Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Mower County Auditor-Treasurer’s office is reminding people If you have not just recently received your 2021 Mower County property tax statement, you should be receiving it in the next few days.

The first half property taxes are normally due May 15; however, since the 15th falls on Saturday this year, the due date is Monday, May 17.  There is no other extension of the due date, nor any deferral period for penalties this year.

Property taxes can be paid in-person at the Mower County Government Center located at 201 First St. NE in Austin from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.  The public must enter through the law enforcement center (LEC) entrance on the northwest side of the government center.

Payment methods

• Mail – please include your payment stub from your property tax statement with your check. Property tax payments mailed in must be postmarked on or before May 17, 2021, to be considered timely paid.

• Drop Box — located just outside the law enforcement center entrance of the government center.  The drop box is always accessible and is great for dropping off a tax payment after hours.  The drop box is checked multiple times throughout the day.

• Automatic Withdrawal — sign up to have your property tax payment automatically withdrawn from your bank account on each tax due date.  A completed automatic withdrawal form must be turned into the Auditor-Treasurer’s office no later than April 30 to set up an automatic payment arrangement to begin with the first half 2021 tax payment.  The form is available on the Auditor-Treasurer page of the county website and from the Auditor-Treasurer office.  Please note that this payment method is not available if there are unpaid property taxes from prior years.

• Phone — provide your bank routing number and bank account number, or use a debit or credit card (a convenience fee does apply to these payment methods).  Please call 507-396-8219 or 507-396-8220 to make property tax payments by this method.  It is extremely helpful to have your property tax statement with your parcel ID number with you when you call.

• Online -— provide your bank routing number and bank account number, or use a debit or credit card (a convenience fee does apply to these payment methods).  The county website link is: /www.co.mower.mn.us/208/Property-Tax-Payment-Options. You will also need to input your parcel ID number which is printed on your tax statement.

Other reminders

• If you do not receive a property tax statement, it is likely because you have not provided your current mailing address. Please contact the Auditor-Treasurer office at 507-437-9456 if this situation applies to you. Tax statements are not forwarded; they are returned to our office. 

• Taxpayers are responsible for payment of property taxes and this is not affected by failure to receive a tax statement for a parcel.

• If you have delinquent property taxes from 2020 and/or prior years, interest continues to accrue each month that they remain unpaid, so it is beneficial to get these paid as soon as you are able.

There is no reminder mailed out prior to the second half tax due date of Oct. 15 (Nov. 15 for farmland), so please consider putting a reminder on your paper or electronic calendar and remember where you put your property tax statement after you pay the first half taxes. 

• Special assessment amounts are listed on Line 13 of your property tax statement. Detail of what makes up that amount is provided on the left side of your property tax statement.  Special assessments are not included on the proposed property tax statement that is sent out each fall.  All property owners are assessed a recycling fee, so please participate in the county recycling program if you are not already doing so.

• If you pay off your mortgage during the year and have used escrow to pay your property taxes, remember that now you must pay your property taxes personally.

• If you buy real estate during the year, you as the new owner will more than likely have to pay the second half property taxes.  I encourage you to request a copy of the property tax statement from the seller.  And real estate closers, please help out here and take a few minutes to review this topic with the new party responsible for property taxes (especially if the buyer is not using an escrow account).

• Tax statements for mobile homes are sent out in July.  Due dates for mobile home taxes are Aug. 31 and Nov. 15.

• For information about property tax refunds, or to file your property tax refund return, please go to the Minnesota Department of Revenue (MN DOR) website www.revenue.state.mn.us/filing-property-tax-refund; or call MN DOR at 800-652-9094, or contact your income tax preparer.  The MN DOR, not the county, administers property tax refunds.

If you have questions about property taxes, please call the Mower County Auditor-Treasurer office at 507-437-9456.