A quick heads-up: the 2015 September School Tax bills are out so that you can pay your bill anytime from September 1 through September 30th. Be sure to mail or bring in the entire bill with your payment. Please do not detach the Receiver’s Stub from the bottom of the bill. Once paid, you will get your stamped receipt back and we will keep the stamped stub. If you have an escrow account and the bank pays on your behalf, you won’t get a bill (but you will get a receipt once the bank has paid both your September and January installments). For those coming in to the office, we look forward to seeing you! And thanks in advance to every one for your cooperation!
Avoid Penalties: A property owner is not relieved of the responsibility for paying taxes or penalty when an owner fails to receive a bill. If you are unsure if your bank will be paying on your behalf, please call the bank to be certain. If you have recently satisfied your mortgage and tax bills should now go to you, rather than to your bank, please let us know immediately: 763-3100. Payment not received by September 30th (or with a U.S. Postal Service postmark of 9/30 or before) will be subject by law to a 2% penalty in October, so if mailing your payment, especially toward the end of the month, be sure to witness a timely U.S.P.S postmark being applied to your envelope at the Post Office. Foreign postmarks or postage meters (Pitney Bowes or NeoPost, for example) are not acceptable if the payment comes in after the due-date. However, FedEx, UPS, DHL and Airborne are all accepted as timely if postmarked by the last date of the collection. Unfortunately, if an envelope has no postmark, payment is deemed by law to have been made on the day it is received. If you write a check that is returned to us you will be subject to a $20 charge. If your check is returned and the tax deadline has passed, you will be subject to the $20 charge plus your payment will be considered late under the law and you will have to pay the late penalty. So please be certain your account is active and has the funds to cover your tax check.
Important caution about paying tax bills using online banking: Even though you may order payment through your bank prior to the tax deadline, your bank may send your payment to us after the tax due date (and in an envelope without a U.S. Postal Service postmark). If this happens, your payment will be late under the law and will be returned to you to pay the penalty.
Please note: NYS Law provides that the Receiver of Taxes cannot waive penalties on taxes received after the deadline for any reason. Any questions you may have regarding exemptions or assessments should go to the Tax Assessor’s office at 763-3034.