Frequently Asked Questions

 

1. When will I receive my tax bill?
2. What type of payments do you accept for taxes?
3. Where and how can I pay my tax bill?
4. Whom should the check be payable to? 
5. What are the Treasurer’s office hours?
6. I moved into my home a few months ago; am I responsible for the 2007 property taxes?
7. My mortgage company made the escrow check payable to the City of Oak Creek and to me. Do you need my signature?
8. My check from escrow is more than my taxes, what do I do?
9. May I apply my escrow check to the first installment of my tax bill only and receive an overpayment refund, if the check is more than the first installment amount?
10. Are my taxes paid?
11. Do you honor postmarks?
12. I paid my taxes with a personal check, when should I expect it to clear my bank?
13. Do you send my tax bill to the mortgage company?
14. Do you accept credit cards?
15. Do you accept wire transfers?
16. My mortgage company said that a check was cut on a certain date, but yet my receipt says otherwise?
17. I would like to pay on the installment plan.  What are the due dates?
18. Will I receive a reminder notice for the 2nd and 3rd installment?
19. If I pay on the installment plan, may I pay the first installment by January and the remaining installments in May?
20. I have paid 90% of my tax bill before January, and have a small balance remaining. When do I have to pay the balance?
21. I do not have the money to pay my taxes. What can I do?
22. Where do I look on my tax bill to see if I received the lottery credit?
23. I did not receive the lottery credit, why not?
24. How do I apply for the lottery credit?
25. If I pay my taxes by mail, depository box, at Tri City or by credit card, will I receive a receipt for my payment?
26. I did not receive a tax bill, why not?
27. I live in a brand new condominium/subdivision and did not receive a tax bill, why not?
28. Did you receive my property tax payment from my mortgage company?
29. I have delinquent water bill charges on my tax bill; I paid these charges already so why are they on my tax bill?

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

1. When will I receive my tax bill?  Tax bills will be mailed out on or before the 3rd Monday in December.
2. What type of payments do you accept for taxes?  You may pay by cash, check, or credit card.  See question #14 for further information on credit card payments.
3. Where and how can I pay my tax bill? 

• BY MAIL, ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 31st ONLY to: City of Oak Creek, P.O. Box 1042, Milwaukee, WI 53201. DO NOT use the green envelope from previous years and DO NOT USE THE P.O. BOX AFTER JANUARY 31st or it will be returned to sender unprocessed and your taxes could become delinquent.
   
• ON OR AFTER FEBRUARY 1st, mail must be addressed to: Treasurer, City of Oak Creek, 8640 S. Howell Avenue, Oak Creek, WI 53154. 
  
  
• You may use any of the following Tri City Bank locations to pay your tax bills (only through January 31, 2008): 
  • Tri City Bank on 27th & College,
  • Tri City Bank on Ryan Road near 27th Street,
  • Tri City Bank in the Mega Mall Pick’n Save on the corner of Puetz and Howell,
  • Tri City Bank in the Pick’n Save on 27th Street near College, or
  • Tri City Bank in the Pick’n Save on the corner of Ryan and 27th Street.
• For your convenience there is a drive-up 24-hour depository located at City Hall on the east side of the south parking lot (Puetz Road). There is also a 24-hour depository located near the south doors at City Hall.
  
  
• BY CREDIT CARD: We are pleased to announce the availability of credit card payments for payment of real estate and personal property taxes. In cooperation with the City of Oak Creek, Official Payments Corporation offers individuals and businesses the opportunity to pay property tax by way of a credit card by telephone or directly over the Internet. This service is safe, reliable, and in accordance with all state and government regulations. In order to process your payment, Official Payments Corporation, the credit card service provider, charges a convenience fee based on the amount of the transaction, currently 2.75% ($1.00 minimum) subject to change without notice.
  
  
Credit card payments can be made by telephone or Internet. We cannot accept credit card payments in person; however we will have a computer available at City Hall. 

To pay by telephone call toll-free 1-800-272-9829 (Please enter Jurisdiction Code 6717 when prompted) or visit www.officialpayments.com to pay taxes over the Internet (link also available on the City's website at www.oakcreekwi.org). You will be asked to enter information such as: type of tax (Real Estate - 7 to 10 digit parcel numbers) or (Personal Property - 6 digit parcel numbers, for businesses only), total of your payment, parcel number (located in the upper right hand corner of your tax bill), and credit card information. Please have your tax bill and credit card available. The system will tell you the total of your payment, including the appropriate fee; obtain approval of the charge and issue an onscreen confirmation number and a printable digital receipt. Confirmation is emailed to users who request it. The charge will also appear on your credit card statement: the tax amount will appear on one line and the convenience fee amount on a separate line. Additional information can be found in the brochure you receive with your tax bill.


