So here are parts III and IV of the 14 Things a Buyer Should Know About Property taxes. Click here to link back to the summary list of the 14 items.
3. Property taxes are late after April 10 and December 10.
This is a reality, plain and simple. Every single April 10 and every single December 10, if you have owned any property during the tax period – as a personal residence or investment/rental, the whole amount due must be paid. It doesn’t matter if you didn’t get a bill. It doesn’t matter if the bill came in the seller’s name, or was forwarded to the seller’s new home by the post office. It doesn’t matter if your bank is impounding (including) a charge with your monthly payment that should cover the amount due (see rule #10). The only exception is if the 10th falls on a weekend and then the due-by date extends to the next business day.
It doesn’t matter who you think paid it, or who you think should’ve paid it (the seller, the escrow company, yourself, your bank using impounds), you should go to the tax collector’s website and check to see that it shows paid and keep on the issue until it _does_ show paid, even if you have to double pay it. Like I said, the penalties are just too hefty, and the county will refund any overage to whoever paid it as soon as everything is cleared up.
3. Property taxes are late after April 10 and December 10.
This is a reality, plain and simple. Every single April 10 and every single December 10, if you have owned any property during the tax period – as a personal residence or investment/rental, the whole amount due must be paid. It doesn’t matter if you didn’t get a bill. It doesn’t matter if the bill came in the seller’s name, or was forwarded to the seller’s new home by the post office. It doesn’t matter if your bank is impounding (including) a charge with your monthly payment that should cover the amount due (see rule #10). The only exception is if the 10th falls on a weekend and then the due-by date extends to the next business day.
It doesn’t matter who you think paid it, or who you think should’ve paid it (the seller, the escrow company, yourself, your bank using impounds), you should go to the tax collector’s website and check to see that it shows paid and keep on the issue until it _does_ show paid, even if you have to double pay it. Like I said, the penalties are just too hefty, and the county will refund any overage to whoever paid it as soon as everything is cleared up.
4. Property taxes are due whether or not you get a bill.
Another plain, simple reality. You could get no bill, and/or you could get a bill in the former owners’ names. If you aren’t 150% sure the amount due is PAID IN FULL, don’t stop taking action until you are. Possible actions are:
- check the tax collector website to be sure it's paid in full,
- if the website says it is unpaid, and the escrow company on your closing says it WAS paid, get something in writing from escrow and take it to the tax collector's office BEFORE the due date and don't let up until the tax office confirms it
- if the website says it is unpaid, and your bank says it WAS paid out of impounds collected in your monthly payment, get something in writing from your bank and take it to the tax collector's office BEFORE the due date and don't let up until the tax office confirms it, or …
- PAY IT! Pay it a second time if you have to. To repeat: the penalties are hefty, and the county will refund any overage to whoever paid it as soon as everything is cleared up.
