Orange City, Iowa — Twice a year, in March and September, property owners in Iowa have to pay their property taxes.
The county treasurers’ offices in northwest Iowa are reminding people that their property taxes were due on March 1st, and may be paid without penalty on or before March 31st.
Sioux County Treasurer Randy Jacobsma tells us how it works.
He says the tax sale is always the third Monday in June. But Jacobsma says the term “Tax Sale” does not mean that someone can just pay the delinquent taxes and own the property just like that. He says eventually someone else could end up with the property, but there are several steps.
Jacobsma clarifies what happens at “tax sale.”
He tells us what would happen next.
Jacobsma says that most investors don’t want the property, they just want to collect the interest, which is two percent per month. He says the investor only gets 36 months to collect interest or obtain the property, and then the certificate expires.
He says while the treasurer’s office does charge a penalty for late payments, all interest would be funneled to the investor while there is a valid certificate.
He says to avoid all that, just pay your property taxes on time.
Treasurers advise that you can use the web site www.iowatreasurers.org to pay your taxes online. Or, if you’re mailing in your taxes or paying them in person, they ask that the proper stub accompanies your payment. If you are mailing, the postmark has to be on or before March 31st to avoid penalty.
