What Happens If I Don't Pay Property Taxes in Indiana

Failing to pay your property taxes in Indiana will likely result in a tax sale.

By , Attorney
Facing Foreclosure? We've helped 75 clients find attorneys today.

There was a problem with the submission. Please refresh the page and try again
Full Name is required
Email is required
Please add a valid Email
Phone Number is required
Please add a valid Phone Number
Zip Code is required
Please add a valid Zip Code
Description is required
By clicking "Find a Lawyer", you agree to the Martindale-Nolo Texting Terms. Martindale-Nolo and up to 5 participating attorneys may contact you on the number you provided for marketing purposes, discuss available services, etc. Messages may be sent using pre-recorded messages, auto-dialer or other automated technology. You are not required to provide consent as a condition of service. Attorneys have the option, but are not required, to send text messages to you. You will receive up to 2 messages per week from Martindale-Nolo. Frequency from attorney may vary. Message and data rates may apply. Your number will be held in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

You should not send any sensitive or confidential information through this site. Any information sent through this site does not create an attorney-client relationship and may not be treated as privileged or confidential. The lawyer or law firm you are contacting is not required to, and may choose not to, accept you as a client. The Internet is not necessarily secure and emails sent through this site could be intercepted or read by third parties.

People who own real property have to pay property taxes. The government uses the money that these taxes generate to pay for schools, public services, libraries, roads, parks, and the like. Typically, the tax amount is based on a property's assessed value. If you have a mortgage on your home, the loan servicer might collect money from you as part of the monthly mortgage payment to later pay the property taxes. The servicer pays the taxes on the homeowner's behalf through an escrow account. But if the taxes aren't collected and paid through this kind of account, the homeowner must pay them directly.

When homeowners don't pay their property taxes, the overdue amount becomes a lien on the property. A lien is a claim against your property to ensure you'll pay the debt; it effectively makes the property act as collateral for the debt. All states have laws that allow the local government to sell a home through a tax sale process to collect delinquent taxes. Accordingly, in Indiana, your property can be sold at a tax sale to pay off the delinquent tax bill.

But the winning bidder from the sale normally can't get ownership of your home right away; you'll usually get some time to get caught up on the overdue amounts before that happens. If you don't pay off the debt during what's called a "redemption period" after the sale, though, you'll lose the property permanently.

What Happens If You Don't Pay Indiana Property Tax

Indiana property taxes are due twice a year, in May and November. A property is eligible to be sold at a tax sale when the prior year's spring installment of property taxes remains unpaid. (Ind. Code § 6-1.1-24-1).

How Indiana Tax Sales Work

To sell your home at a tax sale, the county auditor and treasurer must ask a court for a judgment. The court will order a sale, and the treasurer will sell your home at a public auction to the highest bidder, subject to your right of redemption (see below). (Ind. Code § 6-1.1-24-2, § 6-1.1-24-5).

At the tax sale, the winning bid generally must be at least the amount of the:

  • delinquent taxes and special assessments
  • taxes and special assessments due and payable the year of the sale
  • penalties, and
  • costs. (Ind. Code § 6-1.1-24-5).

The high bidder, or the county or town if no one makes a minimum bid, then gets a certificate of sale. (Ind. Code § 6-1.1-24-9). This certificate doesn't convey ownership of the property to the purchaser. Ownership is conveyed through a tax deed after the redemption period expires.

Notice Before the Tax Sale

The auditor must mail you a notice by certified mail and regular mail at least 21 days before the earliest date on which the application for judgment and order for sale of real property eligible for sale may be made. The auditor must also post a copy of the notice at the county courthouse, or in another public county building, and publish the notice in a newspaper for three weeks. (Ind. Code § 6-1.1-24-4, § 6-1.1-24-3).

But these requirements don't apply to property that's considered vacant or abandoned real property under Indiana law. (Ind. Code § 6-1.1-24-4, § 6-1.1-24-3).

