Tips on Paying Real Estate Taxes in Future Years

1) As a homeowner, you are always responsible for paying your current year real estate taxes, even if you do not receive a tax bill from the City at the beginning of the year. You should receive a tax bill as long as your name is on the deed to the property and the City has the correct address for you. However, even if you do not receive a tax bill from the City, you are still obligated to pay your taxes every year. If you do not receive a tax bill from the City by the end of January, you should immediately contact the one of the following City Department of Revenue offices:

Municipal Services Building
1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd
(at Broad and JFK, just north of City Hall)
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 686-6442
Hours: Monday-Friday,
8 am to 5 pm
Accepts cash, check, or money order / Northeast Municipal Services Center
9239 Roosevelt Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19114
(215) 685-0480
Hours: Monday-Friday,
8:30 am to 5 pm
Accepts check or money order only / North Philadelphia Municipal Services Center
Hope Plaza
2761 North 22nd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19132
(215) 685-9733, 9736, 9737 or 9741
Hours: Monday-Friday,
8:30 am to 5 pm
Accepts check or money order only

2) As your tax bill should indicate, you will receive a 1% discount if you pay your current year real estate taxes in full by the end of February for that tax year.

3) If you qualify, you can enter into an “Installment Plan” at the beginning of a tax year to slowly pay your real estate taxes throughout the year without accruing any interest. In order to enter into an installment plan for your current real estate taxes, you must submit an application by the end of February for that tax year. (For example, if you want to enter into an installment plan for your 2010 taxes, you must submit an application by February 28, 2010.) You should contact one of the City Department of Revenue offices listed in the enclosed instructions to obtain an application form.

4) As your tax bill should indicate, if you do not pay your current year real estate taxes by March 31 of that year, interest begins to accrue on the principal amount on April 1.

5) It is important that you make every effort to pay the principal and interest owed for a tax year before December 31 of that year. If you still owe money on a prior year’s taxes once the next tax year begins, (1) interest, penalties, and attorneys’ fees may accrue; (2) the City can file a lien against your property; and (3) the City could eventually try to take you to court to have your property sold to pay the back tax bill.

6) If you paid the prior year’s real estate taxes on time, you may be able to apply for a tax rebate of up to $975 at the beginning of the year (before February). For more information, please see the “Resource Guide for Homeowners” that we have enclosed in this packet.