Back Taxes
So . . . as I was discussing my 2009 taxes with the Accountant, the Accountant asked: "What about property taxes for 2009?"
Hmm. Interesting. I didn't remember paying property taxes for 2009. Or for that matter receiving a bill.
So I've been on the phone with the County Clerk and the County Assessor and the County Treasurer. And it turns out that my purchase of the property 16 years ago was never recorded, and that (up to today, anyway) it was listed as belonging to Mr and Mrs Ray Hodges.
Any correspondence, including bills from the Treasurer, went to the PO Box that the Hodges family had 16 years ago. No property tax bill ever reached me.
I owe back taxes.
It's not as bad as it could be. We didn't pay off the mortgage until 2008, and up till then the lender paid the taxes. So I only owe for 2009, and maybe 2008 and 2010.
Fortunately we live in a rural area, where property taxes are low.
Fortunately.
Hmm. Interesting. I didn't remember paying property taxes for 2009. Or for that matter receiving a bill.
So I've been on the phone with the County Clerk and the County Assessor and the County Treasurer. And it turns out that my purchase of the property 16 years ago was never recorded, and that (up to today, anyway) it was listed as belonging to Mr and Mrs Ray Hodges.
Any correspondence, including bills from the Treasurer, went to the PO Box that the Hodges family had 16 years ago. No property tax bill ever reached me.
I owe back taxes.
It's not as bad as it could be. We didn't pay off the mortgage until 2008, and up till then the lender paid the taxes. So I only owe for 2009, and maybe 2008 and 2010.
Fortunately we live in a rural area, where property taxes are low.
Fortunately.
Labels: property taxes
posted by dubjay at 2:32 PM
2 Comments:
Seems like the county screwed up. Because if the lender was getting the bills and you didn't assume a loan from the previous owner, then SOMETHING was recorded at the county. A mortgage from the sale. Duh. (to the county). AND, the payoff of the mortgage was also recorded by the county. Because they weren't sending the bills to the bank anymore.
But yes. All these years and you didn't know that the homeowner gets a copy of the real estate tax bill even if the bank pays it?
Tres amusante.
The Tax Czarina
How was I supposed to know how they handle things (or not handle them) in Valencia County?
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