Does paying property tax give ownership? This reader wants to know if paying property taxes on a home gives them a claim to ownership of the property.
Q: I have a question about property taxes. If I have paid the property taxes for a home that belonged to my mother and now belongs to my grandchildren does that give me any claim to the ownership of the property?
Does Paying Property Tax Give Ownership?
A: Generally, the payment of real estate taxes alone is never sufficient to give the taxpayer ownership rights to a property. Most, if not all, states have statutes that provide that an occupant or user of real estate can obtain ownership rights to the property if they satisfy various requirements for up to 21 years.
For example, these requirements might include the payment of real estate taxes, but would also require the occupant to use the property in a way that excludes the real owner from using the property. For example, if you paid the taxes and lived in the house and paid all of the expenses of ownership, that might be sufficient to prove ownership.
But you need to keep in mind the following: You can’t live in the property with the permission of the real owner, and you can’t be a long-term guest at the home. The real owner can’t live at the property while you stay there and you must continuously and openly live or use the property to the exclusion of the real owner.
Determining Homeownership
The home was your mother’s and most likely she allowed you and other family members to live at the home. In this case, you would most likely never obtain an ownership right in the property.
If your mother had a will when she died and the will was not contested, her will would designate who would now own the property without regard to who paid the real estate taxes or who lived in her house.
If she had no will, the probate court following state laws would determine who would own the property.
It appears that you might resend the property taxes you have paid throughout the years on this property. If that’s the case, you should inform the current owner, presumably your grandchildren, that you will no longer pay these taxes, so they can make other arrangements to have them paid. Otherwise, they could lose the house for non-payment of taxes.
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Does Hawaii allow one to claim property ownership by paying real property taxes on someone elses property ? Thank You
once I went to the reading of the will I found out there he had changed his will and he gave my brother 50% to him and 50% to me but we had paid my dad close to 35,000 for the property which we had agreed to paying him 30,000 for the property from 1983 when we gave him a quick deed to our property for free then after his death we found out he had changed his will to the 50% and my greedy brother who hadn’t talked to my dad in15 years got half which I was suppose to on his death was to get our property back in full. we knew he was worth over 750,000 but during his life we had a good relationship and we told him we didn’t want anything other then our property back for we had paid him in full for but was all in a oral contract. so my greedy brother which I hadn’t talked to in over 15 years for he got devorsed and ran off is now fighting me and my husband and so far winning the battle. my husband is on disability and we are poor now for we had paid everything off while we were young knowing that his health one day might be bad. now my brother who got power of attorney to take over the job of being the boss of the will has a lot of money and is fighting us all the time.. being poor we cant find a attorney to help us other then free advise but we don’t know how to present it right and we lost the first case in grays harbor Washington for after living on this property for over 35 years they said all the money that we had paid was rent even though on the bottom of all the checks and bank statements said loan payment and they have no t one saying rent ever for my father and my husband after giving the quick deed over to my dad he said pay me back 30,000 dollars and I will you back the property in full upon my death which was fine by us but as it turned out he changed his will in 2006 which we did not know until his death which was first just like we had agreed then was changed to a very simple will then my brother since we didn’t protest it amended it to his favor which again we didn’t know till court and it gave him everything which wasn’t like the 2nd will so now there has been 3 wills since we made the oral deal with my father and now it says only 50% to me and 50% to my greedy brother and we have 3 witnesses that have talked with my dad and was told that he was going to will us the property upon his death for we had paid him back. around 2006 he called me and said he was paying off the trailor and sending us the title and all we had to do from then on is pay the property tax at 82 dollars per month which we did without missing a payment . then upon his death we had always for over 35 years sent all the loan money and the property tax money to him in Oregon for we live in mccleary Washington and even after his death for over a year we had sent the son who was doing his job on the will and he sent our money back after paying for a year after my fathers death and a letter that said thank you for always being on time and paying the property tax but here is your 82 dollar check back and don’t send it here no more contact randy the other greedy son and work it out with him. so we sent a certified letter down to him and it was returned unopened which we still have and then we called him and he told us to sign the tax paper saying he owned 50% of our property or I will kick you off your place. of course we said no were not going to sign a paper saying you have half our property for we have paid for it and were only wanting to pay the 82 dollars tax but he would not accept it so we didn’t pay any more tax money but put it in the bank to pay it when the court would tell us too. well he got a fancy lawyer and took us to court in Oregon city and tried to say we had been paying rent since 1983 to 2014 when my dad first got the quick deed from us but that was a lie and the judge seen right thru it and made them change all the wording instead of rent it was property tax so we were happy we thought. then he hired bigger lawyer and came to grays harbor count with the same law suit and won a judgement to vacate the trailor and now is not doing the partition to get us kicked off the property too for he hates me and my husband and we really don’t know why other then it must be money for we have never quarreled before my dads death. so because we now are poor which is a big problem I understand but just because he has money and can stretch the truth to have him win in court for we tried it by ourselves for we talked to over 30 lawyers in 2 months to try to get one but they wanted lots of money up front that we did no longer have which I do understand but that doesn’t make it right so we need someone to look at all the facts and help us with our problem. my husband is on disability now and has hurt his left wrist replacement and has seen a hand doctor and has a surgery coming up in less then 2 weeks and has a 0 lift on his left hand but the judge didn’t listen to that for we asked for time to get that done and then go to court but he said no and have to move now with 35 years of stuff and two business on the property that we have been running for over 30 years and still run one for we have a licesened fds approved facility on the property that has been running for over 16 years and we have no way of moving all that equipment by then so were in a big fix for the greedy son will get our stuff.and looking up on the internet it seems my husbands civil rights has been done wrongly but im not a lawyer so I don’t know its just what I have read. please call us at 1-360-495-3846 and please help us we can pay payments of 100 per month is all we have after the monthly bills so im sure that is bad news for us but please look at all the facts and you will see this grays harbor system from talking to over 30 attorneys they don’t want to fight in this county for it has a bad name in many areas. please take the time and at least talk to us about this and hopefully help us save our property. ted and denise Morrison weve been married for over 39 years and we want our 7 grand kids to play on our property like they have been doing for its a nice piece for no one can build around us and were kind of in the country. thankyou for helping us.