• Payments may also be made directly at City Hall; however, by using any one of the other convenient options you may avoid waiting in a long line at City Hall.

4. Whom should the check be made payable to?   Your check should be made payable to the Treasurer or the City of Oak Creek.
5. What are the Treasurer’s office hours?  We are open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m; except Monday, Dec. 31st 9 am - 12 noon for tax payments only. We will be closed Monday, Dec. 24th, Tuesday, Dec. 25th, and Tuesday, Jan. 1st.
6. I moved into my home a few months ago; am I responsible for the 2007 property taxes?   The owner of the property is responsible for the taxes.  If you purchased a home a few months ago and that property was in existence as of January 1, 2007, you are responsible for the taxes for the full year.  Please check your closing papers to find out how the taxes were handled.  (Usually taxes are pro-rated at the time of closing.  They may have been deducted from the sale price as a credit to you.)
7. My mortgage company made the escrow check payable to the City of Oak Creek and to me.  Do you need my signature?  Yes, in order to process your payment the check must be endorsed by all payees.  Please avoid delays in processing, and possibly falling delinquent, by remembering to sign your check.
8. My check from escrow is more than my taxes, what do I do?  You may make your tax payment at City Hall, but if you do please be aware that if your overpayment is more than $20, it will be processed through our accounting department and a check will be issued in three to four weeks.   To avoid this process, please make your payment at one of the Tri City Bank locations and they will issue you a cashier’s check immediately.
9. May I apply my escrow check to the first installment of my tax bill only and receive an overpayment refund, if the check is more than the first installment amount?  No.  An escrow check must be applied in full to your tax bill.  If the escrow check exceeds the full amount due, an overpayment refund will be issued.
10. Are my taxes paid?   We process payments as quickly as possible. If you enclosed an original tax bill, a copy of the tax bill, or a self-addressed envelope with your payment you will receive a receipt of payment in the mail.  Your tax bill and receipt will be mailed to the address on the tax bill unless a self-addressed envelope is enclosed with payment.  You may also verify payment by checking the Oak Creek website - www.oakcreekwi.org.  From the homepage, click on GCS Land Records Search.  You may search by parcel number, name, or address.  If you would like a tax payment receipt from the City Hall ,  you may stop by the Treasurer's office Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
11. Do you honor postmarks?  Yes, if all the following criteria are met:  1)  it is mailed to the City of Oak Creek in a properly addressed envelope, 2) postmarked before midnight of the last date prescribed for making the payment, with postage prepaid, and 3) is received by the proper official not more than 5 days after the prescribed date for making the payment.
12. I paid my taxes with a personal check, when can I expect it to clear my bank?  Please allow one week for your check to clear your account.  If more than one week has passed and your check has not cleared your account, please contact the treasurer's office.
13. Do you send my tax bill to the mortgage company?  No, we only send tax bills to the owner on record.  We provide tax payment information to mortgage companies as requested, but no tax bills will be sent to them.
14. Do you accept credit cards?  We are pleased to announce the availability of credit card payments for payment of real estate and personal property taxes.  In cooperation with the City of Oak Creek, Official Payments Corporation offers individuals and businesses the opportunity to pay property tax by way of a credit card by telephone or directly over the Internet.  This service is safe, reliable, and in accordance with all state and government regulations.  In order to process your payment, Official Payments Corporation, the credit card service provider, charges a convenience fee based on the amount of the transaction, currently 2.75% ($1.00 minimum fee) subject to change without notice.  Credit card payments can be made by telephone or Internet.  We cannot accept credit card payments in person; however we will have a computer available at City Hall.  To pay by telephone call toll-free 1-800-272-9829 (Please enter Jurisdiction Code 6717  when prompted) or visit www.officialpayments.com to pay taxes over the Internet (link also available on the City's website at www.oakcreekwi.org).  You will be asked to enter information such as:  type of tax (Real Estate - 7 to 10 digit parcel numbers) or (Personal Property - 6 digit parcel numbers, for businesses only), total of your payment, parcel number (located in the upper right hand corner of your tax bill), and credit card information.  Please have your tax bill and credit card available.  The system will tell you the total of your payment, including the appropriate fee; obtain approval of the charge and issue an onscreen confirmation number and a printable digital receipt.  Confirmation is emailed to users who request it.  The charge will also appear on your credit card statement:  the tax amount will appear on one line and the convenience fee amount on a separate line.  Additional information can be found in the brochure you receive with your tax bill.
15. Do you accept wire transfers?  No, we do not accept wire transfers. 
