Stearns County Tax Officials Urge Early Payment Ahead of May 15th Deadline

(KNSI) – The first half of property taxes in Stearns County is due May 15th, and the county’s top tax officials are explaining where the money goes, how to pay it, and what happens when people don’t.

Stearns County Auditor-Treasurer Randy Schreifels says the county collects roughly $314 million in property taxes each year, and that money is spread across 93 different taxing districts. That includes 31 cities, 35 townships, 16 school districts, and a number of special taxing districts such as watersheds and housing and redevelopment authorities. Schreifels says the auditor’s office calculates the taxes and sends out the statements, but does not set the levies or property values.

One detail that may surprise property owners is the direction the county tax rate has been heading. “Inflation hits everybody, including the local governments. I know Stearns County, our tax rate has been going down now for about 15 years and there’s maybe one year when it went up just a little bit, but in general, the rate has gone down.”

If the rate isn’t driving increases, Schreifels says the change a homeowner sees on their bill is more often the result of a higher property valuation or improvements made to the property.

The county collects close to 99% of the taxes it bills. The bulk of that, about $180 million, comes in through escrow accounts tied to mortgages. Another $53 million is paid online, and $8 million comes through scheduled payments. About 12,000 parcels are enrolled in automatic withdrawals. Schreifels says a new tax vendor now allows property owners to schedule both their May and October payments in advance, and online payments are often more secure than mailing a check because they are encrypted and monitored for fraud.

For those who still prefer to drop a check in the mail, Schreifels has a warning ahead of the deadline. “The mail now is routed down to the cities and everywhere else. And it does take sometimes a day or so for it to get actually postmarked. So get it in earlier than normal, I think, just to protect yourself.”

For property owners who pay off their mortgage, Land Records Coordinator Mark Iverson says it’s important to pay close attention to tax statements that arrive afterward. Without an escrow account collecting the money, the responsibility shifts back to the homeowner, and Iverson says that’s a common point where people accidentally fall behind.

Late first-half payments trigger a penalty rate set by the state legislature and printed on the back of every tax statement. Unpaid taxes become delinquent on January 1st of the following year, which begins a three-year redemption period before a property can be forfeited. Of the more than 68,000 parcels in Stearns County, Iverson says between 800 and 1,000 become delinquent in a given year. He says most people pay up. According to Iverson, only five or six properties actually forfeit a year, and those are usually vacant lots with large special assessments or abandoned homes.

Iverson stressed that taking the property is the last thing his office wants. “I always tell people if I wanted to sell property, I would have been a realtor. It’s not what we want. We don’t want properties to forfeit.”

Iverson encouraged anyone struggling to pay to call the auditor’s office early rather than waiting for notices to pile up. “If it’s the first year and you’re getting behind and you know, you have some financial issues or something, we’re not here to judge you. We want to work with you.”

Property owners can pay online, by mail, in person at the downtown office, or through the drive-through at the service center. A QR code printed on this year’s tax statement links directly to the county’s online payment portal.

More information is available at stearnscountymn.gov, by emailing taxes@stearnscountymn.gov, or by calling 320-656-3870.

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