We all know that governments levy taxes to raise money for the area, and one thing that is taxed is property. When a property owner cannot pay their property taxes, the amount that they owe becomes a lien against the property. Since the government needs to collect the money now, rather than in the future, the government is authorized to collect the unpaid taxes at public auction using tax lien certificates, or tax deeds. Buying tax lien certificates and deeds is a great way to earn a substantial amount of money that few people know about. What you need to do is find properties that are worth much more than the back taxes that are owed. Then you can buy the certificate and sell the property for a profit.