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Home , Real estate

Frequently Asked Questions

REAL AND PERSONAL

Q. What is the difference between taxes and taxes. A. Real estate taxes are assessed on the value of land and buildings. Personal property taxes apply to that are not the primary resident of the owners. This is assessed on the value of the contents of the .

Q. How often are real estate and bills mailed? A. Bills are mailed out twice a year -- on or before June 30th and December 31st. The bills include two quarterly payment coupons with each mailing.

Q. Are real estate and property taxes in Sandwich paid semi-annually or quarterly? A. Payments are due quarterly on the 1st of February, May, August and November. Bills are mailed on December 31st with the February and May payment coupons included. Bills are then mailed on June 30th with the August and November payment coupons included.

Q. If I lost my bill or never received a bill, can I or a Tax send in payment? A. Yes, you DO NOT need a bill to pay. Just indicate property-identifying information on your check...property address, name of owner, parcel number.

Q. Where do I send or bring my payment? A. Payments may be mailed to the Sandwich Collector’s Office (145 Main Street), handed to a clerk at the Collector's window, or paid on-line by using the Online Payments button on the Town of Sandwich’s homepage and the Tax Collector’s webpage.

Q. Why do return envelopes sent out by the town with tax bills have a return mailing address in Medford, MA? A. The Town of Sandwich recently contracted with a payment processing company in Medford, MA to assist with the efficient processing of tax payments. All towns on Cape Cod now use these processing centers. Please feel free to mail your tax payments to this company. This helps with the timely processing of your payments.

Q. Can I pay taxes on-line? Which ones? What information will I need? Can I get a receipt? A. Tax bills, permits, and for the Town of Sandwich can be paid on-line at the Town of Sandwich website. It is fast, easy, and secure. Once you register, you can pay bills, get a receipt, sign up for email reminders of future bills, or set up automatic payments on the dates that you choose.

Q. Are there additional costs associated with paying on-line? A. On-line payments made by credit card incur a fee by the credit card company that is a percentage of the payment (2.95%). Payments made by E-Check (a debit from your checking account using your bank account number and the bank’s routing number [both found at the bottom of your check]) incur a fee of 40 cents.

Q. Why is the former owner’s name on my real estate tax bill? A. The tax bill is mandated to be assessed to the owner of record as of the January lst assessment date for the fiscal year. It is very important that changes and mail address updates are submitted to the Assessors Department in writing at the time of on a home purchase. Copies of to the Town from the Barnstable County Registry of Deeds may be received many months after a transfer. Taxes are adjusted at the closing between the buyer and seller. Property may also be transferred several times within a fiscal year.

Q. Is there a grace period for paying my Real Estate Tax bill? A. No, the final date to pay is the due date that appears on your bill. Postmarks cannot be accepted! We must "receive" the payment by the due date for it to be considered a timely payment.

Q. If I pay my real estate or property tax bill late, will I be charged interest? A. Yes. In accordance with State , interest at the rate of 14 percent per annum will accrue on overdue payments from the due date until full payment is made.

Q. I mailed my payment from the post office at midnight on November 1, why do I pay interest? A. Because we work by the date we RECEIVE the bill, not by the postmark date.

Q. What is the CPA tax? A. CPA stands for Community Preservation Act. In accordance with state law and approved by a town meeting vote, owners of annually will be assessed, through 2020, an additional surtax in an amount equal to three percent of the real estate tax levied against those . The proceeds of this surtax may be expended, upon appropriation, for certain open space, historic resources, and affordable purposes.

Q. What is the Water District tax? Is it the same as a water bill? Why does it show up on my Real Estate tax bill? A. The Water District tax on real estate bills covers expenses of the Water District, such as water infrastructure and operational expenses. It is assessed to all property owners, even if they are not on town water. It is separate from water bills that pay for water usage.

Q. Why doesn't my exemption show on my real estate bill? A. Exemptions are granted by the Board of Assessors based on State guidelines for qualified elderly, veterans, and blind. Therefore, applications must be filed each tax year. Please check with the Assessor's Office for more information.

Q. I need to change my mailing address for my real estate and personal property tax bills; who do I contact? A. To change your mailing address, contact the town Assessor's Office @ 508-888-0157. They are located at 16 Jan Sebastian Drive in the Sandwich Industrial Park off of Route 130.

Q. When do name changes on real estate and personal property taxes take effect? A. An owner of a property on January 1st will have their name on the Tax bills for the following Fiscal Year per Massachusetts State Law. For example, a property owner as of January 1, 2016 will have their name on the Tax Bills for Fiscal Year 2017.

Q. How do I check to see if my mortgage company made my tax payment on time? A. You can check the status of your real estate taxes on-line at the Town of Sandwich website. Go to the Online Payments button and search for your bill. You can also call (508-833-8012) or email ([email protected]) the Collector’s Office for this information. Please note mortgage companies generally do not make tax payments until the day before taxes are due.

Q. I’m filling out my annual federal and state tax returns, how can I obtain information on tax payments made during a calendar year? A. Tax payment information can be accessed on-line at the Town of Sandwich website. Go to the Online Payments button and search for your address and past payment information. You can submit a written request (please use our request form http://sandwichmass.org/PublicDocuments/TAXREQUESTFORM.pdf or email us [email protected] or obtain the information by calling the Collector’s Office (508-833-8012).

PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES

Q. I received a personal property tax bill; however, I sold my property. Am I responsible for this bill? A. Personal Property tax is assessed and is the responsibility of the owner of record as of January 1st of the calendar year.

Q. Why do I receive a personal property tax bill when other residents that I know do not? A. Personal property tax applies to homes that are not the primary resident of the owners (, vacation homes, second homes, investment properties). It is a tax on the assessed contents of the property.

Q. Are personal property taxes paid by a mortgage company like real estate taxes are? A. No. Mortgage companies typically do not create an escrow account for personal property taxes.

OTHER ISSUES

Q. Can one check be written for several tax bills? A. Yes, there is NO limit. One check can be written for multiple parcels with multiple names, as long as the addition is correct and the office can easily identify how the payment(s) should be applied.

Q. How can I find out the map and parcel numbers for my property? A. The map and parcel numbers are found on your tax bill or by calling the Tax Collector’s Office @508-833-8012. It is useful to put these numbers or your address on your tax payment.

Q. How much are Municipal Certificates? A. The cost of a MLC is $50.00 per parcel. You can find a MLC request form on the Town of Sandwich webpage under the Town Collector section http://sandwichmass.org/PublicDocuments/MLC FORM.pdf. Mail that completed form with a check for $50.00 to the Collector’s Office at 145 Main Street.