Help with taxes?

**helpme86271** · 03-16-2010, 09:25 PM

First let me provide some details about the situation:

1) The house is located in Erie County, New York.
2) No one has occupied the house for about 3 years.
3) There are no liens, the mortgage has been absolved, and no tax sale has been threatened.

What I would like to know is this:

Because no one has occupied the property, is there a way to avoid paying the back taxes that have been billed?

Is the city and/or county receptive to striking deals concerning a payment schedule for paying off back taxes?

Do debt relief agencies help with these type of taxes, or do they only concern themselves with IRS debt?

Any help with these questions would be greatly appreciated, if you need any information please do not hesitate to ask and I will answer promptly. Thank you in advance.

**nicaben** · 03-16-2010, 10:55 PM

dont know the specifics of your county, but generally speaking:

1.there is no way to avoid back taxes
2.they are likely to offer a re-payment plan but dont have to
3.debt management companies only deal with unsecured debt. you are better off trying to negotiate a settlement/payment plan on your own anyway.

you can also approach the county assessor and request your property be re-assessed (if you have had a decline in value) so that your tax liability is reduced going forward.

**LoanShark** · 03-21-2010, 04:42 PM

No - the County will not let you off the hook for back taxes.

Depending on where the property is located, it can take anywhere from 2 to 4 successive non-payments of taxes where the county will trigger a tax sale. You may or may not be notified.

Better check with the proper authorities to see where you stand unless you really don't care about losing the property.