Tax Collection
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The Caledonia Town & County tax rates are determined in December of each year.
The current assessed value of your property or any property in the county can be found on the Livingston County website.
Town/County tax bills issued January 1st of each year includes current base amount without penalty and may include any unpaid school taxes, village taxes or water payments, known as a relevy. Additionally, you may see Pro Rata Tax levied onto your bill if you recently purchased your home and the previous owner was entitled to an exemption.
If paid in February the amount includes January payment plus 1% penalty.
If paid in March the amount includes January payment plus 2% penalty and $2.00 mailing fee.
On April 1st taxes are turned over to the County Treasurer with any unpaid amount due plus 5% penalty and 1% interest is added per month until payment is made. This payment must be made to the Livingston County Treasurer, as the Town cannot collect any unpaid taxes after March 31. The County Treasurer can be reached at 585-243-7050.
You may pay your taxes online or lookup past tax bill history by using our online tax payment & lookup system.
Can I pay my bill online?
Yes. We have a fully secured payment portal available to you to utilize if you wish. Click here to utlize our payment portal.
Can I search and find old tax bills and receipts online?
Yes. Our online payment portal and tax lookup system archives bills from 2019-present. You can print old bills and check the status of your payment on our portal. Click here to access the portal.
My taxes are in escrow but I received a bill. What should I do?
Many residents have their taxes escrowed with lending institutions. In the event that you may have received a bill that should have gone to the bank, please contact our office as soon as you receive the bill so we can send it to the escrow company. If the bill should have gone to the homeowner, but went to the bank, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to know that taxes are due. Please call the tax collector immediately and you will receive a duplicate bill. The failure to mail a statement or the failure of a property owner to receive a statement will not affect the validity of the taxes or interest prescribed by the law. [New York State Real Property Tax Law §922]. If you should have received a bill, but have not by the second week in January, please contact the tax collector for a duplicate bill.
I am a new homeowner and I never received my bill or received it late. Do I still have to pay the penalty?
Yes, the failure to mail a statement or the failure of a property owner to receive a statement will not affect the validity of the taxes or interest prescribed by law [New York State Real Property Tax Law §922]. In addition, neither the tax collector nor any other official has legal authority to waive statutory penalty charges. These are fixed by the Real Property Tax Law. If they are waived, the tax collecting officer will be personally responsible. As all records are audited by State examiners, there is absolutely no discretion in this matter. The Constitution and the law of the State mandates the procedure.
If I mail my payment on the due date do I have to pay a penalty?
New York State Real Property Tax Law §925, provides as follows “Payment of taxes by mail, when enclosed in a postpaid wrapper (envelope) properly addressed to the appropriate collecting officer and is deposited in a post office or official depository under the exclusive care and custody of the United States Post Office shall be upon delivery, deemed to have been made to such offices the date of the United States Postmark on such wrapper. The provisions of this section shall not apply in the case of postmarks not made by the United States Post Office. A postage meter postmark is not a postmark made by the United States Post Office and, therefore is not within the provisions of Real Property Tax Law §925. Payment cannot be deemed timely because of a postage meter postmark date on an envelope containing a tax payment (Op New York State Comp. 69-170).
If taxes are not received until after the due date, they are not paid until after the due date unless they fall squarely within the provisions of Section §925 of the Real Property Tax Law, and the penalty must be added and collected. No Town official or employee can waive the penalty (Op. New York State Comp. 68-626).
Can I pay my property taxes in installments?
No. The property tax must be paid in full in one payment.
Can I pre-pay my property taxes?
No, the warrant constitutes the mantle of authority for the collecting officer to receive the taxes. Therefore, the warrant must be regarded as the instrument which empowers the collecting officer to begin the collection. Collection authority cannot begin prior to the date of the warrant.
Why does my tax bill show a relevy or Pro Rata tax?
A tax bill may show a relevy if the property owner has unpaid school or village taxes. The amount for those unpaid taxes may be relevied onto your Town & County tax bill for us to collect on behalf of the school or village. Additionally, you may see a water relevy. This is to collect any unpaid water bill due to the village. A Pro Rata tax may appear if you recently purchased your property from someone who had an exemption on their bill that you are not entitled to.
I don't agree with the amount of my taxes. Can the bill be adjusted?
Regardless of whether you agree to the amount on your tax bill or not, the bill is still due in full by the date(s) listed on the bill. Failure to pay will result in added penalties & interest. Once the tax collector’s warrant ends (3/31/2XXX), the Tax Collector can no longer accept your payment.
I didn't pay my bill before March 31st. How can I pay it?
The Town of Caledonia’s Tax Collector can only accept payment for taxes during the warrant period. For payment to be accepted after March 31, it must be postmarked via USPS on the outside of your envelope. Postmarks from private postage companies do not meet the requirements for acceptability of payment. Taxes are turned over to Livingston County Treasurer on the 1st or 2nd of April. If you are unable to pay your bill by March 31, you will be required to contact the Livingston County Treasurer’s office to arrange payment to them. (Please Note: This may include penalties & interest the County has added to the bill. The Town of Caledonia Tax Collector will not know the amount due after March 31st.
What methods of payment do you accept for tax bills?
The Town of Caledonia accepts personal/business checks, money orders, credit/debit cards (additional fees apply via credit card company), ACH/Bank Transfer (a flat fee will be applicable). The Town of Caledonia also accepts cash payments. Please note, the Town only has a certain amount of cash on hand and exact amounts are highly recommended for paying taxes.
I never received a bill in the mail. Can the penalty be waived?
