Iowa Code § 450.7 — Lien of tax

1. The tax imposed by this chapter is a charge against and a lien upon the estate subject to tax under this chapter , and all property of the estate or owned by the decedent from the death of the decedent until paid, subject to the following limitations: a. The share of the estate passing to the surviving spouse, and parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and other lineal ascendants, children including legally adopted children and biological children entitled to inherit under the laws of this state, stepchildren, and grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and other lineal descendants is excluded from taxation under this chapter . b. Inheritance taxes owing with respect to a passing of property of a deceased person are no longer a lien against the property ten years from the date of death of the decedent owner regardless of whether the decedent owner died prior to or subsequent to July 1, 1995, except to the extent taxes are attributable to remainder or deferred interests and are deferred in accordance with the provisions of this chapter . 2. Notice of the lien is not required to be recorded. The rights of the state under the lien have priority over all subsequent mortgages, purchases, or judgment creditors; and a conveyance after the decedent’s death of the property subject to a lien does not discharge the property except as otherwise provided in this chapter . However , if additional tax is determined to be owing under this chapter after the lien has been released under paragraph “a” or “b” , the lien does not have priority over subsequent mortgages, purchases, or judgment creditors unless notice of the lien is recorded in the office of the recorder of the county where the estate is probated, or where the property is located if the estate has not been administered. The department of revenue may release the lien by filing in the office of the clerk of the court in the county where the property is located, the decedent owner died, or the estate is pending or was administered, one of the following: a. A receipt in full payment of the tax. b. A certificate of nonliability for the tax as to all property reported in the estate. c. A release or waiver of the lien as to all or any part of the property reported in the estate, which shall release the lien as to the property designated in the release or waiver . 3. The sale, exchange, mortgage, or pledge of property by the personal representative pursuant to a testamentary direction or power , pursuant to section 633.387 , or under order of court, divests the property from the lien of the tax. The proceeds from that sale, exchange, mortgage, or pledge shall be held by the personal representative subject to the same priorities for the payment of the tax as existed with respect to the property before the transaction, and the personal representative is personally liable for payment of the tax to the extent of the proceeds.