Property Tax Center
When and how do I pay my taxes?
The Town of Waitsfield operates on a July 1 to June 30 fiscal year cycle, currently in Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24). Property tax payments are due in 4 installments.
- First Installment: September 15
- Second Installment: November 15
- Third Installment: February 15
- Fourth & Final Installment: May 15
Payments must be received or postmarked by close of business on the due date to avoid interest and/or penalty charges. Checks can be left in the drop boxes at either entrance.
FY24 Tax Bills were mailed out on July 14. Tax bills are available via the link below this section. (search for yours) or you can request a copy be sent to you electronically or via USPS by contacting the Treasurer or Clerk. If you purchased a property after April 1, the tax bill is sent to the previous owner. Please contact our office to obtain a copy. The Town of Waitsfield does not mail tax bills to mortgage companies. If your mortgage company pays your taxes using escrow, we recommend you send them a copy of your tax bill.
File size: 3 MB
Taxes are calculated based on the current assessed value of your property. The cumulative sum of all assessed values for the town is known as the Grand List.
The property tax rate has two components; municipal and education. The municipal rate is calculated based on town expenditures (less revenues) as approved in the budget at Town Meeting in March of each year. The education rate is established by the state and property taxes fund roughly two-thirds of the state education fund.
State property tax credits are income contingent credits assessed by the Department of Taxes following the submission of income taxes. A Homestead Declaration must be filed with your income taxes to be eligible for a state property tax credit. The town receives the credit directly from the state to offset the property tax amount due. These payments arrive as “downloads” at the end of the month from July through October. It is possible that a state payment will be applied after initial tax bills are mailed in July, in which case a revised tax bill will be issued. If a state payment arrives after a property tax bill is paid, the state payment can be assessed towards a future installment or a check can be issued directly to the property owner if the balance has been paid in full.
The annual tax bill is payable in four equal installments. If the first installment is received beyond the initial due date, interest will begin to accrue on that portion of the taxes beginning on the next business day at an interest rate of 1.5% per month until such time the outstanding portion becomes current. After the final installment due date on May 15, any delinquency will continue to accrue interest plus a penalty up to 8%.If any outstanding balance remains after the fourth installment due date, a Delinquent Tax Warrant will be issued (32 V.S.A §4913) and turned over to the Delinquent Tax Collector (DTC) who will mail the initial notice to the taxpayer indicating the amount of the delinquent tax, assessed penalty and accrued interest to date. Updated statements will be sent at least quarterly until such time the taxpayer account is turned over to the Town attorney for collection.