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TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE Kristin Battistoni , Tax Collector, ext 207 email: taxcollect@haddam.org email: taxclerk@haddam.org
On May 18, 2011, the Town Budget was approved and on June 8th the mil rate was set. Our new mil rate is 28.23. We are striving to get the bills out by July 1st, the standard due date, with the grace date to pay of August 1st. So everything will be on time. The only difference for this years’ bills is that they will be mailed later than last year. When mil rates are set early we get the file earlier and then we can do pre-collections (payments prior to the DUE DATE). This billing cycle we will not be able to do that. So unfortunately no payments will be accepted for the 2010 Grand List, prior to July 1st. In order to calculate your annual taxes you multiply the assessed value of your property by the mil rate, then to figure what would be due in July, divide by 2. In order to retrieve your current assessed value you may go to the Assessor’s on line information at www.haddam.org.
If upon review you notice you did not receive a bill for real estate or personal property you presently own, or if you received a bill that was sent to you in error, please contact our office as soon as possible. (345-8531 X 207) We will not be accepting payments on the new billing until July 1st. However immediately on July 1st we could accept advance payment towards the second installment, along with the payment due for July. The grace period for payments for the first installment is to August 1st, and the second installment to February 1st. If you would like to make your payments in person, you will find our payment windows on the second floor, just to the right at the top of the steps. Our office hours are Monday through Wednesday 8:30AM to 4PM; Thursday 8:30AM to 6:30PM; Friday 8;30AM to noon. Another option to pay will be by electric fund transfer, (ACH transfer) also debit or credit cards. This option is NOT offered at the payment window. We have again contracted with a company known as Metropolitan Communications LLC . This company will provide this service through their MCC web site, which will be linked from our Haddam web site. They will provide a twenty-four hour service that will allow you to pay your taxes from the comfort of your home. There will be a 35 cent charge for each bill you choose to pay by ACH transfer from your checking or savings account. If you would prefer to pay by debit or credit card, there will be a percentage fee. The percentage fee is usually based on the total paid, however this information will be made clear before completion of the transaction, so you will have an opportunity to opt out if you feel the fee is not what you wish to take on. The charge cards they accept are Visa, Mastercard, AmericanExpress, or Discover. If you would like to review the site, you can reach it through www.haddam.org. Look for “Pay on Line” in the main menu. However you will have to register to have access, since it is a secure site. Once you have registered and paid through MCC, they will give you a receipt via e-mail and retain your record of payment for you, so that you would be able to retrieve the information you might need for income tax purposes. They also will give you a reminder through email in January that the second half has become due. Another new service that can be reached through the www.haddam.org site is the REVIEW OF TAX RECORDS. My file is backed up to this link every night, so any adjustments to bills or any payments made will be reflected the very next day on this file that will be available to you. Also if you have misplaced your bill, you could retrieve the information you would need to pay from this site. Attorneys, banks, and financial tax preparers will also find the site very handy in researching the information they need. Right now the service is free, but there is an expense to the town, so possibly at some point in time there may be a charge for accessing my file. Until that time comes, enjoy getting familiar with your own tax records. For those of you who might be upset that your tax information is easily obtainable to others with this link, you need to know that my records are totally public information, and has always been available to others. However, the mailing addresses remain confidential and are left out of this file. FAQ As I do each year, I have made a list of most frequently asked questions with answers. This might save you a call to the tax office when it might be typically difficult to get through. When are my taxes due? Motor Vehicles –Taxes on motor vehicles registered before October 1, 2010 will be due in one installment for the year on July 1, 2011. Taxes on motor vehicles registered after October 1, 2010 and before August 1, 2011 will be billed in one installment on a supplemental billing mailed by January 1, 2012 and payable through February 1. Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes of $100 or Less—These taxes will be due in one installment on July 1, 2011. Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes of More than $100—These taxes will be due in two equal installments on July 1, 2011 and January 1, 2012. No duplicate bills will be sent out for the second installment. The July collection period extends through August 1, 2011, and the January collection extends through February 1, 2012, without penalty. What period of time am I paying for? Real Estate taxes go forward from the due date, July 1st to December 31 (first half) and January 1st to June 30 (second half). What is the best way to make payments? Payments may be made by paper check, electronic check, debit card, credit card, and ACH transfer. Some of these options are allowed only on the PAY ON LINE option. Following are more details about various payment methods. (Note: All payments must be received in the office or postmarked on or before the end of the collection period to avoid penalty.) Checks—Checks made payable to the Town of Haddam could be mailed, or personally delivered. Please provide payment stubs for all bills included in the total check amount. Payment may be mailed to: Haddam Tax Office, 30 Field Park Drive, Haddam, CT 06438-1196. To obtain a receipt, mail a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your payment and