I had the same thing happen to me. Parents gave duplex to brother and me. Paid half “our mtg” for 20 years. But the parents gave my older brother the initial quit claim deed. And when our father came to have the house put in both our names he was killed the next day on Christmas Eve. So I was strung along for 20 yrs always paying half of whatever the house needed. Our Mother was convinced he would do the “right” thing. Which of course he didn’t. And when she passed away all i got was a rented truck and a ” get the f#&: out” .. All I have to say is ” Good luck with that eternity thing” as he promised many people some on their death beds that he would take care of me. Good luck with your fight. I hope you win. But in my case I had to give up the fight because it wasnt worth my health.
If u pay taxes on a house for 8 years does the house becomes yours? 🤔
My husband found out his sister had not been paying the taxes on their parents place…She had poa …it had been sold for the taxes for one year…Be went and pd them and told her to make sure she started paying them, she told him she didn’t care if they took the place, so he pd them each year while they were in the nursing home and when they died…How many years by law can you have the other two siblings to reimburse you their part…
i have been renting from my ex sister in law and paying the taxes for six yrs now i have to leave so who is the ownership?
Joletta, unfortunately, even though you have been paying the property taxes, that does not confer ownership rights to you. Your ex-sister-in-law still owns the property. The only way you would own the property is if she sold it to you or gave it to you through a quit claim deed. Is your name attached in some other way, perhaps on the mortgage? If not, then you can leave the property and it will be up to her to continue to make the mortgage and property tax payments. Thanks for your question.
If I’m renting to own a house from someone and in our written agreement she wrote “I will pay current property taxes owed and then put property in their name” then comes to me and tells me she can’t pay the property tax and doesn’t know how long they’ll let them be past due before something happens.. what can I do?
Kylee,
You should contact a real estate attorney for help. If the deal was for you to pay rent and the owner fails to pay the mortgage (if there is one) and/or property taxes, then she has gone back on the deal and your attorney can advise you on what options you have at this point. If property taxes don’t get paid, the property will be sold for the amount of the back taxes. You don’t want that to happen.
Good luck. Let me know what happens.
Ilyce Glink, publisher
My grandpa lives in his wife’s dad,s home he has bin dead since before 1990 and my grandma has also passed away the house was never left in no ones name my grandpa is now 77 and he has always payed the taxes on the house i was wondering how much owner ship if any do we have i bin living here with them since i was a baby im 23 now and he has no idea how to even go about putting it in his name and it didnt get left to no one so whats going on where do we even start its bin over 30 years maybe 2 times that people have died that new anything about the house or all together just dont know about it we are lost
Jane:
You likely have zero ownership in the property. Your grandfather is a different story and it depends on how the property was left. If your great grandfather owned the property and when he died your grandmother inherited whatever estate he had, and then her husband (your grandfather) inherited her estate when she died, then he would own the house now.
The easy way to find out is to have a local title company do a title search. A local real estate attorney can help you do it also. If you don’t know a good attorney, you should call the local bar association and ask for the head of the real estate committee. That person will either be able to help you or can send you to someone who can.
This is how you start figuring out what you own and what he owns, okay?
Let me know if you need any more guidance.
Ilyce
After my dad passed away my brother pissed away all his money and was letting the house go into foreclosure. I was going through a divorce so I offered to move in and help pull the house out of foreclosure. The home loan and house bills are in my name minus a few minor ones, the deed is in his name. Currently I have the loan paid up to date, but found out he is currently delinquent in property taxes, as this comes in his name. The property is now come to find out 3years passed due in taxes. If I pay the passed due property taxes, would I have ownership of property?
As far as I’ve been told if you live there and pay the taxes… You need to get an attorney because they will find you as the good standing property owner
After my mother passed away and I went through a divorce my son and I moved in with my dad in the house I grew up in. A year later dad remarried and moved out and changed the deed on the house to include me my brother and sister. Dad has since passed away in the 13 years I have lived there I have paid the property taxes and insurance on the house. I have upgraded all the appliances including the hot water heater and furnace. The house has been completely done over with painting inside and out and landscaping done. Now my brother wants me to pay him rent. My ultimate plan is to stay in the house 6 more years and retire and sell the house splitting the revenue 3 ways. Do I need to pay rent now?
My wife purchased a house in 2011 to help her father who was struggling at the time. Recently, the dad has done some terrible things that set our family back financially. When we tried to reason with him, he basically says that we are sol and need to move on. Also, he threaten us by saying that he will sue us if we try to sell the house that is under my wife’s name. We only want to sell the house for what is owed to bank plus the money that he owes us. It will still leave him with over 150k in equity. My question is, can my wife sell his house? At the least, is she able to charge rent? The going rate for a 4 bedroom locally is $2,500 a month and the mortgage there is $1,100. Thank you in advance!
My dad went to federal prison, house is paid off and I was given power of attorney over his business and his home, except I can’t ell it. He is 3 years in the rears with homeowner taxes and I just found it that his freindwhoisan realtor Morgage broker had his friends pay some of the taxes then requested me to give him over the keys so he can make home repairs, I am moving my family in as I can not pay for my dads bills and my rent and bills of my own family. I am refusing to give him any keys but now I’m aftaid to move in.
My parents passed away without a will and I’m an only child…my mom was the last to die, and she left me a signed and witnessed paper stating she left me everything…I haven’t had the money to transfer the property into my name, but have been paying the taxes on the house….can I claim those taxes on my income tax?