How to Redeem the Property

Many states give delinquent taxpayers the chance to pay off the amounts owed and keep the home. This process is called "redeeming" the property.

How the Right to Redeem Usually Works

In many states, the homeowner can redeem the home after a tax sale by paying the buyer from the tax sale the amount paid (or by paying the taxes owed), plus interest, within a limited amount of time. Exactly how long the redemption period lasts varies from state to state, but usually, the homeowner gets at least a year from the sale to redeem the property.

In other states, though, the redemption period happens before the sale.

Redemption Period in Indiana

Generally, an Indiana homeowner gets one year after the sale to pay the redemption amount and reclaim the home following the sale. (Ind. Code § 6-1.1-25-4). In some cases, though, the redemption period is 120 days. (Ind. Code § 6-1.1-24-9, § 6-1.1-25-4).

But you don't get the right to redeem the property if the home is considered vacant and abandoned under Indiana law and is included on the list of such properties that the county auditor prepares. (Ind. Code § 6-1.1-25-4).

If the real property isn't redeemed during the redemption period, the purchaser can apply to the court to get a tax deed (title) to your home. (Ind. Code § 6-1.1-24-9).

Does a Mortgage Survive a Tax Sale Process in Indiana?

Property tax liens almost always have priority over other liens, including mortgage liens and deed of trust liens. (For purposes of this discussion, the terms "mortgage" and "deed of trust" are used interchangeably.) Because a property tax lien has priority, if you lose your home through a tax sale process, mortgages get wiped out. So, the loan servicer will usually advance money to pay delinquent property taxes to prevent this from happening. The servicer will then demand reimbursement from you (the borrower).

The terms of most mortgage contracts require the borrower to stay current on the property taxes. If you don't reimburse the servicer for the tax amount it paid, you'll be in default under the terms of the mortgage, and the servicer can foreclose on the home in the same manner as if you had fallen behind in monthly payments.

Your Servicer Might Set Up an Escrow Account

After demanding repayment of the amount it paid for the taxes, penalties, plus interest (and assuming you repay this tax debt), your servicer will probably set up an escrow account for the loan. Each month, you'll have to pay approximately one-twelfth of the estimated annual cost of property taxes—and perhaps other expenses, like insurance—along with your usual monthly payment of principal and interest. This money goes into the escrow account.

The downside to having an escrow account is that you'll have to make a bigger payment to the servicer each month. On the positive side, having an escrow account saves you from having to come up with a large amount of money when tax bills, and perhaps other bills, are due.

Getting Help

If you're having trouble paying your property taxes, you might be able to reduce your tax bill or get extra time to pay. If you're already facing a property tax sale in Indiana and have questions or need help redeeming your property, consider talking to a foreclosure lawyer, tax lawyer, or real estate lawyer.

FACING FORECLOSURE ?
Talk to a Foreclosure attorney.
We've helped 75 clients find attorneys today.
There was a problem with the submission. Please refresh the page and try again
Full Name is required
Email is required
Please add a valid Email
Phone Number is required
Please add a valid Phone Number
Zip Code is required
Please add a valid Zip Code
Description is required
By clicking "Find a Lawyer", you agree to the Martindale-Nolo Texting Terms. Martindale-Nolo and up to 5 participating attorneys may contact you on the number you provided for marketing purposes, discuss available services, etc. Messages may be sent using pre-recorded messages, auto-dialer or other automated technology. You are not required to provide consent as a condition of service. Attorneys have the option, but are not required, to send text messages to you. You will receive up to 2 messages per week from Martindale-Nolo. Frequency from attorney may vary. Message and data rates may apply. Your number will be held in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

You should not send any sensitive or confidential information through this site. Any information sent through this site does not create an attorney-client relationship and may not be treated as privileged or confidential. The lawyer or law firm you are contacting is not required to, and may choose not to, accept you as a client. The Internet is not necessarily secure and emails sent through this site could be intercepted or read by third parties.

How It Works

  1. Briefly tell us about your case
  2. Provide your contact information
  3. Choose attorneys to contact you