 |
|
|
|
|
| {Tax Claim} |
The mission of the Tax Claim Bureau is to collect and distribute delinquent real estate taxes for the county, municipalities & school districts in the most effective manner. |
|
CONTACT
Office
Phone
Fax
E-mail
|
Treasurer/Tax Claim
Berks County Services Center
633 Court Street, 2nd Floor
Reading, PA 19601
| |
{Department Image} |
Updated 1/19/2010 @ 2:48 P.M.
REPOSITORY SALE
The Real Estate Tax Sale Law provides that any property remaining unsold at a judicial sale is placed into the Tax Claim Bureau’s "repository for unsold properties." The Real Estate Tax Sale Law authorizes the Tax Claim Bureau is authorized to accept bids to sell any property placed in the "repository for unsold properties" without court approval and published notice of sale. There is no minimum bid. The Tax Claim Bureau must however obtain the written consent for such a sale from all the taxing districts where the property is located. Generally, this means that the County of Berks, the local municipality and the local school district will have to approve a sale based on the bid you submit. Upon a successful sale, the property will be conveyed to the purchaser upon payment of the agreed price, free and clear of all tax and municipal claims, mortgages, liens, and charges and estates of whatsoever kind, except ground rents separately taxed. It is the responsibility of the bureau to have the deed recorded at the expense of the purchaser. You are hereby notified that the price for which property is sold will be deemed to be the fair market value of the property for tax assessment purposes.
The provisions of the Real Estate Tax Sale Law limit the persons to whom the Tax Claim bureau may sell properties at a sale of repository properties. First, the delinquent taxpayer-owner of the property to be sold is disqualified from purchasing the property from the Bureau's repository. Second, a successful bidder must, within 20 days after the sale, provide an affidavit that he or she does not owe (1) any delinquent real estate taxes to any of the municipalities within which the property is located; and (2) any municipal or authority utility charges that are more than one year in arrears. Failure to provide the affidavit will disqualify a purchaser.
IT IS STRONGLY SUGGESTED THAT YOU CONSULT WITH A LAWYER BEFORE YOU PARTICPATE IN THIS SALE.
HARDSHIP PROGRAM
PURPOSE
Pursuant to the subsection 503 (a) of the Real Estate Tax Sale Law of July 7, 1947, P.L. 1368, as amended, 72 P.S. 5860.101, et seq., if a tax claim constitutes severe hardship to the taxpayer and that extenuating circumstances beyond taxpayer’s control have caused the tax claim to remain unpaid and there is reasonable probability that the taxpayer will be able to meet the indebtedness, if granted an extension of the period for discharge of the tax claim for up to twelve (12) additional months.
ELIGIBILITY
Taxpayer must be a permanent resident of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
That the property in which the tax claim is against, is owner-occupied
Taxpayer must have one (1) of the following extenuating circumstances:
1) Serious Physical Illness or Injury or a combination if the illness or injury with a state of prolonged unemployment
or
2) Unemployment
PROGRAM INSTRUCTIONS
Taxpayer must fill out the Hardship Application and return the appropriate form(s):
Authorization for Disclosure of Healthcare and Attending Physician Statement;
or
Notice of Financial Determination from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry
Within thirty (30) days of receipt of the completed Application and Form, the Tax Claim Bureau will notify the Taxpayer in writing, if he/she has been granted the twelve (12) month hardship extension
If the Taxpayer is granted the hardship extension, the taxpayer will enter into a Hardship Agreement, which will permit the taxpayer to make twelve (12) equal payments for all delinquent tax claims
Tax Sale Results
PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO READ OUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS SECTION TO LEARN HOW OUR TAX SALES WORK!
YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO UNCLAIMED MONIES
Pursuant to the subsection 205 (f) of the Real Estate Tax Sale Law of July 7, 1947, P.L. 1368, as amended, 72 P.S. 5860.101, et seq., the following is a list of properties which have been sold by the Tax Claim Bureau for which no claim for payment of any balance due to the owner of the property has been presented by or on behalf of the owner.
PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO SEE IF YOUR NAME APPEARS ON THE LIST!!!
If you believe that you are entitled to the balance of the proceeds, from the sale of your property shown on the above UNCLAIMED LIST, please complete and submit this AFFIDAVIT and forward to:
BERKS COUNTY TAX CLAIM, ATTN: STACY PHILE, TAX CLAIM MANAGER, 633 COURT STREET, READING, PA 19601
About Our Department
The Tax Claim Bureau is responsible for collecting delinquent Real Estate taxes. To do this, and to remain compliant with the PA Real Estate Tax Law, we send notices to those taxpayers who have not paid their taxes, set up payment plans for qualified individuals, accept and apply payments, and disburse monies collected to the respective taxing district on a monthly basis. We collect delinquent Real Estate taxes for 74 Berks County municipalities and 15 Berks County School Districts.
Goals & Objectives
The Bureau is continuously improving their efforts to provide more effective services to the taxpayers and to the taxing districts. Our ultimate goal is to collect Real Estate taxes and turn the monies collected over to the respective taxing authority. Our tax sales are growing in popularity, but the Bureau would prefer to collect the taxes instead of selling it for non-payment of the taxes. By cooperating with taxpayers and offering various payment options, additional tax monies can be collected in a more timely manner and fewer properties will be exposed/sold at tax sale, resulting in decreased work load for the Bureau, and simplified bookkeeping and timely disbursements for taxing districts.
|
|
|
|
