Property Taxes
NOTICE TO BARNARD PROPERTY TAXPAYERS
Installment Dates:
Residents vote on due dates, deadlines, interest, and penalty fees at the Annual Town Meeting in March.
Please note that only one bill will be sent out, at least 30 days prior to the first due date. This is the only bill you will receive. This bill includes two installment coupons at the bottom, and you may pay the bill in full or in installments. You will not receive a notice of payment due for the final installment.
INSTALLMENTS ARE DUE AND PAYABLE ON OR BEFORE THE DUE DATES. Any installment not paid on or before the due date will be subject to interest on the unpaid principal at the rate of 1% per month for the first three months and 1.5% thereafter. See 32 V.S.A. § 4873. An 8% penalty on the unpaid principal will be charged if payment is not received in full on or before the final installment due date. See 32 V.S.A. § 1674.
Payments received will be applied to any delinquencies first, and then to current taxes.
Property Owner Responsibilities:
Tax bills are mailed to the owner of record on April 1st, to the address on file with the Assessors’ Office.
If your property is sold after April 1st, it is your responsibility to forward the tax bill to the new owner and the new owner’s responsibility to take notice of the due dates.
If your property is subdivided after April 1st, your bill contains taxes due on the entire parcel. It is your responsibility to make sure the entire tax bill is paid in full for the year. (You must contact your attorney for prorated taxes or funds being held in escrow on the sale and division of the property.)
If your taxes are held in escrow by a mortgage company, you are responsible for providing your escrow company with the current information included on your property tax bill. If you receive a revised tax bill for any reason it is also your responsibility to inform your escrow company of changes made to your property tax account.
PLEASE NOTE: failure to receive a tax bill does not relieve the taxpayer of the responsibility to pay the taxes when due, nor does it relieve the addition of penalties and interest. You must notify the Town of any mailing address changes via the Address Change Form HERE.
Property owners who qualify and have timely filed an annual Homestead Declaration with the Vermont Department of Taxes may see a property tax adjustment in the form of a credit on their tax bill. The Town is required to apply the credit equally to each installment for the current year and it cannot be used for delinquent taxes. Any late filings are subject to an 8% penalty. Please contact the State with any concerns or questions – 866-828-2865 (toll-free in VT) or 802-828-2865 (local or out-of-state).
Overpayments:
First installment overpayments of any amount will be applied to the next property tax installment unless a refund is requested in writing by the property owner or the source of the original funds (bank or mortgage company). Final installment overpayments of less than $10.00 will be credited towards the next installment of the next tax year. Overpayments over $10.00 will be returned to the property owner upon written request.
Ways to Pay:
You can pay property taxes more frequently than the two installments. Our system is capable of receiving tax payments weekly, monthly, quarterly, or whatever way accommodates your budget, as long as the taxes are paid in full on or before the due dates. No post-dated checks will be accepted. Payments in U.S. funds must be payable and, if mailed, legibly postmarked on or before the due dates. A $25.00 fee is charged for any payment returned and/or not fully credited by the bank. Any and all payments not received by due dates will be subject to interest and/or penalty. Any disputes relating to property tax payments will be decided by the Barnard Board of Abatement. Disputes should be addressed to the Board and mailed to PO Box 274, Barnard, VT, 05031.