Expiration Date (CSED).
However, many people mistakenly believe that:
- The debt disappears automatically
- The Government loses all right to collect
- Old notices no longer have any effect
Why many debts reappear years later
Many taxpayers discover the problem when:
- They receive new IRS notices
- Their bank funds are frozen
- Seizures appear on wages or property
This happens because the debt may still be legally active.
IRS seizes assets from everyone who forgot this procedure
If the debt is still valid and was not regularized, the IRS can go after:
- Bank accounts
- Wages and income
- Vehicles
- Real estate properties
- Other assets and financial holdings