The Town of Caledonia has tax bills mailed via All Business Services, and bills are sent to the address on file. Please note, if the sale was recent it may have the former property owner’s name. It is the responsibility of the property owner to make sure their taxes were paid (even if your taxes are in escrow). Taxes are due at the same time each year. The penalty cannot be waived under any circumstances by the Tax Collector.
Do I have to pay the exact amount due on my tax bill?
Yes. The Tax Collector will not be able to accept payments that are not written out for the exact amount due. The collector may allow you to adjust the check while initialing your change or have you issue a new check for the correct amount. Overpayments cannot be accepted or applied to next year’s bill. Exact amount is the only amount we can collect.
Who do I make my check payable to?
The Town of Caledonia Tax Collector will accept checks written to “Seth Graham, Tax Collector” or “Town of Caledonia Tax Collector”. If a check is written out payable to the Village of Caledonia or the Caledonia Mumford Central School District, the check will be returned and depending on the payment date, may be subject to additional fees if a new month hits.
I own property alongside another individual. Can we both make a payment for the taxes and have it totaled up?
The Town of Caledonia collector can accept two checks for payment, however, the bill must be paid in full. We cannot accept half a payment and wait for the other half from another party. It’s advised to make the payment in one check, however, we can accept two checks, but no more than that. Additionally, we cannot accept payment from one person in the form of cash/credit card and a check from the other person. It must be the same method of payment and be paid in full.
I paid my taxes and obtained a receipt, however, my check bounced. What do I do?
The receipt is null and void if the check bounced. Once the Tax Collector receives notification that the check didn’t clear, they will void your payment due to bounced check and you will receive a letter letting you know the payment didn’t clear along with a fresh copy of your unpaid bill. It’s important to note that if a check bounces after being paid at the end of January, the property owner will be responsible for paying any penalty from the new month. Additionally, the Tax Collector collects a $20.00 bounced check fee. The collector may request a Money Order or Cashier’s Check if the person has bounced a check more than once in our office.
I want to know more about special district taxes. Who can I contact to ask questions or make a complaint on a Special District such as the Fire District?
The Town of Caledonia is not responsible for setting the tax rate for ANY special districts, including Fire Districts. The Fire District is a completely separate entity from the Town of Caledonia, as is Livingston County, therefore, you would need to contact the County or Fire District to ask questions or make complaints on the amount of taxes levied. The Caledonia Fire District commissioners set the budget and rate independently. The budget is submitted to the Town of Caledonia and the Town of Caledonia affixes the Fire District budget to our Adopted Budget.
How quickly should I receive my tax bill?
Individuals who are not in an escrow can expect to receive their Town & County tax bill during the first week of January. If you don’t receive your bill, it’s your responsibility to call and request a copy or use our Online Tax Bill Lookup tool to obtain the amount due for your taxes. Penalty fees cannot be waived for any circumstance. Please note, if you previously had Mail Forwarding set up for your address (common for individuals who go South for the winter), your bill may be mailed back to us as Undeliverable from the Postal Service. While we work hard to try to ensure everyone receives a copy of their tax bill in a timely manner, certain unforseeable things may happen that won’t allow the piece of mail to be delivered to the property owner. We do not have a database of contact information for everybody, therefore, it’s important to reach out to the Tax Collector to obtain your bill if you don’t receive it.
I believe I qualify for an exemption on my taxes. How can I find out if I qualify?
If you believe you may qualify for an exemption on your tax bill, it’s advised to meet with our assessor, Tami Snyder, to discuss and see what you may qualify for. Our assessor has applications for several exemptions. Our assessor is typically in the Caledonia office on Thursday and Friday. Note: It’s advised to call ahead to check availability.
I misplaced my Town & County Tax Bill receipt from a previous year. How can I get a copy?
If you have misplaced your Town & County Tax Bill from a prior year, you may contact our office to obtain a new copy. The Tax Collector can email you a PDF version of your paid receipt, or print a copy for you to pick up. Alternatively, you may utilize our Online Tax Lookup system to look up prior year tax payments.
I need a copy of my Village Tax Bill or School Tax Bill. Can you provide me a copy?
No. The Town of Caledonia Tax Collector only has access to Town & County tax records, therefore, if you need a copy of your village or school taxes, you must contact them. The District office can be contacted at 585-538-3400 and the Village Clerk’s office can be contacted at 585-538-6565.
A bank or lawyer paid my taxes. I want them refunded and I want to pay my own tax. Can I do this?
The Town of Caledonia Tax Collector accepts the first payment received as the payment for your property taxes. Any duplicate payment will be rejected. If you are not meant to be in an escrow, please contact your lending institution. We do not issue refunds on payments made.
Can I pre-pay my taxes on December 31st to use for my income taxes this year?
Some Tax Collectors will allow a person to pre-pay their taxes on the 31st of December, however, the Town of Caledonia does not. We will not accept payment for any taxes until the first business day of January. All payments made via drop box prior to the 31st will not be processed until the first business day of January and the receipt will reflect payment received in January.
I want to pay my taxes in person. What hours are you open during Tax Collection?
The Town Hall will be open regular hours during tax collection season. We will be open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 8:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. & 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.. Friday we will be open 8:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. Payments after hours can be deposited into our night drop box on the front of the building, however, do not deposit cash into this box.
Can I make my payment and post-date it or have you hold it for a few days?
No. The Town of Caledonia Tax Collector cannot accept payments that are post-dated and cannot hold checks. We cash checks and deposit payments frequently during the January. We’d advise you ensure you have the amount of money in your account to cover the written check. Bounced check fees applicable.