MY JOB IS AT STAKE, Need Federal Tax Lien Help!

Anonymous · ‎10-30-2015

I have Federal tax lien which was filed August 2008 and released in August 2009 (I forgot a form, filed amended returns, and the lien was statisfied and released). I filed a FORM 12277 with the IRS to remove the public record of the lien since it will now cost me my 25 year job due to background clearnces now required for the division I work in <sigh>. After filing the FORM 12277, I recieved a letter from the IRS stating they have no record of the lien. I called the IRS an the rep said that the IRS doesn't keep data that long, so from their perspective the lien is essencially "gone". She suggested I go to the court (Cook County IL), for what I'm not exactly sure. I assume to ask them to stop reporting? I explained I no longer live in that state and she said to look it up online (doesn't exist online either - that I could find anyway).

Starting with Equifax, I tried to take the direct CRA route and ask for an EE. I spoke with a CSP and a supervisor who stated they could not EE public records. I explained that this 7.4 year public record (since filed), which is paid, which I could no longer DO anything about but wait (Aug. 2016 when it rolls off) - and that it will cost me my job of 25 years within 30 days. They simply repeaded that they "could not delete, it's the law".

Ultimately, I'm not sure what I supposed to be doing at the court level. Request a vacate? Do i need fly to Chicago, get a lawyer with POA?

My job is in the balance, HELP!

Anonymous · ‎10-30-2015

What a horrible situation! Contact a good financial attorney in Chicago and give them all of your documents. Maybe call the Chicago bar association for a referral. That's the only thing I can think for you to do and possibly make the 30 day deadline. Good luck.

Anonymous · ‎10-30-2015

I know it looks and sounds dire, but I can't imagine you'd need more than a letter of explanation for an adjudicator to mitigate that situation. If you aren't able to clear it prior to your deadline, just write up a letter of explanation including all relevant facts and dates, and steps you've taken to attempt to resolve it, and submit that to your security officer. I've seen adjudicators rubber-stamp situations far worse and far more recent than that.

Anonymous · ‎10-30-2015

Call the Clerk in Cook County, IL - sometimes you can order records over the phone - they may charge you - or ask you to fax a request. All counties are different - but I would think Chicago would have a way to order them without traveling to Chicago. It might be worth a shot ..... At least it would be an additional paper trail as to your attempts to locate/clear this up.

Anonymous · ‎10-30-2015

I appreciate the reply @SeveredFinger. Sorry to press, but what specifically do I send? Also the mgistrate is in Illinois I now live in Georgia. Not sure my specific next step. :-/

Anonymous · ‎10-30-2015

Thanks for the reply @jlynn0819, I did call the court who could not find a record of the case. Granted the rep did sound like she just wanted to get off the phone so I'm not sure how accurate that was. I could try the online request route, but I'm not sure how that helps me. Esscentially I'm asking the creditor, in this case the court, to stop reporting this "paid collection". What I don't know is want specifically to do next. Sounding frantic, I know. :-(

Anonymous · ‎10-30-2015

First - just call the clerk in Illinois - they may have a release or something on file that they can send to you. See if they show it PAID and what they can send to you. They may already have a release/vacate order/something on file. Based on what they tell you, you can figure out your next step with the court. You can't know what the next step is there without finding out what the last step was.

Start documenting dates, letters, documentation, etc. Everything you can to provide to your employer for the security clearance. If you have the letter from the IRS, that should be a BIG one for you to provide to them.

Let me know what you find out from the clerk's office and then I might be able to point you in the right direction there.... you still may need an attorney, but I'll try to tell ya the next step......

Anonymous · ‎10-30-2015

If they show no record of the case - Call a supervisor - Ask them to verify that they cannot find a case in Cook County and see if they can send you something that shows /states that there is no case in Cook County.

If there is No record of the case - and you can get documentation - you might be able to dispute it with the CRAs to get it removed. You already have the letter from the IRS stating the same.

If no one can find a record - it's going to be pretty hard to verify on a dispute......

Anonymous · ‎10-30-2015

I appreciate the replies @jlynn0819. For clarity the Lien is released and noted as such on my credit reports with EQX and TU. This is not on my EXP at all, thank goodness. So it has been released and noted as such. I am trying to get the public record itself removed which will get flagged on my background. The fact that the record is there at all paid or not will cause the issue. The IRS 12277 fresh start is suppossed to remove public records or provide a FORM which will allow the CRAs to release. The problem is the IRS doesn't have a record, and apparently the court doesn't either.

I will take the route you suggest, but I just wanted to note the court HAS (or at some point when they had the records) reported the lien as released.

Anonymous · ‎10-30-2015

In order to file a Motion to Vacate Lien - you are going to need to know the case number - so somewhere/some how there has to be a copy of something.......If they reported it as released.

Are they listed on the CRAs as Cook County? My state lien (Iowa) lists as Polk County (which I never lived in but is where Des Moines-the capital is) Do you need to be checking another county??? Like Sangamon - where Springfield is???? Just a thought.....