Tax Liens & Credit Reporting

How long will a state tax lien (due to unpaid state income taxes) stay on a credit report?

Cheryl

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Hi Cheryl,

Per the FCRA 1681c(a)(3) “Paid tax liens which, from date of payment, antedate the report by more than seven years” must be “excluded from consumer reports”.  So, it’s seven years from the date paid and theoretically, unpaid tax liens could remain indefinitely. 

Equifax’s website claims that “Unpaid tax liens remain on file indefinitely”.  TransUnion’s states “Tax Liens – City, county, state and federal tax liens are especially harmful and can remain on your credit report indefinitely”.  Experian’s site claims “unpaid tax liens, which remain for 15 years”. 

One thing is for sure, you’ll have to stay on top of the credit bureaus when it comes to public records verification.

Thanks for the questions and hope this helps.

Paul

This author is not an attorney and this information should not be considered legal advice.  Please consult an attorney for legal advice.