FAQs

YES. Property owners who had delinquent taxes under the old law could also lose their property, but they had more time to pay and more second chances. Under the new law, if your taxes are delinquent for approximately 25 months, that’s it. You’ve lost the property!!!

A delinquent tax is a tax that has been forwarded to the county treasurer for collection on March 1 of the year after it was due. For example, taxes that are billed by your city or township treasurer in 2020, will be turned in to the county treasurer delinquent on March 1, 2021.

The county treasurer adds a 4% administration fee and interest of 1% per month. After one year of delinquency, the property is forfeited to the county treasurer. For example, the 2019 taxes that are still unpaid as of March 1, 2021 will be in forfeiture.

No. Forfeiture is not foreclosure. If your property is in forfeiture you still have a year before it will be foreclosed. However, the interest and fees will be higher. When a property is forfeited, the interest rate goes from 1% per month to 1.5% per month, back to the date the taxes became delinquent. A $175.00 fee, recording fees and administrative fees will also be added.

After property has been in forfeiture for approximately 13 months, it will be foreclosed. 2019 property taxes will be foreclosed March 31, 2022.

You cannot get your property back after is has been foreclosed. FORECLOSURE IS FINAL. Property that has been foreclosed will be sold at a public auction. There is a process to claim an interest in the surplus proceeds from the auction of the property. Please see our Properties for Auction page for more information.

You can make partial payments. Make your check or money order payable to the Newaygo County Treasurer. To ensure that your payment is applied to your parcel, please write your parcel number on your check or money order. Our mailing address is 1087 E Newell, PO Box 885, White Cloud, Michigan 49349. For more information on paying your taxes by credit card, please visit our Electronic Payments page. If you can’t pay all of your taxes before foreclosure, contact the Treasurer’s Office for a list of agencies that may provide possible financial assistance.

Yes. At least five attempts at notification will be made. Two will be by first class mail, two by certified mail, and the last notification will be made by personal service. In addition to these notifications, names and addresses of delinquent property owners may be published in the newspaper. It is the owner/taxpayer’s responsibility to notify the County Equalization Department of any address changes. Their telephone number is (231) 689-7244.