A friend of mine owns or owned a mobile home that she sold to maryjane. Mary Jane made 2 payments for a total of 600. She owes 11000 total. 3 years ago my friend was going to give the mobile home to me, all I had to do was get the current buyer out for she hadn’t followed her payment agreement. I had got into some trouble shortly after this conversation or conversations took place. She ended up passing away before I could get back. There was no will left but I have witness’ to the fact that she wanted me to have this home and get Maryjane out. I have all of the paperwork for the home. The Title,The buying agreement when she first bought the mobile home, the agreement between my friend and Mary Jane. Everything. Just nothing saying Its mine. The lady, maryjane still hasn’t made a payment since 2011. Can I legally evict her and take ownership?
my grandma and grandpa are owners of our property but its been my mom and us two kids living here for over 25 years paying land taxes how would we get it transfered into our name so we can homestead or even sell because no one else cares about it or even attempts to help us with the taxes
My name is Betty my grandma and grandpa died
Without a will they have one son living and 4 grandchildren living one of the grandchildren pays the property taxes how many years will it take for
That grandchild to have the deeds put in his name
Ive left my husband and got one child he got two were going to court and we live in a house that is parents bought they put down 30000 on it 14 years ago , ive been living there all this time with him and my kids his name is not in the deeds but we have been paying money into his parents bank account im i intitled to anythink.
My husband has lived in a house for 10 years. He lived in the house first with his late fiancé who passed away before they could marry. Now we have no idea what’s going on with the house or property. We have been paying all the bills here for the last 3 years and paying the property tax. Is there anything my husband can do to get possession of the house?
I have a situation. Me and my husband got into buying this home with my grandparents. We help moved them back to Ohio from Florida. Now that we are living together we are not getting along. My husband and I pay all the bills along with the taxes/morgage. We are going on our 2nd payment. I as the granddaughter can not live under these conditions no longer. Can you please explain if we have any rights to take over this home?
If the property taxes have been late for 20 years rather every year. This year going to be put up for auction. The land in Louisiana, gives no right and or ownership to the family member that started paying???? If so then we should let it go to auction and bid??? That i and will do!!!
If possible and or someone thats been through this can someone with any legal background respond if possible. Thank you so very much and have a blessed day. Frances c Mccalman
Sorry also oy is land only. Nothing id left but a concrete slab and trees.
Not saying my 2 other brothers and i are rich but bo rights on paying late property taxes is not right.
Adding to this.. I have a question
My ex husband left in 2010 and stopped paying the mortgage to the home we lived in. I continued to pay property taxes yearly it’s now been 7 years and no mortgage has been paid and no one has asked for payment. My question is can I claim the property as mine? The home is under my ex husbands name only.
My father in-law says I have to pay the taxes on his mom’s house. Since I rent it and she’s in a nursing home is that even give us rights at all I heard if we paid taxes on it for 5. yes it is automatically ours is that true or is there a way out of paying the taxes since we rent we can’t afford to move out
I know a person who is behind taxes on their business. They don’t have the money to pay the taxes, but some is interested in pay off the taxes for him. But, in return was the to put a lien on the property. If the owner doesn’t pay the monew back to that person, how can they take the property if they don’t pay them back, and how long does that person have before the one who paid the taxes takes over ownership if possible. I know it has to go through the courts, but what are the steps to secure the loan. Thank you. What is the best way to approach this issue
Sir my problem is totally different,I have owned a commercial property and paying taxes more than ten years,I occupied it well constructed building but at the time of construction ,the builders made mistake of small deviations which could raise measurement loss to the beside property owner ,he didn’t notice it for a long time more than ten years and we also paid property tax, now he is demanding money for the deviation at a huge amount more than market rate neither he will demolish he said ,my question is about whether he has the ownership to the deviation measurement he left not even claim yet more than ten years still
My dad passed away a few years ago and left a property in florida which i have been paying taxes for 10 years. I want to get this property on my name asap but i dont know whats the best way to do this … He left no will in the US. He left a will for his properties in Jamaica and i currently live in jamaica and its pretty hard to go back and forth to Florida and Jamaica to see about a property that i cant use to get financial assistance as its on my deceased fathers name. Is there anyway that i can use this property maybe build on it or live on it even though the deeds on my Dads name and what are the chances of me getting it on my name . I really need help with this situation . I am a U.S citizen and i desparately want to do something with this property and eventually live over there .
Was wondering if it was ok to keep paying real estate taxes in the previous owners name even though I live there now? Are there any consequences with the IRS or town hall where the property is located. First time buyer and looked cheaper on the bill. The bill is below $130.00 a year
I personally think that the house taxes here in El Paso are too overpriced a lot has to do with the mismanagement of our tax payer money that falls into the wrong hands of our elected officials in City Hall , personally I feel that we need to start protesting in front of city hall each and every time they increase our property tax , their spending is out of control and unless we do something and act upon it nothing will ever change
Thank You for listening God Bless
Sincerely Johnny
Johnny:
There seems to be a real disconnect between the services homeowners/renters want from a community and the ability to pay. In a state where there are no or low state income taxes, property taxes are an offset to taxes generated by business. If taxes on businesses are also extremely low, then you either have to cut services, stop fixing roads, invest less in schools or raise taxes. But that brings us back to the top of the circle, since taxpayers like want/need/like municipal services. It’s tough to find a middle ground that makes everyone happy.
Thanks for your comment.
Ilyce
Texas Resident… – Not sure if the law for property taxes are the same in every state.. My situation is. I was living in a brand new home with a man that I was dating, HE paid cash for the house and wanted to put my name on the house since we were planning on getting married eventually. After finding out some truths about him I moved on in Nov 2016 and in Jan 2017 he called to tell me our new property tax bill had came in the amount of over $13k… I had told him that didn’t matter to me, I wanted my name off the house since I no longer lived there. So in Feb he got a hold of someone to send me paper work to remove my name off I signed the paper work got it notarized and mailed in certified. Yesterday he contacts me to say that the city is sueing him for not paying the property taxes which due to fees and penalties he now owes almost $20k and tells me that my name is on the court docs to go.. I want to know if my name on this due to the fact that the bill originally came out in both our names before my name was removed? And Since my name is off the deed am I still liable to pay those taxes even though my name is off the deed?? These are the 2017 taxes.. for this year.. Last year were paid.. So I am just worried and want to know do I still have to be held liable even though I’ve been off the deed since Feb on this year???
