Tax FAQ's:

When are taxes due?  Summer taxes are due and payable as of July 1st.  Payments are accepted at the township, without penalty, until Sept. 14 (or the first business day following if the 14th is on a weekend or holiday).  Winter taxes are due and payable as of December 1st.  Payments are accepted for both summer and winter taxes at the township until Feb. 28 (or the first business day following if the 28th is on a weekend or holiday).

Can I still pay my summer bill at Tompkins after September 14th?  Yes.  In fact, you can only pay it here until it becomes delinquent after February 28th of the following year.

What types of payment are accepted?  Cash (exact change), personal or cashier's checks, money orders, and credit cards (additional 3% fee charged) and e-checks (with a small fee).  No chickens or zucchini, please.

Are partial payments accepted?  Yes.  A partial payment of 20% or more is accepted.  Any amount paid before due date helps offset interest and penalties charged.

Do you accept postmark?  Short answer: No.  Payments can still be mailed but must be delivered to the office by the due date. 

Is there a drop box available?  Yes.  It is in the town hall door.  Any payments must be in the box by 5:00 pm on September 14th or February 28th to be accepted as on time.

What are your office hours?  You will find them listed in the upper left box on your bill and on this website.  An appointment can also be arranged, if you would prefer.  I am in the office several times during the week, but please don't expect me to be in, outside of posted office hours, unless you have an appointment.

If I mail my payment in, will I get a receipt?  If you send your entire bill and a self-addressed stamped envelope, yes.  The information is on your bill.

Do you accept late payments after the end of February?  Sorry, no, not even with a written excuse from your mother.  Remember that unexpected events happen unexpectedly.  It may not be the best plan to wait until the last day to pay.

What happens if I am late?  You will need to deal with the county.  They are very nice, but you will still have to pay additional penalties and interest.  This information is on your tax bill.

Do I get a bill if my mortgage company is paying my taxes?  Not if your mortgage company has requested your bill.  You can call me for the information, but a copy will not automatically be mailed to you.

Is there a way I can access my tax information online?  Yes.  Please follow the BS&A link given on our website.  There is no charge for information on your own parcel.

What happens if I do not get a tax bill?  If you have a mortgage holder that escrows your taxes, they will have requested that the bill be sent to them.  If you pay your own taxes, please contact me if you have not received your summer bill by mid-July or your winter bill by mid-December.  The official viewpoint is that everyone knows they need to pay property taxes.  Not receiving a bill is not a valid excuse to not pay (even if I used three negatives in this sentence).  There always seem to be a certain percentage of bills that get lost in the mail.

WHY ARE MY TAXES SO HIGH?  If you feel that your assessment is too high or you are not getting a PRE exemption that you are eligible for, you may contact our assessor, Jessica Casler (517-888-3057 or 517-569-2463) and she will explain the process for addressing the Board of Review.  If you would like an explanation for where your tax money is going, or just a listening ear, give me a call.  (I don't jump up and down joyfully over paying taxes either.)  Tompkins Township itself gets a relatively small percentage of your winter taxes.  The rest is collected here and disbursed to the other taxing entities.  

Additional questions may be answered in the information on either the front or back of your tax bill.