Taxes Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the old owner's name appear on my tax bill?
The statutory assessment date in Maine is April 1st. The Assessor's Office must retain this ownership information for the entire fiscal year that follows. If you purchased your property after April 1st, the previous owner's name remains on the tax bill. Every effort is made to forward tax bills to the new owner. However, if you have not received a tax bill by October 1st you should contact the Tax Collector's Office.
Why won't the city send my tax bill directly to my bank or mortgage company?
The Assessor's billing address information is used by all city departments for official notification of zoning changes, appeals and other items of significance to property owners. In addition, since mortgages are regularly bought and sold, this would increase the chance for a bill being sent to the incorrect party, delaying payment and incurring interest charges. If your property taxes are held in escrow, simply send a copy of the bill to the mortgage company when you receive it, retaining a copy for your records.
How is my payment applied to my property tax account?
When payments are made on overdue taxes any interest due is deducted first with any remainder going toward the actual tax amount. When more than one year’s taxes are due, any payment made is applied to the oldest balance first. If taxes are current, payment toward the following year’s taxes is accepted up to the amount of the last bill issued.
I applied for an exemption on my property, but it didn't show up on my bill. Why is that?
Any application for exemption (veteran, veteran widow, blind or homestead) must be received by April 1 for the upcoming fiscal year. If you filed after April 1, the exemption will not be applied until the following fiscal year.
What is this Senior Tax Freeze I keep hearing about?
Great News! Follow the link here to find out more information.
For more information on Property Tax please click here.