A lien is a creditor’s legal right or claim to your property. The purpose of a lien is to hold a property item — it doesn’t have to be a house — as collateral for a loan or debt. If you don’t pay off ...

Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia. Khadija Khartit is a strategy, investment, and funding expert, and an educator of fintech ...

What is a lien and how does it affect you? You’re in good company if you’re not exactly sure how liens work. It’s not one of those topics that makes it into most people’s water-cooler conversations.

A mortgage lien is a mortgage lender’s legal right to take legal possession of your home if you fail to pay your debt — a process known as foreclosure. This claim makes your home the collateral that ...

You're in good company if you're not exactly sure how liens work. It's not one of those topics that makes it into most people's water-cooler conversations. But knowing what a lien is and how it works ...