General
Property Questions
1. When are property
tax bills mailed?
2. What time of year
are property taxes due?
3. Are partial
payments accepted for my taxes?
4. What happens if I
miss the tax payment deadline?
5. What time period
do these taxes cover?
6. Where can my tax
bill be paid in person?
7. What does the term
"EtUx" beside my husband's name on the property bill
mean?
8. What do some of
the terms on my tax bill mean?
9. Does my mortgage
company get a copy of my tax bill mailed to them?
Exemptions
1.
Are there any discounts or exemptions for the elderly,
disabled or disabled veterans?
Reviewing
Your Property Info
1.
Is there a charge for reviewing information about my
property?
2. Is my property
information viewable by other people?
Property
Assessment
1. Where can I find
information about the assessed value of my property?
2. How are the county
assessor's office and the trustee's office related?
3. What is the appeal
process?
Tax
Sale Information
1. What is a tax
sale?
2. What is the date
and time of the annual tax sale auction?
3. Where and when
will the auction/sale be advertised?
4. When are tax sales
advertised?
5. How and when do
you register for the tax sale auctions?
6. Is it possible to
register by mail?
7. What type of
payment is required at auction?
8. What type of
bidding process are used?
9.
10. Will all other
liens be cleared from the property as a result of the
sale?
11. Once a property
is acquired through your tax sale, is there a redemption
period before you can take possession? If so, what is
the redemption period?
12. If there is a
redemption period, does the investor earn interest
during the redemption period? If so, what is the annual
interest rate?
13.
14. Will I receive a
document to verify the purchase? Will it be a deed or a
certificate of lien?
15.
16. Is a current
list of available properties or liens available?
17.
18.
19.
20. When will the
list of unsold /unbid-on property be available?
General Property
Questions
1.
When are property tax bills mailed?
Approximately,
October 1st of each year, property tax bills are mailed
to the owner of record (as of 1 January). If a deed
change occurs after the first of the year, a tax bill is
mailed to the new owner of the property as a courtesy.
New owners should contact their title company or review
their closing statement to determine who is responsible
for paying the taxes. Payment of property tax depends on
when the property is transferred. Unpaid taxes continue
to accrue against the property.
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2.
What time of year are property taxes due?
Taxes are due and
payable from 1 October through 28 February.
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3.
Are partial payments accepted for my taxes?
No. We
can only accept a full payment.
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4.
What happens if I miss the tax payment deadline?
From the first day
of each month beginning 1 March, interest and penalty of
1.5 percent per month (18 percent annually) is added to
your tax amount . If the Post Office fails to postmark
your payment by the dates due, it is considered a late
payment. This applies even if you mail your payment on
time. For mail-in payments, office meter dates are not
accepted. Payments made using our city drop box are
accepted as that days deadline. On line property tax
payments made through the BIS system are recognized by
the City as paid on the date of the on line transaction.
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5.
What time period do my annual taxes cover?
The taxes that
become payable October 1 cover the current calendar
year.
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6.
Where can my tax bill be paid in person?
The City Clerk's
Office is located at 190 Church Street, NE, in
Cleveland, TN.
Our Office hours are 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday
through Friday.
Call us at (423) 472-4551 Fax us at (423) 473-1043
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7.
What does the term "EtUx" beside my husband's name on
the property bill mean?
EtUx is a Latin
phrase meaning "and wife." The phrase "EtVir" means "and
husband," EtAl means "and others."
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8.
What do some of the terms on my tax bill mean?
Check the
online glossary section for definitions of terms on
your tax bill.
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9.
Does my mortgage company get a copy of my tax bill
mailed to them?
Tax bills
are only mailed to the mortgage company when request(s)
are made by the mortgage company.
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Exemptions
1.
Do the elderly, disabled or disabled veterans receive
any discounts or exemptions?
Eligibility
requirements include: age/ disability; ownership/
residency; and income (except veterans and their
eligible surviving spouses). To apply for property tax
relief you must meet these three basic criteria - these
are described below. Reimbursements for the property
taxes of low-income homeowners who are elderly or
disabled are provided by the state of Tennessee. Income
does not apply to disabled veterans or their surviving
spouses. Reimbursements are given on all or part of the
local taxes paid on property which the taxpayer owns and
uses as his/her residence.
