Delinquent Taxes
Taxpayers who fail to pay their property tax bills before November 15th will incur penalties. Penalties may include fees, liens, levies, and a possible tax sale. Payments may be made on a delinquent bill, but interest is still accrued.
Liens
Liens may be placed on delinquent tax payer's property. A lien is a claim or hold on a taxpayer's property until overdue taxes have been payed. Liens may be also known as a Fi.Fa. and will remain on record with the Clerk of Court for seven years. Liens may negatively impact credit reports and ratings.
To remove a lien, pay the delinquent balance along with the associated fees and interest.
Levies
The next step in the reclamation process is an imposition of a levy. A levy is a seizure of a portion of property in order to fulfill unpaid taxes. A sign may be posted claiming seized property on delinquent properties. This does not affect ownership or the ability to reside on the property. Personal property may be seized, counted, and stored in order to collect unpaid taxes. Additional fees are also imposed on levied properties.
Tax Sale
Once a property has gone through all the appropriate steps, it may be put up for a tax sale. It will be advertised for 4 consecutive weeks in the White County News before being sold on the first Tuesday of any month for which a sale is planned on the steps of the White County Courthouse. At this point, the property will incur additional fees to advertise and conduct the sale. The original owner may still pay the appropriate delinquent taxes and fees to reclaim the property.
Tax sales are conducted as an auction. Properties sold in this manner must be purchased with certified funds. Once a property has been sold, the Tax Commissioner will issue a receipt and Sheriff’s tax deed.
From this point, the original delinquent tax holder has one year to reclaim the property. Lien holders and mortgage holders may also attempt to redeem the property. After a year has passed, the new purchaser may foreclose and remove the delinquent tax holder's right of redemption.