I have a question about raw land that is in an estate. If you have paid taxes for 30 years on this property . What rights do you have as far as selling the land?
grandma & grandpa died leaving no will, out of 11 siblings 1 sibling paid taxes but now she’s dead,her daughter pay taxes where mom left off does this give her ownership over remaining siblings ,no one has occupied house during times of paying taxes over20 plus years
My mom left me her trailor nothing in writing the trailor is in mine and my sister’s name I’ve been upgrading and paying taxes on the 2 lots it sits on
Can.i have the lots put in my name
No matter how you look at it ,it’s time to change how school taxes are,collected. The parents should pay for the education of their childrwn.too many older people on fixed incomes have and are losing their homes due to high taxes. People who never had children are forced to pay for dead beat parents. THIS HAS TO CHANGE NOT FAIR.
My husband and his sister inherited their mothers home. Their names are on the deed. Sister-n-law does not want the home just the money out of it. We’ve lived here 5 out 7 yrs. 2 yrs it sat empty. We pay for the home insurance, all the land taxes and utilities. We want to buy her out and she just wants the money. She does not pay any monies into the house for physical upkeep we do. Does at least the land taxes get deducted from the purchase of the home? There were no gutter on the home we put them on as well. Please help! I want to be fair for both parties.
Wendy,
Did you live in the home rent-free? If so, anything you put into the property during that time in the way of real estate property taxes, insurance, maintenance and upkeep could be construed as your “rent.” So, let’s set that aside.
Now, you need to figure out how much the property is worth, as it, today. And, then your husband and his sister need to adjust that price for all of the costs of sale (like hiring a real estate agent, marketing the property, etc.) You can then take out a mortgage on the property (assuming it is mortgage-free) for the amount that you owe his sister. (Your husband and his sister inherited the property at its current market value, which has to be determined, so when he buys her half, it will be tax-free.)
A good real estate or estate attorney will be invaluable in making sure the valuation is fair and that relationships are preserved. You can’t imagine how easy money ruins a close family dynamic.
Good luck.
Ilyce Glink, Publisher
ThinkGlink.com
I have a different situation. Currently going through it and don’t know what to do. Back story my grandparents bought my house in cash for me and my kids. I am to pay monthly into the estate 200 to insurance 200 taxes rest principal and if needed can withdrawal for maintence( hot water tank, fridge, ect) my dad is the executor. My dads names on the title ( he never let my grandma put her name on it and I have declarations to prove) I had a contract with my grandmother and never had one with my dad. ( he did sign the first and only one with my grandma and I) acknowledgement of the agreement and his word to see through and be like property manager. He never did probate and took my aunt to court got his debt whipped clean he was supposed to pay back to the estate and now the money for my house is his self gain. So I wouldn’t be paying into the estate for the family it would be only to my dad. And everytime my parents get upset they threaten us about the house. I have all records of payment even from when my grandmother was alive. And every month they take the cashier check to the bank and deposit it. It’s labeled as mortgage and he takes it. 1) can he evict me and the kids if he chooses so? How can I keep my house? Should I sue?
My brother paid my parents for a portion of their property before my father died. My mother put it in writing (but not witnessed nor notarized) that the land was paid and was to go to my brother. She is now in a dementia wing in a nursing home. When she dies, can my brother still claim that property?
This property portion was paid in full in 1990. My mother went on Medicaid in 2016. But since this was marked paid 26 years befe Medicaid, can he still claim it? Would it be considered a Bond Of Conveyance?
Could really use some help here… I bought a HUD home in Dec. 2011 for $35k cash which I borrowed from my mother. We both went on the deed as tenants-in-common with a verbal agreement that I would pay her back across 20yrs. Once I moved in, she then changed that agreement to $50k & 4% monthly apr, 15yr amortized loan (180pmts at $364.85 month). Of course, I protested that this wasn’t the original agreement but she started sending eviction letters (yes, I know her attempts are nil since Im on the deed) and I contacted an attorney who said division of the property would be difficult at the time since I’d only lived there a few months. Since then, she still periodically sends eviction letters or makes threats to go to court if say I don’t call her or if she changes when she wants her check, etc. I’ve now owned & used the property for 6yrs including responsibility for 100% of all expenses associated with ownership of the home (i.e. taxes, homeowner’s insurance, repairs, maintenance, utilities, etc). Additionally, I’ve made 70 of 180pmts (all by check or with receipts for cash). She has never used the property (i.e. never has spent the night here-she now owns 3homes & recently sold 2others… none of which I’m sure she paid capital gains tax on and I wouldn’t be surprised if she has at some point lied on her taxes about this one with regards to taxes & insurance, etc. However, not my concern as I have the checks to prove it). According to the pmt schedule she printed after she amended our “original agreement” I’ve only paid back $18k. However, since verbal agreements are not recognized here in N.C. it’s technically closer to $25k. So my question is this: How would the courts decide ownership interest since A) I have 100% responsibility for ownership costs & usage and more importantly B) I’ve paid her back for purchasing the property (will they take this into consideration if I have checks going to her since acquiring the property?). Basically, would the % of ownership interest be favorable? Secondly, Im now in a position to get a mortgage to pay off the remainder of what I own her to get her off the deed, however my concern is her changing her mind again to acquire even more money or cheat me out of it altogether. What type of contract would I need before going forth with a mortgage and trying to buy her out for the remainder owed… a promissory note or unequal homeownership contact or both? Essentially, I guess what Im asking is what is the most favorable outcome for myself in this situation. The home is tax valued at $82k & mv is hopefully around $100k, should of been a great deal @$35k, but overall at $50k plus interest & repairs, remortgaging & lawyers/court fees Ill be lucky to break-even, lol. I dont even know if she’ll sign a contact for purchase, she goes back & forth (was diagnosed bi-polar II with narcissistic tendencies). But assuming she would, is it better to attempt a contract & then getting a mortgage for the $32k I owe her. Or would I be better to go to court & then get a mortgage. It would be nice if there were some way to get the amt owed closer to the original agreement. I am not concerned with the damage to our relationship as it has always been damaged and my fiance (in part why we wanted to buy a home as we’d just moved in together back in college & my mom has made threats & harrassed at work & also sent eviction notices to) and I are planning to have children and distance ourselves even more from this toxic relationship. Thank you for your time.
