Just got a refund check from the county tax assore for my property taxes which I paid in November.Called them up to see what's going on and the lady said some big outfit which pays property taxes for mortgage companies paid my taxes in full last nov.Only thing is I've been paying my own taxes every year instead of including it in my monthly mortgage payment.She said this outfit paid my taxes at the behest of some mortgage company I've never heard of. It sure isn't my mortgage co.Sounds like a computer screw up.Suppose I ought to clear this up, but part of me just wants to put the refund check back in my own little escrow account and collect interest until they wise up.Then when, (if?) the property tax paying company demands a refund from either me or the county, I just go pay off the taxes. It was their screw up. Am I liable for any penalities?????

-- Joe Workin Stiff (screw@the Bastards.co), February 15, 2000

Answers

Possibly but some other person might be out that money. Its not going to make rich but it sure might help some other family eat. Do the right thing and get it sorted out.

Justhinkin

-- justthinkin com (justhinkin@others.com), February 15, 2000.

So how then did this company get your account info to make that payment? What if someone else has a claim against your property? Hmmm... decisions decisions..

-- Hokie (Hokie_@hotmail.com), February 15, 2000.

Karma has a way of recycling (sometimes 10x). May want to rethink that.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), February 15, 2000.

There is one thing that you get from giving it back (i.e. getting it sorted out) that you do not get by keeping silent (and maybe keeping the money). Tell me if you can guess what it is?

-- old bald guy (old.bald.guy@cloudhidden.whereabouts.unknown), February 15, 2000.

If you keep the money, temporarily or permanently, you're a thief. Plain and simple.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), February 15, 2000.

If you included an accidental overpay in a check you wrote, do you think the recipient should bring it to your attention?

I missed the Y2K reference, BTW. Is every clerical/computer screw-up Y2K until proved otherwise? (Now, for plane crashes, I know it MUST be Y2K, but what about regular stuff?).

-- ImSo (lame@prepped.com), February 15, 2000.

Being naturally paranoid, I'd worry about whether or not someone was trying to set up a claim against my property...their paying taxes is one way of showing that they "own" the property. Get this cleared up!

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), February 16, 2000.

It sounds too messy not to clear up.

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), February 16, 2000.

The saying "What goes around comes around" for you, may take a while, but it will come to a head. I've been in property management 25 years for commercial & residential properties, and value my reputation as being a fair and just. I suggest you write a letter ASAP to your Tax Collector explaining the above, with the request that they acknowledge your letter, after they have reviewed their records and report their findings. Last week in our local paper I was amazed to see the long list of deliquent property taxes, that were in the process of being sold, just to pay the taxes. I was surprised to see so many "Estate Of" as owners of these parcels, and thought to myself someone is not on the ball in handeling these estates. The Tax Collector is like the IRS, they don't mess around. I hope you do the right thing, I know I feel better when I wake up every morning and face

-- Judy (Dodgeball@aol.com), February 16, 2000.