A mortgage is an example of which type of lien?

• A. Specific Voluntary Lien
• B. General Lien
• C. Involuntary Lien
• D. Judgment Lien

Answer: (A)

A mortgage is a specific voluntary lien. It’s created by a contract between borrower and lender, and it attaches only to the real estate described in the mortgage, not to all of the borrower’s property. That means it encumbers a particular property you’ve pledged as security for the loan.

This differs from a general lien, which would cover all of the debtor’s property, and from involuntary liens, which are placed by law or court without the debtor’s consent (like tax liens or mechanic’s liens). A judgment lien is a type of involuntary lien arising from a court judgment. So a mortgage fits the description of a specific voluntary lien because of its property-specific scope and its creation by agreement.