Can i get some help please I’m only 23 years of age me and my old brother 24 of age we live in our great grand mother house all our live will she was health and sick , before she died of sickness she did not get the time to write her wills therefore we continue to live her and maintain the house , all our lives it was only 4 residents in the house me my brother my mother and my cousin
Her 1st born child is sick and he gave the house to my mother before she died but now wants to claim it back because my aunt said all the family can come her and live her as they like they both are her children young and old , it’s like we took care of out sick great grand mother all our live to be knock over by her 3 out of 7 children who wants the property my mom pass away so it only me and my brother here now ,
Is there a law where I can put up a fight or do me and my brother have to live on the road and pray life pass us?.
Hi Help,
The extra charges of a government on the purchasing of property in the form of general country tax can be eliminate easily with in a seven days according to the rules and regulations of a government,If you write an application with the authentic reasons for a elimination of property tax and also attached a legal documents of a property tax pairs after that submitted in the government office by the tax layers which is helpful for you to approved the claim of your property tax in the seven days without any allegations of a government on the application of your property tax ,Remember don’t write any irreverent reasons in the applications of property tax you want to submit in the office of government and also don’t attached any illegal or extra document of property which increase the chances to refuse or neglect your claim application ,So keep it in your mind all the instructions and requirements given to you by the tax layer after concerning this kind of matter according to the current policy of government .
Thanks
Need help mom father and mother passed away I have a brother and half sister I have been paying the taxes on the house sence 1998 and have all my paper work the never tried to help me out no will and no succion has been done. Tks
Overdue property taxes
My daughter and son-in-law have been renting a home for 5 years. They just received notice that the property taxes have not been paid for a while, and the house will be taken by the County if the taxes aren’t paid by 2/28. Someone told my son-in-law that they could take over ownership of the hope if they paid the past due taxes. I didn’t believe this was true. Can you tell me if that is accurate? If it makes any difference, they are Michigan residents.
Martha,
I’m sorry to say that paying the back taxes would only work if the property gets sold for the back taxes. They’d have to go to the courthouse steps and make an offer to buy the taxes. The owner would still have two years to redeem the taxes, but your daughter and her husband could make a nice profit if that did happen.
The other way this works is if your kids paid the outstanding property taxes for two decades and then were able to somehow acquire the property.
The biggest right right now is that the property goes into foreclosure because in addition to not paying property taxes, the owner may also not be paying any mortgage that is owed. Your daughter and son-in-law can find this out going to the assessor’s office and seeing if the property is due to be auctioned off for failure to pay property taxes. They should also get in contact with the owner to see if the mortgage (if there is one, you can check that out online) is being paid on time and in full.
Good luck to your kids. Being proactive here is the best way to go.
Ilyce Glink, Publisher
Ok here is my situation. My Mother bought a mobile home back in 2011 she made the check out everything all good, The man she bought it from moved and can not locate him. She was suppose to I guess get it in her name?..Well that Never happened. This man is in his 80’s and I’ve been living with my mother for a few years now and I am now paying the property taxes. I want to pay it off so we can move into a bigger house but because her name isn’t on it, I was told we are pretty much screwed. Now my mom has the recipe of the check she wrote him to buy the house.. Can someone please tell me what I need to do or if I can go around this bs. We live in California I & don’t know if each state is different.. 🙁
If your paying taxes on a property that you are renting a lot from for 6 years (we own the trailer it’s on). Is the property considered yours?
Travis,
If you own the trailer, you own it. And if you pay property taxes (not how every state taxes trailers) then you own it. Do you have a deed?
Ilyce Glink, Publisher
ThinkGlink.com
I was renting for the past 4 1/2 years from my father and he just passed away and he has other kids from previous marriage that are wanting me to all pay rent and saying I’m gonna have to get out soon, what are my legal rights on the property? Thank you stephanie
Stephanie,
Who owns the property? It doesn’t matter what the other “kids” are saying if they don’t own the property. If he left it to his wife (your step siblings’ mother), then she owns the property and can decide whether you can stay or go. If you inherited the property, then you can decide what to do with it. You’ll need to find out if your father had a will or if the property was in a trust, and then go from there. Please find a trusted professional to help you sort through what your father owned and if he left it to you.
Good luck,
Ilyce Glink, Publisher
I’ve lived here for 10 years 5 years ago the owner of the house made a verbal contract with me and my husband that she doesn’t want the house that it will be willed to us when she dies one week ago she brings me a new month to month contract and that she is going to sell the house we have been paying the mortgage on the house for 5 years believing the house would be ours we used to pay 800 for 5 years before this is there anything we can do we have put a lot into the house and now she wants us to sign a contract that says we will repair everything and we aren’t aloud to have pets without her saying we can but we already have animals and to pay the whole mortgage when we only agreed to pay that much cause she told us the house was ours what can we do
My mother passed in 2002 and left the house in a ttrust to be sold and the money split between the kids. My brother has been living there all this time and paying the property taxes. My sister is the executor of the will is wanting to sell the house but my brother says its his and he is not going to leave. Does he have legal rights to the house since he has been living there for this long?
