News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Putnam County Trustees Office will begin lawsuits against delinquent 2023 taxpayers starting in February.
Putnam County Trustee Freddie Nelson said some $1.24 million owed in tax money. Nelson said residents have time now to pay any outstanding debts.
“Getting them plenty of notice that they are going to be turned over to the clerk and masters office,” Nelson said. “So we are just trying to get the people into the office to pay them so they don’t go to the clerk and masters so they won’t be penalized any more than what they are.”
Nelson said the trustee’s office sends multiple notifications to delinquent tax payers at least two or three times a year to remind them their property could be taken if the taxes are not paid. Nelson said often times, people wait till the last day to finally pay.
“Yes it is and in the meantime, it has accumulated penalty interest that they have to pay but that is common to see that,” Nelson said.
Nelson said the county is not limited to what kind of property they can take. Nelson also said penalties accumulate each month the taxpayer is delinquent.
“If March has not been paid it is one and a half percent,” Nelson said. “Then like April it’s gonna go to like three percent cause it will double up at one and a half percent so it’s per month.”
Nelson said once the delinquent is turned over to the clerk and masters office the delinquent will likely have to hand over property so the county can sell the property to try and make up for the amount owed. Nelson said people who lose their property to a sale still have the opportunity to get their property back.
“The person who has that property has a year to come back and pay whoever bought that property and they have to pay interest back for each month that they have been late to the person that buys it at the clerk and master sale.”
Nelson said more times than not a property will sell for more money than what the delinquent owes. Nelson said if a delinquent does not reclaim their property from the new buyer then the delinquent will receive the excess funds from the sale. Nelson said the county is in no business to make extra money on selling property.
