When you fail to pay your taxes, whether federal or state, the tax collection authority may assess a tax lien against your property. Both the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the State of California report these liens to all three major credit bureaus: Equifax, TransUnion and Experian.The easiest way to find out if you have a tax lien is to check your credit report from one of these agencies.Federal law allows you to obtain a copy of your credit report once a year without charge.. Follow the instructions for the agency you selected to see your report. Each agency has a different process and may ask you to provide an email address and password for security reasons. If a screen asks for money, click Next, Skip, No Thanks or whatever similar option is available.