How to Find Out if I Have a Lien by the State of Illinois
A lien is a claim by a lender on a debtor’s property as a means to satisfy a debt. The debtor can recover the money he is owed if and when the debtor sells his property by taking what is owed from the proceeds. In the state of Illinois, liens against property must be publicly published to ensure that people who may acquire property are aware of obligations of the current owner. Finding out if there is a lien on your property is a matter of going to the right resource.
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Instructions
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Contact people to whom you owe money and ask if they have filed a lien against you. For a lien to be placed on your property, a debtor must go to court and file for judgment; it is not an automatic process. If the people who you owe money to have not filed a lien against you, you are probably fine.
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Go to the Illinois Secretary of State’s website and see if a lien has been taken out against you. The Secretary of State’s website allows you to search for UCC and federal tax liens that have been placed on individuals and businesses. While this resource is available 24 hours a day and is free, the information provided is limited because a full disclosure would reveal private information such as Social Security numbers.
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Go to the Recorder’s office in the county in which you live and search your property records to see if a lien has been filed against you. To be enforceable, a lien must have its corresponding memorandum of judgment filed at the local recorder’s office. This memorandum should identify who holds the lien and how much you owe.
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Tips & Warnings
If a lien has been taken out against your property, consult with a licensed attorney in your area to ensure that your rights are protected. This article does not provide legal advice; it is for educational purposes only. Use of this article does not create any attorney-client relationship.
