I owe on prior years’ sold taxes and the current year’s tax bill; which should I pay off first?
That is your decision. The County Clerk’s office cannot offer legal advice. Since there is already a tax buyer on your property, that tax buyer does have the option of buying your current year’s taxes when the second installment goes delinquent in September. This is called “subtaxing.”
Warning! If the time is within six months before the last date to redeem previously sold taxes, the tax buyer may subtax the current taxes before September, even on the day the bills are mailed in May!

Subsequent years’ taxes are applied to the redemption total at a 12% annual penalty. Since the Treasurer’s Office is allowed to accept partial payments, any amount you can pay toward the current year’s bill will reduce the amount the tax buyer can buy at 12%.

If you redeem the previously sold taxes, the tax buyer is removed from the property and cannot subtax the current taxes. They will go to tax sale in December and start the whole process over again.

Show All Answers

1. I’m late paying my property taxes. What do I do?
2. What is a “tax sale”? What does it mean that my taxes have been sold or that my property has been sold for delinquent taxes?
3. How long do I have to pay off sold taxes? Can the final deadline be extended?
4. How do I find out the amount I now owe?
5. Whom do I pay? Do I have to pay in person? What forms of payment do you accept?
6. Can I make partial payments or set up a payment schedule?
7. I owe on prior years’ sold taxes and the current year’s tax bill; which should I pay off first?
8. When will the quoted amount change?
9. What happens if I can’t pay by the deadline?
10. Who can I talk to about all this?