How to Expunge a Secure Judgment Lien
- 1). Pay the lien. The easiest way to expunge the lien from your record is to pay the lien off completely, and get a receipt from the court and the creditor saying that your debt is paid. Once that's done, check with the court to be sure that the lien is marked as removed with the debt covered.
- 2). Sell the property. Once the property the lien is on is gone, the lien is expunged. You can either sell the property, using the money from the sale to pay the lien, or you can transfer the lien to the new buyer. This means that the lien is officially accepted by the new owners in writing, and they agree to pay the debt for the property. Either way, the lien will be cleared from your record as paid.
- 3). Declare bankruptcy. In many jurisdictions liens will be taken off property and forgiven in part or in whole depending on the exact circumstances. Chapter 11 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy have many rules and regulations regarding when a lien was entered into, and if the lien came after bankruptcy was declared and the case begun, then that lien may be declared void by the court handling your case. If your creditor won't release the lien, and the laws state that the creditor cannot hold a lien while you're bankrupt, then you can appeal to the court to strike the lien from your property and your record.
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