payment stubs. A register receipt of all payments will be returned to you. Online Checking—If you have online checking and arrange to have an electronic check payment sent to us, I urge you to specify all “List Numbers” you intend the payment to be applied to. If there is not enough room to list all acct. #, do a check for each bill, identifying it by “List” number. Our office will not have time to research what may be due in your name or any other name in your household. Also keep in mind it may take several days for your bank to cut and mail these types of payments. Carefully consider the dates so you will be sure the payment will be in my office before the delinquent date of August 2nd. A receipt can be requested under these circumstances if you provide us with a written request, including all “List Numbers.” We will respond to your request after the tax season has ended. A 50 cent charge per bill will apply, which will need to be paid at the time of pick up. In-Person Payments—Payments may be made in person at the Town Office Building. Our office hours during the tax season will be 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.—Monday through Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30p.m. on Thursday, and 8:30 a.m. to noon on Fridays. Be sure to bring your tax bills with you when you come to the office. This will provide for speedier service and help to curb the possibilities of our lines backing up. ACH Transfer--- You must log on to www.haddam.org to register with the MCC service. You will only be allowed this service if you have just current taxes due. If your new bills are coded Delinquent, you will have to look for another means of payment. If this form of payment is available to you a receipt will be provided through your e-mail. This information will be stored at your registered location for your future reference, and remain available to you at any time without additional cost. Once a payment is made through this service, an e-mail reminder will be sent to you in January, and then again next July, if you have a bill on our grand list at that time. However, MCC is only able to provide this reminder for RE and PP taxes. Hopefully MV taxes will be included in this service in the future. Credit Cards— Same as above. MCC: Credit cards accepted are Visa, MasterCard, AmericanExpress, or Discover. This option is not offered when paying at the office windows. How are my taxes computed? Your taxes are computed by multiplying the net assessed value of your property as of October 1, 2010 by the current mil rate. Questions regarding assessments should be addressed to the Assessor’s Office (860) 345-8531 ext. 226. What if my taxes become delinquent? Interest is assessed on all delinquent amounts on the first of each month at the rate of 1.5% per month, from the Due Date on the bill. There is a minimum interest charge of $2.00 per bill or installment. We must apply payments to the oldest outstanding bill first, and interest must be paid before principal. Real Estate—Delinquent real estate taxes will be subject to a lien placed in the land record, at a fee of $24.00, if there is a remaining balance by April 30, 2012. Personal Property—Personal property is subject to a lien placed with the State of Connecticut, if unpaid by October 31, 2011. Motor Vehicles—Motor vehicle registrations will not be processed by the Department of Motor Vehicles until the taxes are paid in full. A cash payment for the full amount due will provide you with immediate clearance. If the amount due is paid by check, a clearance can be mailed to you—or picked up—after ten work days. What if I did not receive a tax bill? If you did not receive a tax bill for property you own, please contact the Tax Office promptly. State Statute 12-130 states that failure to receive a bill does not invalidate the tax. And if it becomes delinquent, penalty will apply. No exceptions. What if I no longer own the real estate? Please notify us immediately if you receive a bill for property that has been transferred to another owner. If possible, kindly forward the bill to the new owner, with an explanation of their responsibility regarding its payment. Because of time constraints, this would be the quickest way to get the original bill to them. If you are unable to forward it to the new owner, mail it back to the Haddam Tax Office 30 Field Park Drive Haddam, CT 06438-1196. What if I have or had an escrow account for my real estates taxes? If you have an escrow account and the bill was sent to you instead of your mortgage company, please forward the bill to them without delay. Provide them with your loan number from which taxes will be paid. If you no longer have an escrow account and you did not receive a bill, please call us immediately, we’ll print out a bill and get it out to you. What if I disposed of this vehicle and transferred the plate to another vehicle? Pay this bill in full. In December you will receive a bill for the new vehicle, which will be appropriately credited for the payment you make now on the old vehicle. What if I no longer own the motor vehicle or have moved out of state? You may be entitled to a tax credit if you no longer own the vehicle or have moved out of state. You must provide the Assessor’s Office with substantiating information. The information must specifically identify the vehicle by Vin# as well as indicate proof of transfer of ownership. The transfer date will determine the credit amount. The Assessor’s Office requires two of the following forms of proof: · Department of Motor Vehicles receipt of plates Be sure to provide the Assessor’s Office with the substantiating information in a timely manner! By law, the bills for the October 2010 Grand List cannot be adjusted after November 30, 2012 and they will remain due in full. What tax reduction programs are available? Numerous programs are available through the Assessor’s Office. They include exemptions for Veterans , Disabled, and Senior Citizen abatement or deferment programs. If you believe you qualify for any of these programs and you are not receiving benefits, please contact the Assessor’s Office (860) 345-8531 Ext. 226. What if I have questions about my taxes? Should you have questions about your town taxes, please call the Tax Office (860)345-8531 Ext. 207 or 206.
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