You must ask the IRS to withdraw a tax lien once the tax liability is fully paid.
The Service will withdraw the lien:
- Provided you have paid your tax bill
- The IRS has released the lien
- You have been tax-compliant for the past three years
A withdrawal of a tax lien expunges the lien immediately from the debtor’s records, and it is as if the lien had never been filed. Use Form 12277 to request a withdrawal.
You may ask for a lien withdrawal even if you haven’t fully repaid the debt, provided the amount that you currently owe the Service doesn’t exceed $25,000 and you agree to pay off the rest via monthly debits from your bank account.
Kiplinger Tax Letter
October 2020