Real Estate & Personal Property Taxes FAQ

When are real estate tax bills mailed and payments due?

Tax bills are mailed three times a year – the 1^st and 2^nd quarter bills are mailed together by July 1^stand are due August 1^st and November 1^st; the 3^rd quarter bill is mailed by January 1^st and due February 1^st; and the 4^th quarter bill is mailed by April 1st and due May 1^st. If the due date falls on a weekend, the bills are due the following Monday.

The tax bills are based on a fiscal year which runs from July 1 through June 30.

Where should I mail my real estate tax payment?

Please mail payment to:

Town of Buckland
c/o Tax Collector
17 State Street
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370

Please make checks payable to the Town of Buckland. For proper crediting enclose the upper portion of your tax bill retaining the lower section for your personal tax records. Failure to include the remit portion may result the payment being incorrectly posted or returned to you.

To obtain a receipt, enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope and the entire bill with your payment. The taxpayer copy will be returned.

Your payment will be considered late if not received in the Collector’s office by the due date.

What methods can I use to pay my bills?

You can mail your check and payment coupon to Town of Buckland, c/o Tax Collector, 17 State Street, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370.

Credit card and electronic check payments can be made at UniPay Gold  Please process your payment at least 2 days before the due date or your payment may be received late.
You can bring your payment directly to the Collector’s Office, which is always required if you are paying in cash.

If you are currently using your bank’s online payment service to pay a Town of Buckland bill, please be sure to include the following information when making payment and allow adequate time for your payment to be received before the due date as your bank mails a paper check that may take 5 days to be received:

Real Estate, Parcel ID, tax year and bill number
Personal Property, bill number and tax year
Sewer use and account number
Excise, bill number and tax year

Failure to adequately identify the bill or bills to be paid when using your bank’s online payment service may result in the check being returned to you.

What should I do in the event I do not receive my bill?

Please make sure to provide the Board of Assessors with your current mailing address. Call the Collector’s office at (413) 625-9474 to obtain a copy of the bill.

If you are a new property owner and have not received your tax bill from the previous owner, you can contact the Collector’s Office for a duplicate copy.

New tax bill mailing address?

If you have a new address and want your bill mailed there as a permanent change, contact the Board of Assessor’s Office.

What happens if I do not pay my tax bill on time?

Tax payments must be received on or before the due date to avoid interest charges. If payment is not made within 30 days of the original date of mailing, the account will begin to accrue interest at the rate of 14% per annum, computed from the date the bill was due. A demand notice will be sent and a demand fee of $10.00 is charged against the account. If the account remains outstanding 14 days after the issuance of the demand notice tax title procedures are started.

Please note that demand notices are sent only after the fourth quarter bill cycle closes.

What do I need to do if my mortgage company pays my taxes?

If a bank or mortgage company escrows your taxes, it is your responsibility to make sure that they make timely payments. By law tax bills are mailed to the property owner. Check with your bank or mortgage company to find out how they obtain tax information. Some companies require the homeowner to mail in a copy of their bill, others obtain the information directly from the Collector’s Office. If your mortgage company requires you to mail them your bill you should keep a copy for your personal tax records.

Why should I pay interest on a late payment when I never received my tax bill?

Under state law, failure to receive a bill does not affect the validity of the tax or any interest or fines incurred due to late payment(s).

It is the responsibility of the taxpayer to secure his/her tax bill when one is not received. You can request tax information by calling the Collector’s Office at (413) 625-9474. However, you must call before the due date of the bill to avoid late fees.

How can I change the tax bill to my name after purchasing property?

The Assessor’s Office is required by Massachusetts General Law to bill the assessed owner as of January 1, therefore, any transfer between January 2^nd and December 31^st will not be reflected on any tax bills until the following July 1st. If after the passage of time, the name still is not changed on the bill, please contact the Board of Assessor’s Office at (413) 625-2335. The only way to change a name on a property tax bill is to either record a new deed or to provide the Assessors office with a probated will.

You can change your tax bill address however, by notifying the Assessor’s Office of your new address.

What should I do if I recently sold my property but I am still receiving a tax bill?

If you receive a bill, please forward it to the new owner or return it to the Collector’s Office immediately.