Avoiding Foreclosure

Timeline for Payment

Public Act 123 of 1999 shortens the amount of time property owners have to pay their delinquent taxes before losing their property. Property owners with taxes that are two years delinquent will be foreclosed and the property will be sold at public auction within the third year. For example, people who fail to pay their 2004 property taxes will lose their property to foreclosure in March 2007. With this new act, the amount of time to pay taxes has been reduced from approximately five years to less that 2.5 years.

Penalties

Property owners face higher interest and fees for not paying their taxes. Taxes that are more than one year old will have a substantially higher interest rate (1.5% per month or 18% per year, as opposed to the 1%, or 12% per year during the first year of delinquency). On March 1 of the second year of delinquency, taxes will also have a $195 forfeiture fee added to them and additional administrative fees may be later added.

Tax Bills

Tax bills are sent out from townships, cities and villages by July 1st and December 1st. Check with your township, city or village treasurer for due dates on each to avoid penalty or interest.

Between July 1st and February 28th, current taxes are payable to the townships and cities. The County Treasurer cannot accept payment on taxes during that time, as our office deals with delinquent taxes. Both the summer and winter bills become delinquent on March 1. 

The exceptions are as follows: 

• Village taxes are turned over to us as delinquent on October 12th of each year. 
• At this time, we add a 4% administration fee and 1% interest. 
• An additional 1% interest is added each month.

All personal property taxes and specific act taxes (ex. IFT, NEZ, etc.) are payable to your city, township or village. The County Treasurer does not collect delinquent personal or specific act property taxes.

Payment

We currently accept cash, money order, cashier's checks, personal checks, or credit cards. Checks are accepted as conditional payment. If not honored by the bank, the tax is considered unpaid and the receipt is void.

The Treasurer's Office is not responsible for payment on the wrong parcel.