My mom and her brother own the house but my moms brother don’t pay anything is there something we can do prperty tax coming up and he won’t help
I have been offered, by the owner, a long strip of land if I pay the taxes due. It is not a homestead property, but once had a mobile home on it. If I pay the taxes due, am I then the owner if he signs a quit claim deed?
I bought a home paid for everything with a verbal agreement use my friends credit i was the one living in the home and paid for the morgage all the expense , tqaxed imteredt and morgage , do I have the right to claim the taxes if i paid for them .
I if someone else is paying the property tax all the home that belongs to your mother they are deceased but you are fixing it up cuz they put you out if your family member
I have been staying in a home with a guy I know. He had the house for five years now. His grandfather bought it for him and he owned the home. Still does actually but he’s behind 30k in prop taxes. They will take it but he’s too stubborn. They just basically kicked us all out cause he hasn’t payed water or electricity. Now what can I do to get this home into my hands. Basically how can I own this home or sell it before the bank does. The city did not evict him. They only said that we all need to leave until the electricity and water is paid. That it’s unfit for human living conditions. This is a million dallar home and was bought for 500,000. It doubled price in 5 yrs. I don’t want to miss out on this opportunity if it’s a million dallar come up and all is owed is 30k in taxes. What do I do ??
Hello, My name is Sholanda.
My family has owned land in Savannah GA Since late 1800’s. My Uncle who was the executor of the estate for over 20 years when my grandmother died. He has a will somewhere but people are pretending to not find it… The land was blocked out on paper for each sibling but nothing was ever surveyed or official. My dad and cousin paid the taxes this year but only paid the part they were interested in. Not the portion (smaller portion) which belongs to distant cousins. The cousins came to them and asked for help but they refused. My question, can the powers that be now claim that not enough taxes were paid on the whole to try and take the land? Thanks for your help.
Hi im interested in buying a beautiful house on tax sale. I do plan on living in it as my personal residence. The problem is the it is occupied. Ive heard and read and reasearched alot of information and people tend to not give me a clear answer. 1. Once I pay the taxes in it, will i get the deed automatically?
2. Will i have to take on any expenses like a mortgage even though I have the deed?
3. Although is it occupied, do i waot 6 months like other people said and then i can move in? Or whats the process i go through to finally move in?
If you had a freind that helped you pay your back taxes cause she wanted to help …said I can pay her back when I can …and all the sudden she’s threatening to take my house for 6000.00 can she ?
Ok my grandpa owned the house I have lived in for 12 years . He passed. My mom was the only child she also died. The house is still legally under his name. Taxes due from 2017 . I couldn’t pay them . Not it’s about to go up for auction. I live in Louisiana. If someone pays the taxes could they claim ownership and put me out
my son paid $28,000 FOR BACK TAXES! Then she turned around and gave the house to some one else. now he lives in the house. he pays all the bills. he owes a lot of money to a bank in which charges him to pay off the loan. how can he obtain a lien for part pwnership? Ft. Worth Tx.
I have a bond of title with a lady for the past 14yrs. I have been paying the property taxes since 2007 because she stopped paying them. I have filed my bond of title at the court house. The Property tax paper work come in her name, but C/O me. I pay her mortgage company direct and have been since 2012 when she almost cause them to foreclose on my home. I just found out that she filed bankruptcy a few months back, but did not include my property nor did she even tell me what she was doing. My husband and I wanted to do a refi on the home to take it out of her name and that is how we found out about the bankruptcy. Someone said because we have been paying the taxes the home should be ours. The mortgage company does have a copy of my bond of title. I guess my question is do I even have a leg to stand on now?
My fathers brother is paying house taxs from last 30 years which property documents are with the name of my father now they are not allowing us to that house
What is te solution
Mehraj,
It’s a little difficult to understand your question. Is your father still alive? Is your uncle trying to establish ownership of the property? You may need to talk with a local real estate attorney who can help you understand what rights you have to the property.
Paying the property taxes alone does not confer ownership but you will have to assert your rights, if you have them, to prevent him from taking the property from you.
Best,
Ilyce Glink, publisher
ThinkGlink.com
My grandmother asked me to stay in her house before she died … 20 years living in that house now daughter wants to sell it do i have any rights
My mom did a quick claim deed back in 2004 with my two sisters and me and Her on the deed now mom is 76 we had hurricane Irma that done 47.1 % damage to the property with out insurance I did all the repairs to get the property back to code all by myself it took about a year to get it back to be Abel to live in now my two sisters want to sell where they have not paid 1 cent to take care of taxes or repairs in the time they have had there name on the property they live out of state I say it’s still moms house and l will take care of her in this house until she dies what do I do to get there name off the deed because they have abandon the property and want to kick mom out of the house but mom owes 25% and I own 25% can u give some advise to stop this greed from tacking place thanks Davie
My father lived and paid taxes on a house/land for over 30 years but the property is not in his name. The previous owners told him he could live there as long as he wanted. Verbal agreement, my father misplaced the note the previous owner had written. The previous owners moved to another state and later passed away. Recently my father passed away. I grew up in the house, I am now 49. Can I get this property changed over to me? I am an only child.
My Grandfather passed away about 21 years ago. He did not leave a will, but when he passed 2 of his children were living with him my aunt and uncle they took over the house and my mother did not contest. As the years went by my aunt and uncle did not keep up the house repairs or keep up on the property taxes after a few years both my aunt and uncle moved out of the house, did not pay the taxes and basically abandoned the house in a state of array. The house was about to be auctioned off by the state due to delinquent taxes. My brother spoke to my uncle and told him he would pay the back taxes and bring the house back into livable conditions and take over the house. He paid all the back taxes made repairs to the house and has been living in the house and paying the taxes for the last 9 years. If no one is contesting that my brother take over the house, does he have any real rights to ownership of the house? Does he have any rights to change the deed from my grandfathers name into his own?
