Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions.
Key Principles
We value your trust. Our mission is to provide readers with accurate and unbiased information, and we have editorial standards in place to ensure that happens. Our editors and reporters thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate. We maintain a firewall between our advertisers and our editorial team. Our editorial team does not receive direct compensation from our advertisers.
Editorial Independence
Bankrate’s editorial team writes on behalf of YOU – the reader. Our goal is to give you the best advice to help you make smart personal finance decisions. We follow strict guidelines to ensure that our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. Our editorial team receives no direct compensation from advertisers, and our content is thoroughly fact-checked to ensure accuracy. So, whether you’re reading an article or a review, you can trust that you’re getting credible and dependable information.
You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey.
Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers.
We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money.
Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service.
Dear Dr. Don,
I have a lien on my house. What can I do?
Thanks,
— Lou Longshot
Dear Lou,
There are different types of liens that can be placed on a property. The Internal Revenue Service can place a tax lien on the property. Unpaid property taxes can also generate a lien on your property. Also, a contractor can place a mechanic’s lien on it to ensure payment for work performed on the property. A judgment lien is created by a court ruling that gave a creditor the right to place a lien on your property for an unpaid debt. Even homeowners associations have been known to place a lien on a property for unpaid association fees.
To remove the lien, you need to settle the lien holder’s claim on the property. They will then release the lean. How big a hassle this process is depends on the type of lien and the lien holder. Whether you need to work with an attorney to accomplish the release depends on the type of lien and your willingness and ability to satisfy the lien holder’s claim on your property. Most mechanics liens and judgment liens won’t result in foreclosure. But some liens, like those for unpaid property taxes, can trigger foreclosure.
You didn’t mention whether the lien was part of a bankruptcy process. Bankrate’s bankruptcy adviser Justin Harelik has written about getting liens released post-bankruptcy on debts that were discharged in bankruptcy. Also, Bankrate’s tax adviser Judy O’Connor has written about the IRS treatment of tax liens.
Get more news, money-saving tips and expert advice by signing up for a free Bankrate newsletter.
Ask the adviser
To ask a question of Dr. Don, go to the “Ask the Experts” page and select one of these topics: “Financing a home,” “Saving & Investing” or “Money.” Read more Dr. Don columns for additional personal finance advice.
Bankrate’s content, including the guidance of its advice-and-expert columns and this website, is intended only to assist you with financial decisions. The content is broad in scope and does not consider your personal financial situation. Bankrate recommends that you seek the advice of advisers who are fully aware of your individual circumstances before making any final decisions or implementing any financial strategy. Please remember that your use of this website is governed by Bankrate’s Terms of Use.
Share