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Finance Department

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1. When will I receive my tax bill?

Tax bills are usually mailed out between December 10th and 15th. According to Wisconsin Statutes, Section 74.09(6), failure to receive a bill does not exempt any property owner from paying penalties and interest in the event of late payment.

2. Do you send my tax bill to the mortgage company?

No, we only send the original tax bill to the owner on record. We may provide a file of tax bill information to mortgage companies upon their request. You need to confer with them to see if they pay us directly or send you the check.

3. Why didn’t I receive a tax bill?

Aside from a post office delivery issue, if you recently purchased the home or business, you may not have received a tax bill. Our information is based on what Milwaukee County Register of Deeds sends to our Assessor’s office. We generally have all recorded changes from the County through October.  To obtain a copy of the tax bill, please see question #4.

4. Can I find my tax bill on this website – www.greenfieldwi.us?

Yes, located on the bottom of the home page: Helpful Links > Tax Data > Tax Portal. Property type is "Real Estate," unless you are a business owner looking for your Personal Property bill. Search by only ONE criteria (i.e. Parcel Number, Last Name, House Number) and click Search to view a list of results. After finding your property, you can view the most recent tax bill. There is a button "Print Tax Bill" if you wish to print the bill.  The Tax Portal is also where you go to make an online payment.  Additional information on this process is listed under question # 9 below.

5. Can I get a paid receipt of my tax bill from the city’s website?

Yes, located in the Tax Portal (See question #4 for directions on how to navigate to it). If a payment was made, it will be noted in the Payments box. Select "Print Tax Details" to use as a receipt of payment. We process all payments as quickly as possible. When a payment is posted, the website is updated automatically.

6. How do I request a receipt if payment is mailed in by myself or my mortgage company?

A tax summary receipt can be sent by mail if you enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope with your request or payment. We can also email a receipt to you if you make note of your email address. We do not mail out a receipt if payment was made directly to us by your mortgage company unless there is an unpaid balance or there was an overpayment. Refer to the Tax Portal for a paid tax bill receipt.

7. Where can I go to pay my tax payment in person?

(1) You can pay in person at the Treasurer’s Office at City Hall, 7325 W. Forest Home Ave. 

(2) ONLY IN DECEMBER, two banks also collect for us. Tri City in the Pick N Save Store at 76th and Cold Spring Rd, and Associated Bank at 4811 S 76th St, can take tax payments. You do not need to be a member of the bank and a receipt will be provided. You will need to bring a copy of your tax bill with you, when making a payment at one of the banks. Refer to the tax letter enclosed in your tax bill for current year’s hours of operation and phone numbers (a copy of the tax letter is also located in the "General Tax Bill Information" section of the City's website). 

******If you cannot make your payment during business hours, City Hall has a secured deposit box located on the south side of the building, to drop off check payments.******

8. Do you accept cash and personal check payments?

Yes, personal checks, cashier checks, money orders and cash are accepted at Greenfield City Hall Treasurer’s Office. Please add your phone number to checks so we may call if we have a question or issue with your payment. This also applies to the two banks that collect for us thru Dec. 31. Checks should be made payable to “City of Greenfield.”

9. Do you accept credit card or E-check (Electronic) payments?

Yes, credit card and E-check payments can be made online, by phone, or at Greenfield City Hall Treasurer’s Office. Please plan on a longer processing time for these types of payments at City Hall. There is a 2.39% transaction fee added for this service, with a minimum fee of $ 1.50 for credit card payments. Visa debit cards incur a flat fee of $3.95. E-checks in an amount up to $10,000 have a flat fee of $1.50. Pay Online: Using the City's website, under the Tax Portal (see question #4 for location). To use this portal for current tax information, search by only ONE criteria (i.e. Parcel Number, Last Name, or House Number) and click on search. Select your account, choose "Make an Online Payment" and follow prompts. Pay by phone: (866) 526-8385. Real Estate Property Tax is Prompt 1, only use Prompt 2 for a business' Personal Property bill. You will need to provide your 10 digit parcel #.

