Q: Do I need to sign for Homestead Exemption every year?
A: NO, once you have signed for homestead exemption it stays on your property until a change in ownership is recorded or the owner contacts the Assessor’s office and asks that the exemption is removed
Q: I moved to a different home, do I need to sign for homestead exemption?
A: YES, you are always required to sign for homestead exemption when you move to a different property. The homestead will then stay in effect until a change of ownership is recorded.
Q: If I build a new house, when will I begin paying taxes?
A: You will begin paying taxes eighteen (18) months after it is first assessed.
Q: If I am a veteran and have been honorably discharged, what do I need to do to sign up for the military exemption?
A: Your separation papers (DD214) or “Chronological Statement of Retirement Points” (if separated from the National Guard) must be recorded in our Recorder’s Office. You sign for the exemption in the Assessor’s Office.
Q: If the Assessor doesn’t determine my taxes, who does?
A: The Assessor only estimates the value of property. The different taxing bodies, schools, cities and townships, that compile their budgets that fund the needs of the people within their jurisdictions, determine the taxes that we pay. School boards determine how much property tax they need in order to educate the students within their districts. City taxes pay for the police and fire services as well as the public works department who maintain our streets. City taxes are also used to help fund our library, maintain our park system as well as other things the citizens request. The townships need fire protection, sheriff’s protection, maintenance of roads and bridges as well as maintenance of rural cemeteries. All of these boards have public hearings before the adoption of their budgets. If the property owners are unhappy with their taxes, they should attend the public hearings and state their objections. Although property taxes are paid at the courthouse, only a portion remains there. After the taxes are paid, the Treasurer must apportion to the different taxing bodies their share of each tax dollar paid in order to fund their budgets. If you look at the bottom of your tax receipt, it will show the distribution of your current and prior year tax dollars.
Q: 08-8425-31-23-00-001; What does this fifteen (15) digit parcel ID number mean?
A: Several years ago, the Assessor’s office renumbered the more that 26,000 parcels in anticipation of legal standardizations. This is the breakdown of what that number means:
County ID#-Township-Range-Section-Quarter-Qtr/Qtr-Rural (00) Locator#
Rural Sub-Div (50)
City ID # (80’s) - Unique Number
08 84 25 31 2 3 00 001
Cities: 80 - - Beaver Quarter:
81 - - Berkley NE = 1
82 - - Boone NW = 2
83 - - Boxholm SW = 3
84 - - Fraser SE = 4
85 - - Luther
86 - - Madrid
87 - - Ogden Quarter/Quarter:
88 - - Pilot Mound NE NE = 11 NE NW = 21 NE SW = 31 NE SE = 41
89 - - Sheldhal NW NE = 12 NW NW = 22 NW SW = 32 NW SE = 42
SW NE = 13 SW NW = 23 SW SW = 33 SW SE = 43
SE NE = 14 SE NW = 24 SE SW = 34 SE SE = 44