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A lien is best described as:

  1. A possession of property

  2. A legal claim or right against assets

  3. A physical property boundary

  4. A direct cash investment

The correct answer is: A direct cash investment

A lien is best described as a legal claim or right against assets. This means that a lien provides a lender with a legal right to take possession of an asset if the borrower fails to fulfill their obligations, typically regarding a loan or debt. Liens are commonly used in various types of financial transactions, including mortgages and auto loans, to secure the repayment of a loan. For example, when you take out a mortgage to buy a home, the lender places a lien on the property, which serves as collateral for the loan. If the borrower defaults on the loan, the lender can enforce the lien and potentially take possession of the property through foreclosure. The other options do not accurately define what a lien is. Simply possessing property does not imply any legal claim over it, nor does a physical property boundary reflect a lien's nature. A direct cash investment pertains to funds placed into an enterprise or property rather than the obligation secured by a lien against that property.