10. I just moved into my home. Am I responsible for these property taxes?

The owner of the property is responsible for the taxes. If you purchased a home a few months ago and that property was in existence as of January 1st, you are responsible for the taxes for the full year. Please check your closing papers to find out how the taxes were handled. Usually taxes are pro-rated at the time of closing. They may have been deducted from the sales price as a credit to you.

11. My mortgage company made the escrow check payable to the City of Greenfield and to me. Do you need my signature?

Yes, in order to process your payment the check must be endorsed by all payees. If more than one payee is listed, every payee listed must endorse the escrow check. Please avoid delays in processing and possible delinquency by remembering to endorse your check

12. What are the refund options if my escrow check is more than my taxes?

If your tax payment is done through City Hall, the refund will be processed by our Accounting Department and a check will be issued in 15 business days. If your mortgage company sent payment directly to us and overpaid, the refund will be sent back to the mortgage company. However, the two banks collecting taxes for us in December do offer a faster option: 

At TRI CITY BANK, an immediate refund and confirmation of an overpayment will be provided. Cashier’s checks will be issued to all payees listed on the escrow check for the refund for both customers AND non-customers. Refunds may be cashed immediately with a valid ID as long as all payees are present. 

At ASSOCIATED BANK, refunds are limited up to $100.00 and confirmation of an overpayment will be provided. Cashier’s checks will be issued to all payees listed on the escrow check for the refund for both customers AND non-customers. Refunds may be cashed there immediately with a valid ID as long as all payees are present.

13. May I apply my escrow check to the first installment of my tax bill only and receive an overpayment refund if the check is more than the first installment amount?

No. An escrow check must be applied in full to your tax bill.

14. Do you honor December postmarks?

Please keep in mind that December 31st is not a due date, BUT to ensure a payment receipt dated in December, a payment mailed to the City of Greenfield must have a properly addressed envelope, with a December postmark from a mail delivery service (i.e. the United States Postal Service, FedEx, etc.), in order for the December payment date to be honored. Payments received by our Treasurer's Office in January, having this proper December postmark date, will be processed as a December payment.

15. I paid my taxes with a personal check, when can I expect it to clear my bank?

We process payments as quickly as possible. Please allow one week for your check to clear your account. If more than one week has passed and your check has not cleared your account, please contact the Treasurer's Office.

16. My mortgage company said the check was sent out, but I don’t see a payment?

Some mortgage companies send escrow checks to a third party tax service before sending them to the City. In this case, your mortgage company may tell you the check was cut early in December, but we may not receive it until late December. To see when your escrow was received and obtain a receipt of payment, please refer to our Tax Portal on our website for paid tax bill information. Your receipt will reflect the date that the payment was received by the Treasurer's Office, not the date on the check.

17. I would like to pay on the installment plan. What are the due dates?

The installment dates are: January 31st, April 30th, and June 30th. The amounts listed on your tax bill are the minimums due by those dates; you may pay more or earlier than the dates listed, but those minimums must be paid by those dates. Payments must be received by the Treasurer's Office within 5 working days after the due date. For each installment, please include your tax payment coupon. Your payment will be posted promptly and a receipt will be mailed to you. A return envelope will be enclosed with your receipt if another installment is due.

18. Will I receive a reminder notice for the 2nd and 3rd installments?

No, the City of Greenfield does not send out reminders regarding installments or for remaining unpaid balances due. Please mark your calendar to remind yourself of the due dates.

19. What if I was late or missed an installment due date?

Any payment not made by its due date will result in delinquency of the entire unpaid principal balance and forfeiture of the installment option. All delinquent tax will accumulate interest and penalty charges from February 1st at 1½% per month, regardless of when it becomes delinquent. You will no longer qualify for the installment plan.

20. I have paid 90% of my tax bill before January 31st, and have a small balance remaining. When do I have to pay the balance?

If by January 31st, you have paid equal to or more than the total of your January and April installment, you do have the option of paying the remaining balance by the June 30th due date.