Age/ Disability
During the tax year for which they are applying, an
applicant must turn 65 on or before December 31. In
order to apply as a disabled homeowner, a person must
have become disabled on or before December 31 of the
year An applicant may apply if they are awaiting a
decision on their disability claim. The state office
must receive the final decision by June 30 following the
delinquency date. The final decision must indicate their
disability began on or before December 31 of the tax
year.
Ownership/ Residency
An applicant must be able to document that they had
ownership of the taxable property during the tax year.
Ownership may be documented by a tax bill/receipt,
warranty deed, probated will, title or bill of sale for
a mobile home.
Income Requirement (Elderly or Disabled Homeowners)
The combined annual income from all sources of all the
living owners of record is required and cannot exceed
$12,890 for the year 2004. Annual income from all
sources shall include, but is not limited to, Social
Security payments after the Medicare deduction,
supplemental security income, retirement and pension
benefits, veteran's benefits, worker's compensation,
unemployment compensation, salaries and wages, alimony,
total interest and total dividends. For income from a
business, include only the net income or loss after
expenses.
Disabled Veterans
Disabled veterans must have disability ratings at 100
percent. The disabilities must meet specific criteria
under service connection, be combat - related or the
result of being a prisoner of war for at least five
months. For veterans who qualify, there is no income
limit. Tax relief is paid on the first $140,000 of
market value of the home.
Applications for tax relief are available in the City
Clerk's or the Trustee's office. For more information,
call our office at (423) 472-4551 or Bradley County at
(423) 728-7247.
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Reviewing Your Property Info
1.
Is there a charge for reviewing information about my
property?
For an individual
property, there is no charge for reviewing tax
information.
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2.
Is my
property information viewable by other people?
Any
individual or company is allowed to review it. Property
tax information is public record.
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Property Assessment
1.
Where can I find information about the assessed value of
my property?
The county
assessor is responsible for the appraisal and assessment
of property. You may contact the county assessor's
office at (423) 728-7126.
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2.
How are the county assessor's office and the City
Clerk's office related?
The county assessor
is responsible for the appraisal and assessment of
property, according to state law. The city clerk's
office is responsible for billing and collection of
taxes based on assessments. The city clerk's office has
no authority over the amount of assessment, nor can she
be involved in the appraisal process.
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3.
What is the appeal process?
Appointments can
be made by contacting the assessor's office. The appeal
process begins in the county assessor's office by
appearing before the Local Board of Equalization. This
board meets annually during the first two weeks of June.
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Tax
Sale Information
1.
What is a tax sale?
An auction of
parcels of property that have delinquent taxes.
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2.
What is the date and time of the annual tax sale
auction?
This
information comes from the Clerk & Master’s office; they
can be contacted by calling (423) 728-7209.
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3.
Where and when will the auction/sale be advertised?
Local newspapers/
Cleveland Daily Banner
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4.
When are tax sales
advertised?
Call Clerk &
Master’s office for that information (423) 728-7209.
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5.
How and when do you register for the tax sale auctions?
There is no
registration. You must simply be present to bid.
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6.
Is it possible to register by mail?
No, you can't
register by mail.
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7.
What type of payment is required at auction?
Either cash, money
order, or check is required at the time of the sale.
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8.
What type of bidding process are used?
This is an open
public auction.
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9.
10.
Will all other liens be cleared from the property as a
result of the sale?
All liens except
state and federal liens are cleared.
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11.
Is there a redemption period before I can take
possession once a property is acquired through your tax
sale, If so, what is the redemption period?
The new owner
cannot take possession of the property until one year
from the date the confirmation of sale is filed.
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12.
If there is a redemption period, does the investor earn
interest during the redemption period? If so, what is
the annual interest rate?
There is an annual
interest rate of 10 percent earned on the property
during the redemption period.
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13.
14.
Will I receive a document to verify the purchase? Will
it be a deed or a certificate of lien?
You will receive a
receipt showing the amount you paid. At the end of the
redemption period, the county will issue a deed.
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16.
Is a current list of available properties or liens
available?