My husband and his sister has a property which is a vacant lot. She’s using it as her yard. I’ve been paying half the property taxes every year. My question is if I stop paying the taxes will she be able to take me to court to take it away from me. Both our names are on it but she’s using it I’m not. Please reply
my sis is the overseer on the land and i have live on it for 7yr and i have play all of the land tax and they are 6 of us have a pase of the land she will not give us air prot of the land what kind i do the her
My in-laws sold their house over 20 years ago and just found out that the guy who bought it never transferred the deed! Its still listed on their name even though the guy has been paying taxes all these years The house has been sitting vacant all this time as well. Are they still legal owners if their name is still on the deed? The guy has to know he hasn’t changed it because the taxes are in my father in law’s name even though it is sent to the other guy’s address.
If somebody hasn’t paid the taxes on their houses in over 3 years and their taxes are delinquent how’s the go to the town of where the houses are like the courthouse and file motion for judgment and if I was Granted the judgment and pay the delinquent taxes would I be able to claim ownership of the properties
My grandfather past a few years ago he had no living will and my aunt is the power of attorney of his estate . She has intent on paying the property tax which are in delinquent stands. What are my legal rights if I pay the taxes?
Hello we recently paid the property taxes for my grandmothers house that currently my Uncle is living there without electricity, or running water and he has left it in shambles the house was going to be put up for auction in 1 week and in order for for the home to stay in our family( cause it has been in our family about 100 years) My other uncle whom is power of attorney over the prop. agreed and made a contract that if we paid the total amount more than $6000.00 that we could move in and take over taxes and any repairs the home needs. so we did pay but now my uncle is stalling to move out what can i do legally??
Julieayn,
Please consult with a real estate attorney immediately who can advise you of your rights and the possibilities.
Good luck.
I have a question? My fiance was buying a house from his ex sister in law, they only had an oral agreement. But she came to him and said she wanted to keep the property in the family, would he buy the house for $140,000.00 and they wouldn’t get realtors involved and lose money paying fees.. he agreed to pay her $1,500.00 down and $1,000.00 per month until the full amount was paid. He always paid the amount on the first of the month or would double, triple payments at times. He told her after 8 months into paying that they needed a contract for deed or something showing prove that he was buying the home from her, she agreed in text messages but then told him he needed to get a loan for the full amount and pay her the full amount asap, then a week later told him she was putting it on the market, a week later she had a realtor go look at the house without him knowing while we were at church. We found out and told the realtor what the deal was, she told his sister in law she wouldn’t list the property until we were out, so a week later he received an eviction notice from the court.. In text messages she told him her circumstances changed therefore he either had to get the house in his name or leave. Then she said she never went back on her word that they agreed he’d get the house in his name by June yet that isn’t correct and she’s trying to get him out now, which shows she’s lying… What are his rights??
He also has paid taxes, her storage, and has spent money fixing the house. The realtor told her she could get more and she’s going for his throat on this to get more money after backing out on their oral agreement.
Hi –
My aunt passed away. We can’t find a will and she has one living son. Legally, I know the home goes to her son with no will. However, the son is on drugs and can never be found nor does he have the money to pay for property taxes, if found. We want to keep the house in the family. If I pay the property taxes that are now past due, how do I prevent the son from gaining access later should he recover from drugs and get his act together? Thanks.
If a deceased family member my grandma left no will but all her children agree that I her grandaughter can stay in her house as long as I pay all. Taxes insurance and utilities but my problem is this the home had a loan and in her contract or deed it states that if we change owners name pr property that the loan will be due in its entirety..so right know the city states that if I do not change the name on property they will not start water service because my grandmother is named owner and I need her permission for starting service..I already have gas and electricity but no water ..the loan by the way is with thr city..
We bought a modular home and put it on the family property and we have been paying the property taxes the home sits on for over 21 years. Do we own the property our house sits on?
I have a friend in Louisiana. His mother passed away over two years ago. His father had been dead for a while. He moved in with his mother many years ago. His parents did not have a will. He has 3 other siblings that have not contributed to helping pay for anything to do with the house. He has payed the taxes and insurance along with the cost of upkeep on said residence. What rights does he have to the property? His siblings can afford a lawyer and get this straightened out, but they don’t want to spend the money. My friend is afraid that one day they are just going to come in and take it away since it will be 3 against 1. My friend does not have the money to hire a lawyer. He has proof that he has been paying everything for a few years while his mother was alive. What are his legal options/
I am currently paying off the delinquent house taxes from 2014 from my deceased moms house in Los Angeles county CA. I am looking to do a five plan repayment but, I am unsure if I can since I am not the legal owner and we are barely beginning to go through probate. would this be possible given the situation I am in to have a repayment plan?
I am living in my fathers house that he verbally gave me. the agreement was if I paid the land taxes and house insurance the house was mine. I have all of the utilities in my name and pay them. I’ve done all of the upkeep and remodeled the home. Now I have a eviction notice and have to move. Do I have ownership to the house? I’ve lived here 15 years.
I have small doubt regarding land ownership !
My grandfather have two brothers after my grandfather pass away , big grandfather brought a land on the of my last grandfather , then they gave that land to my father in that land we had constructed building , we been staying in this house last twenty year also house tax and land tax is paying by my father , house tax also on my father name only !!
Now problem is who’s the owner of this house and land still registration is on my grandfather name he passed away , is there any problem in the process of registration ??
The same situation here , if you got answer can you post it back ?
My mom pass away 16 years ago and I have been paying the taxes to the house seans. I have sisters and brothers that want the house but have not pay nothing for the house. I have been living in it. I have been fixing the house in and out. I take care of it for 16 years. When or how do i get ownership of the house?
My parents have passed no Will was done. Iam the youngest of 9 all have signed transfer deed older brother is also diseased his children have signed but 1 has not responded to letter or phone calls.
What can be done if she refuses to sign when everybody has.
