Tax lien investing has become a very popular form of investment for many individuals, and this can be a very lucrative venture in most cases if the investment is carefully decided and then handled properly. A tax lien certificate is normally issued by the government entity that the taxes are owed to, and this lien is usually placed against real estate and specific other forms of real estate. When successful this type of investment may present returns that vary from 10% up to 20% or higher.