Based on my own experience working in Compliance at the IRS first as a taxexaminer in the Collections Due Process area 112 years and then as amanager in Compliance 5 years a lien is inevitable if you owe more than5000. This is true even if youre on a payment plan and making regularpayments. What you can avoid is a levy on your bank account salary or otherincome. You can avoid a levy by making timely payments on your installmentagreement payment plan. In most cases youre required to set these paymentsup by electronic direct debit transfers. Even so if you own property a lienis inevitable. The lien will be released at such time that the debt is paid infull or falls below a certain threshold. If youre able to reach acompromise that includes no lien or release of lien sooner thencongratulations. Youre an exception to the rule.