This article was co-authored by Michael R. Lewis. Michael R. Lewis is a retired corporate executive, entrepreneur, and investment advisor in Texas. He has over 40 years of experience in business and finance, including as a Vice President for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. He has a BBA in Industrial Management from the University of Texas at Austin.
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A tax lien is often filed by a local government against a property owner who has failed to pay property taxes. The government agency involved will issue a public certificate stating the amount of unpaid taxes and verifying that a lien has been placed on the property. Often the agency will elect to sell such a certificate to a private investor in order to get some of the money due to them without having to pursue the property owner. If the property owner later pays the tax (with interest), the payment goes to the investor. As with any investment, there are risks in buying lien certificates. If you're considering this type of investment, keep the following information in mind.