21. I do not have the money to pay my taxes on time. What can I do?

If you cannot pay the tax bill amount due by Jan 31st, it is best to pay as much as you can and as soon as you can. All delinquent tax accumulates interest and penalty charges from February 1st at 1½% per month on the entire unpaid principal balance. Therefore, any payments made will help reduce the amount of interest and penalty accrued. We will only be able to accept payments through the last business day in July, when all delinquent real estate taxes will be turned over to Milwaukee County for collection.

22. What is the First Dollar Credit?

Every taxable parcel in the State of Wisconsin qualifies for the First Dollar Credit, provided that parcel contains a real property improvement. This includes commercial and private property. This credit should be automatically applied to all qualifying properties. If the property tax bill has an amount shown in the “Assessed Value Improvements” boxes, then that property should receive the credit. Unlike the Lottery and Gaming Credit, the property does not need to be the primary residence of the owner and an owner may receive the credit on more than one property.

23. What is the lottery credit and where is it shown on my tax bill?

The Lottery Credit provides property tax relief to qualifying taxpayers in the form of a credit on their property tax bills. The lottery credit is displayed on tax bills as a reduction of property taxes due. Amounts vary by school district.
The middle section of your tax bill lists the Net Tax. The amount of your Lottery and Gaming Credit is shown at the bottom of the Net Tax column. If no amount is shown, you did not receive the lottery credit.

24. I did not receive the lottery credit, why not?

Perhaps you do not quality for the credit (see question #25 below for eligibility requirements). However, if you purchased a home that was not a primary residence for the previous owner, or you did no complete a Lottery and Gaming Credit Application in the past, no Lottery Credit was applied to your current property tax bill.

25. What are the eligibility requirements for the lottery credit?

1) To qualify for the Lottery and Gaming Credit, you must be a Wisconsin resident, own a dwelling and use it as your primary residence as of January 1st of the year the property taxes are levied. Primary residence is where you live for more than 6 months out of a year. When you are away, it is the home to which you intend to return to. You can only have one primary residence.
2) If the home was purchased after the January 1 date, the new owner must attest that to the best of their knowledge the previous owner used the home as their primary residence as of January 1.

26. How do I apply for the lottery credit?

If you are eligible for the Lottery Credit and did not receive it, you need to complete an application form. The lottery form is available on the Wisconsin Department of Revenue Lottery Credit website or from our office. Return the completed form to the City of Greenfield Treasurer's Office, not the County Treasurer as directed on the Wisconsin Department of Revenue site. We must receive the completed form by January 31, in order to apply the credit to your current property tax bill. (If you missed the January 31st deadline, you can file a late claim application with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue by October 1st)

27. Why do I have delinquent water or sewer bill charges on my tax bill?

Any delinquent balance from the quarterly sewer or water bills at the time of tax preparation will be placed on the owner’s tax bill, along with the additional 10% penalty. To inquire on a sewer account, please call the Greenfield Treasurer’s Office at (414) 329-5259. To inquire on a water account, please call the Milwaukee Water Works department at (414) 286-2830.

28. Why did I receive a Personal Property Tax Bill if I closed my business?

This type of tax refers to items such as machinery, furniture and fixtures used to operate a business. No change of location or sale of any personal property after January 1st affects the assessment for that year (Sec. 70.13(6)). There is no partial year pro-ration: You will still receive a City of Greenfield Personal Property Tax Bill for the full year. If you did not have personal property in the City of Greenfield on January 1 of the current tax year, please contact our Assessor’s Office at 414-329-5340.

29. What is the trash and recycling fee?

Trash and recycling services for single family homes, 2-4 unit apartments, and some condominium complexes are provided. The City uses Johns Disposal Services 1-888-473-4701. The fee for this service is listed as a Special Charge under the Net Property Tax Amount on the Tax Bill. To obtain the current year’s recycling and yard waste calendar: 

• The Public Works tab on this website has it listed for viewing or printing. 

• It’s listed in the city’s “Recreator” magazine, which is mailed to all homes in December. 

• At City Hall, pamphlets are kept in the literature wall racks located in the hallway