Federal tax lien, not county property tax
Sell a House With an IRS Tax Lien
A Notice of Federal Tax Lien is a different creditor from the Marion County Treasurer. Discharge or payoff follows IRS process. A cash sale does not delete the NFTL.
- Local Indianapolis buyer
- A written cash offer
- Closing through a local title company
Can you sell with a federal tax lien recorded?
Possibly, if closing can satisfy the government’s interest in this parcel or the IRS issues a certificate of discharge for the property. Title will not ignore a recorded NFTL because the buyer is paying cash. Timing follows IRS review, not a seven-day slogan. This is not tax advice and not a promise of any IRS outcome.
Do not use the generic liens FAQ as an IRS manual
The liens page is a taxonomy. County installment delinquency is the treasurer file. Stay here when a Notice of Federal Tax Lien is recorded against you or the property. The IRS explains liens versus levies on Understanding a federal tax lien. Discharge of a specific property is Publication 783 and Form 14135.
This page is informational only and is not tax, legal, or IRS-practice advice. Discharge, release, and subordination are IRS determinations. Publication 783 and Form 14135 describe applications; they do not guarantee an outcome or a closing date. Coordinate with the title company and a qualified tax professional or attorney. We do not file IRS applications or promise that every federal lien can be cleared.
Discharge, release, and subordination are not interchangeable
- Discharge removes the lien from named property so that property can transfer. The tax debt can remain against you and other assets.
- Release generally means the tax has been satisfied or the lien is otherwise no longer in force.
- Subordination (Publication 784) can change priority, often in a refinance—usually the wrong tool for a sale.
Those are IRS legal categories. Title-company practice is to require a payoff, a discharge certificate, or another document they will insure over. Contract terms cannot invent an IRS outcome. Publication 783 asks applicants to submit at least 45 days before the date the certificate is needed. That is IRS timing guidance, not a local custom we can shorten.
High-level only. Your NFTL, Form 14135 basis, and the closer control the file.
| Path | What it does | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|
| Pay IRS from proceeds | Closer remits the government’s interest in this house at settlement when that is the accepted path. | Does not always equal a full tax release. |
| Certificate of discharge | IRS lifts the lien from this parcel under a § 6325(b) basis, including cases where the government’s interest has no value. | Does not remap county property taxes. |
| Ignore the NFTL | Not a path title will take. | Cash does not create insurable title. |
We do not represent you before the IRS
Share recording information. Title and your tax professional handle discharge paperwork.
Local recording still matters
When the IRS records or releases documents against Marion County real estate, the Marion County Recorder is the local office. The Treasurer’s tax desk is a different building and a different debt. Settlement still looks like an ordinary title closing from the outside, with extra IRS paper. We will not promise a specific IRS outcome or a specific tax consequence of discharge versus payment.
Federal lien vs county tax vs other claims
Discharge vs payoff vs Marion County taxes
Get a written offer that still has to clear the IRS item
Share the address and any NFTL recording information you have. If we are the right buyer, you receive a written cash offer after we review the property. We do not file Form 14135 for you.
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Want to talk to a real person?
Call now and tell us about the property. If email is easier, use the contact page.
(463) 276-5712