City of Clare

city of clare logo with lamp post

Treasurer

City ordinances require the City Treasurer & Finance Director to collect and deposit money owed the city for various services and taxes. The Treasurer & Finance Director also bills and collects property taxes for the city, schools, county, library, community college and state. The money collected is periodically sent to the other taxing jurisdictions. The City of Clare will no longer recognize post marked dates.

In addition to billing and collecting, the Treasurer & Finance Director receives, records and deposits all city revenue.

City residents can contact City Treasurer & Finance Director Vicki Corlew at vcorlew@cityofclare.gov, or (989) 424-4070; or Deputy City Treasurer Cheryl Coon at ccoon@cityofclare.gov, or (989) 424-4070 with questions about property taxes.

City Treasurer & Finance Director

Vicki Corlew

City Deputy Treasurer

Cheryl Coon

Office: Clare City Hall
202 W Fifth Street
Clare, MI 48617
Map

PHONE:
989-424-4070
FAX:
 (989) 386-4508

How many tax bills will I receive each year?
You receive two (2) bills each calendar year: a summer tax bill and a winter tax bill.

When are taxes due?
Summer tax bills are mailed July 1st and are due without interest or penalties by August 31st. Winter tax bills are mailed December 1 and are due without interest or penalty by February 14.

NOTE: All real property tax bills that are still unpaid at the end of February are turned over to the County Treasurer for collection on March 1st each year.

Is there a “grace” period for late payments?
No. State tax law and local ordinance does not allow “grace” periods. For summer taxes a 1% penalty is added to all unpaid tax bills on September 1st at which time interest begins to accrue at the rate of ½% per month. For the winter tax billing a 3% penalty is added to all unpaid tax bills on February 15th. Please contact our office for the current amount due if you are paying your taxes after August 31st for summer property taxes and February 14th for winter property taxes.

Do you accept partial payments?
Yes, if the payment is made at our office. Bills paid online, however, must be paid in full.

I did not receive my tax bill, how can I get a copy?
Call us at 989/386-7541 and we’ll mail you a duplicate tax bill. You can also send a request by fax at 989/386-4508 or by email.

I didn’t receive my tax bill. Do I still have to pay the bill on time?
Yes. State law prevents us from extending the due date. Failure to receive a tax bill does not exempt the taxpayer from the responsibility of paying the bill. Contact our office shortly after July 1 or December 1 if you have not received your bill. We can send you a duplicate tax bill and help you avoid late fees.

Who do I contact to change or correct the mailing address on my property tax bill?
Contact the Assessor’s Office at 989/386-7541, extension 103, or via email.

How can I get a mortgage company’s address removed from or added to my tax billing information?
If you have an escrow account with a lender, mortgage company or tax collection agency, the escrow agent annually provides us with a request to provide them with a copy of your property tax bill so that they can pay the taxes from your escrow account.

My mortgage company receives and pays my tax bill. Can you mail an original bill to a second address?
A second copy of the tax bill is mailed to the property owner each tax season, summer and winter.

When do taxes become delinquent?
Unpaid taxes are turned over for collection each year to the County Treasurer on March 1st for the preceding tax collection season. The County Treasurer continues to bill delinquent taxes, plus penalties and interest.

At what point does your office refuse property tax payments for the current year?
We accept real property tax payments through the last day in February. On March 1, delinquent real property taxes must be paid to the County Treasurer. However, we continue to accept personal property and industrial facilities tax payments at our office.

I have a question about my delinquent real estate property taxes, who do I contact?
Contact the Clare County Treasurer at (989) 539-7801 or the Isabella County Treasurer at (989) 772-0911, extension 256 to ask questions about delinquent real estate taxes for any prior year.

Contact our office at (989) 386-7541 to ask questions about any current year taxes that are past due.

What are personal property taxes?
This is a tax on furniture, fixtures, equipment and leasehold improvements.

Who is assessed for personal property taxes?
Personal property taxes are assessed to businesses. They can also be assesed to individuals in certain circumstances for specific types of personal property.

How are personal property taxes calculated?
They are calculated using the same millage rate that is used for real property taxes:

Tax Rate X Taxable Value = Taxes.

How is the assessed value of the personal property determined?
Businesses file personal property statements each year with the City Assessor.

What happens if a business fails to file a personal property report?
State law requires the Assessor to place an estimated value on the property.

When are personal property taxes billed and due?
Personal property taxes are billed at the same time as real property taxes and have the same due dates – August 31st for summer tax bills that are mailed on July 1st and February 14th for winter tax bills that are mailed on December 1st.

What happens if the personal property taxes are not paid on time?
Penalties and interest are assessed on the unpaid balance as described above.

Please contact us if you’re having trouble paying your personal property tax bill. We make every effort to make payment arrangements on your account whenever possible. This is important because unpaid taxes can result in seizure and sale of property or action by a collection agency. Delinquent accounts accrue additional fees and interest and affect your credit rating.

What is a special assessment?
A special assessment is all or part of the cost of a public improvement that is levied on one or more lots or parcels of land.

The City has a variety of special assessments including:

  • New sidewalks
  • Street resurfacing with bituminous paving
  • Total street reconstruction including bituminous paving, curb and gutters.
  • Water service
  • Sanitary sewer
  • Business Improvement Districts
  • Shamrock Lake weed control

How do I know if a property has a special assessment?

Call our office at 989/386-7541 and we can check to see if there is are any special assessments associated with your property providing the following information:

  • Original assessment amount;
  • Payment status;
  • Length of time left to pay the assessment; and
  • Final pay off amount.

How often are Special Assessments billed?

Special assessments are included as part of the summer or winter property tax billing as a separate, descriptive line item within the property tax billing detail.

I have owned my home for a year. Why am I receiving a special assessment bill now?
If your property taxes are paid from an escrow account, you may not be aware of existing special assessments. If you pay off your mortgage and begin paying the taxes yourself, you may find a special assessment exists.

When purchasing a new home, it is wise to determine if assessments exist on the property. As with real property taxes, unpaid special assessments become the responsibility of the new owner. Some lending institutions also set up escrow payments for special assessments.

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