Mortgage Exemption and Homestead Exemption (Mishawaka: how much, houses, buyer)

[mfr204]

Question: How should I have know that these needed to be filed after I closed on my mortgage? It has resulted in payment of around $2,700 in taxes without these.

Details:

I closed on a mortage in May 2006. I had previously been married for 26 years and had never had to deal with filing the exemptions for other houses. I don't know if my ex-husband did them or if someone else did.

The exemptions for the the previously owner stayed in effect until I got my taxes for 2007 payable in 2008. Everything was late so the bill didn't arrive until November 2008. I went to the tax officer in March of 2009 after I received a reconciliation of my escrow and realized how much the taxes had gone up for 2007. By then I was told that I my exemption would not take effect until next year.

When I called the Clark County Auditor, I was told that I should have been informed at my closing. However, I have gone through all the materials at my closing and can find nothing.

How should this have been handled? Is there anything I can do at this point? It has resulted in my payment of approx. $2,700 extra for the two years.

Thanks,
MFR204

[JulieL]

MFR204,
I really do not think there is anything you can do at this point. In our county, the closer at the Title Company will have a copy of the exemptions in a gold color paper to remind the buyer to fille for their exemptions. Things have changed now. A new bill went into effect allowing the homestead to be filed at closing. We are still told to double check and make sure in about a month that it has processed. You would still need to file the mortgage exemption if there was a mortgage on the home. Plus, your realtor, if you had one, should send you a note just to remind you of these things.

[domergurl]

Really? When we closed here in Barth. county, our closer told us to go to the office ... no gold piece of paper. When we closed in porter and hamilton counties (we've moved a lot!), the exemptions were filed by the title company. We signed a paper and it was done ... never had to visit a county office ...

[fallingwater]

When we closed, our title company told us to take a paper to county building in Mishawaka. One of them was filed by the title company. I believe it was the homestead and we had to file for the mortgage exempt. It is confusing.

[stormshy7]

My realitor and my Mortgage person, told me several times at the closing of my house, to watch for the paper to come in the mail, and fill it out and send it in ASAP.
My realitor even sent me a couple reminder letters on brightly colored paper.

I really don't know for sure, but I doubt there is anything you can do, excpet file now, so you get them in the future.

[JulieL]

Originally Posted by domergurl

Really? When we closed here in Barth. county, our closer told us to go to the office ... no gold piece of paper. When we closed in porter and hamilton counties (we've moved a lot!), the exemptions were filed by the title company. We signed a paper and it was done ... never had to visit a county office ...

Hey Domergurl,
This policy has changed since you moved here. The title company now files the homestead for you, but they still give you a gold/yellow piece of paper letting you know of all your tax exemptions...however, a good realtor will remind you of filing for all your tax exemptions.

[Jeff P.]

I just bought a house and closed on Mrach 26th. Is it too late to file for a Mortgage Exemption to get a break on my taxes?

[rrah]

No--go to your county courthouse soon. You do have until the end of the year though.