Esmer,
What are you trying to do with the property? Are you trying to sell it? Or, just live in it? If you’re trying to live in it and have everyone’s transfer of deed except one, you can work on getting that last child to transfer the deed (or work with the older brother’s child who did sign to get his or her sibling to sign as well). If you’re trying to sell, you will need that last signature, so keep at it and be creative.
Good luck,
Ilyce
My sister ownes the property.but she is out of the country and i have durable power of attorney over her property can i claim the tax i pay on the property
Don,
If you’re paying the taxes on behalf of your sister, who is the owner, and you’re using her money (or are reimbursed by her for that payment), you likely cannot take those taxes as a deduction. If the property is rented, your sister may write off the taxes against income received from the tenant. But unless you’re renting the property (in which case, you still likely can’t take that as a deduction), you’re out of luck.
For more details, please consult with your tax preparer.
Best,
Ilyce Glink, Publisher
ThinkGlink.com
I have 6 uears of back taxes that i have paid on a house i bought from. Previous owners bit the husbands name is on the title and the now ex wife says she wont sign anything but he has moved to texas and i have never delt with him how can i get this hpuse in my name
Leandra,
Start with a local real estate attorney or escrow or title company. Either should be able to point you in the right direction. If you don’t know a good real estate attorney, please contact your local bar association and ask for a recommendation.
Ilyce Glink, Publisher
ThinkGlink.com
I have a situation I just found out about. My husband and I purchased an investment property 16 years ago. We became delinquent on taxes but not by much. I did a deed search on beacon and someone else did a quitclaim transfer deed 7 years ago without my knowledge. I’ve been paying the property taxes, morgage and keeping insurance during these 16 years as it has been a rental income property for us. How can someone get a quitclaim deed to our property? We live in indiana
Pam,
You need more help than we can give you here. Please talk to a real estate attorney as soon as possible. You may have been the victim of real estate property fraud and may have to sure to recover your own property rights.
Good luck.
Ilyce
I have a question also if my husband and I divorced and the land is in both of our names and hes paid on them for the last 4 years before I could and I finally paid them this year can he get my name off the land during our divorce we didn’t discuss who the land is going to I could move into my mothers house while he had nowhere to go so thats what I did but he wants my name off the land and I won’t sign it over can he do anything to have my name off of it
HElp:
Not legally. Ask your divorce attorney why the land wasn’t covered in the agreement. Then, figure out how you’re going to move forward, and who will cover those land costs.
Good luck,
Ilyce
We have family land on a Florida River, dad bought the land in 1956 when I was 6 months old. With the current situation, dad died first and everything went to mom. When she died, I was appointed Executor. I worked out everything evenly with my two siblings, they agreed to the terms. My sister and I are co-owners of the River Property (mom died in 2006) I have paid all the property taxes and electricity bill before I had it cut off. She let her son stay there for months without telling me. The Sheriff’s department had begun to define the cabin as a “Drug House” (That was when I cut the electricity off) There were three separate years when I told my sister she had to pay the taxes. Twice I caught that she had not and bid on and won the Tax Certificates. Once I goofed up and someone else bought the Tax Certificate, I had to track them down and pay an extra amount to actually just pay the taxes for that year. I can not afford to buy her out, she wants way too much. The house needs a lot of work, but I am afraid to do it as she will claim 1/2 ownership of anything I do and think she deserves even more money for her half. We camp on the property every so often, afraid to try and use the house as the rumor is meth was cooked in there when my sister’s son was staying there without my knowledge. Do I have any options, I will never allow the place to be sold as long as I am alive, my children would not sell it either. Do I simply continue to pay the taxes, let the house fall down and go on owning the property with my sister?
okay to start with history of the property. the man who bought it paid cash. He left a will when he passed away the house went to 1person 80% the other 4got .02%. when we moved in we signed a lease rent to own. then that person passed away with out us knowing about it. then one day a realeast person came knocking on the door. told me what was going on. Come to find out no one had paid taxes on the house sence the first owner.I went to the court house paid the taxes to stop the saie talked to the accounty treasher. they said i need to send every one on that list a letter stating that i had paid the taxes on it. i found there addy. sent then letters. I never heard back from any of them. we have lived here for over 8 yrs. have fixed up the place. now in the state we live in if there is a pool on the property. it has to be kept up and running which it is but we put a lot of money in to it. now i would like to know how to get it in our name.
There is a house down the street from my in-laws where the owner has died there is a girlfriend living in the house but she is not paying taxes. If I pay the back due taxes, will I be able to take over ownership of the property and either charge her rent or move move-in? Are there other steps I need to take to complete ownership?
By law if you have parents in the nursing home and they die there, the state Owns what property they had to cover for their Medicare/Medicaid.
Stacey: The state doesn’t own anything. I believe the estate would sell the property after your parents’ deaths and then pay whatever is required to cover Medicaid. If the money runs out, the heirs do not owe anything beyond the assets the parents owned.
Ilyce
I live with my parents(current owners) in TX, however, my brother started paying the utility bills and/or property taxes. Can he use this as a way to gain ownership in anyway?
I am dealing with heir property and was paying taxes for 10 years but now they want to pay them. Do receive ownership for paying those many years? The land is located in Georgia.
I have a case where I am on paying the property taxes and all the living expenses on my brother’s property. He has been diagnosed with Alzemhier, and I was trying to get the house rentable so that I can recoup some of the funds I have paid into the property. He has a wife and three children. Should I stop paying the funds and let them handle the property moving forward?
Ruth – that’s a difficult situation, but unless you own the house or if your brother owns the property on his own and you have power of attorney, you’re not likely to get your money back. Your sister-in-law (your brother’s wife) will likely inherit the property after your brother’s death. Or, if they are unable to keep up the house, and she is on title, she would have the right to sell it – or go to court to become her husband’s power of attorney for financial matters.
Why have you been paying those expenses?