16. My mortgage company said that a check was cut on a certain date, but yet my receipt says otherwise?  Your receipt will reflect the date that the payment was received, not the date on the check. 
17. I would like to pay on the installment plan.  What are the due dates?  The installment dates are:  January 31^st, March 31^st, and May 31^st.
18. Will I receive a reminder notice for the 2^nd and 3^rd installment?  No, reminder notices will not be sent by the Treasurer’s office.
19. If I pay on the installment plan, may I pay the first installment by January 31^st and the remaining installments in May?  No, please follow the installment amounts listed on your tax bill.  The amounts listed are the minimums due by those dates, you may pay more or earlier than the dates listed, but those minimums must be paid by those dates.  Any payment not made by its due date will result in delinquency of the entire unpaid principal balance and forfeiture of the installment option.  All delinquent tax will accumulate interest and penalty charges from February 1^st at 1½ % per month, regardless of when it becomes delinquent.
20. I have paid 90% of my tax bill before January 31^st, and have a small balance remaining.   When do I have to pay the balance?   If by January 31, 2008, you have paid equal to or more than the total of your January and March installment, you do have the option of paying the remaining balance by May 31^st.
21. I do not have the money to pay my taxes.  What can I do?  If you cannot pay your tax bill in full it is best to pay as much as you can and as soon as you can.  All delinquent tax accumulates interest and penalty charges from February 1^st at 1½ % per month on the entire unpaid principal balance.  Therefore, any payments made will help reduce the amount of interest and penalty accrued. We will only be able to accept payments through July 31^st; at which time all delinquent real estate tax will be turned over to Milwaukee County for collection.
22. Where do I look on my tax bill to see if I received the lottery credit?  The middle section of your tax bill lists the Net Tax for 2006 and 2007.  The amount of your Lottery and Gaming credit is shown (in bold) at the bottom of the 2007 Net Tax column.  If no amount is shown you did not receive the lottery credit.
23. I did not receive the lottery credit, why not?  Those who qualify are owners of a home in Wisconsin who use the home as their primary residence on January 1^st (Certification Date) of the year in which property taxes are levied.  Primary residence is defined as the home where an individual lives more than six months of the year.  If you did not previously complete a Lottery and Gaming Credit Application or you do not qualify for the credit in 2007, no lottery credit was applied to your 2007 property tax bill.  If you are eligible for the lottery credit and did not receive it, please complete an application form, which is available on the website www.oakcreekwi.org.  The link for the Lottery credit can be accessed from the Treasurer’s Office page under City Departments.  We must receive the completed form by January 31, 2008 in order to apply the credit to your 2007 property tax bill. 
24. How do I apply for the lottery credit?   If you are eligible for the lottery credit and did not receive it, please complete an application form, which is available on the website www.oakcreekwi.org.  The link for the Lottery credit can be accessed from the Treasurer’s Office page under City Departments.  We must receive the completed form by January 31, 2008 in order to apply the credit to your 2007 property tax bill.
25. If I pay my taxes by mail, depository box, at Tri City Bank, or by credit card will I receive a receipt for my payment?  To receive a receipt for a payment made via US mail or depository, please include your original tax bill, a copy of your tax bill or a self-addressed envelope with your payment.  If you pay your tax bill at Tri City Bank you will receive a receipt from the bank.  If you pay your tax bill on the internet by credit card you will receive an onscreen confirmation number and a printable digital receipt.  If you would like a tax payment receipt from the City Hall,  you may stop by the Treasurer's office Monday through Friday, from 8:00  a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
26. I did not receive a tax bill, why not?  If you are a new owner, you may not have received a tax bill because our information is based on what Milwaukee County Register of Deeds sends to our Assessor’s office.  We should have all recorded changes from the County through October 2007.  If this applies to you, to find out how much you owe – please either check our website, or you may wish to contact the seller of the property to determine if they received the tax bill, or contact our office.  Please provide your address when calling our office and we will be able to locate your parcel and the amount due.
27. I live in a brand new condominium/subdivision and did not receive a tax bill, why not?  The tax bills are based on what is on the property as of January 1, 2007.  In many cases, on January 1^st your property was land only and part of one large parcel.  The builder may be responsible for payment depending upon what your sales contract states.  Please check your paperwork to see what agreement was made with the builder.
28. Did you receive my property tax payment from my mortgage company?  We process payments as quickly as possible.  To verify if a payment has been received please check the Oak Creek website - www.oakcreekwi.org.  From the homepage, click on GCS Land Records Search.  You may search by parcel number, name, or address.  Please note, this website is not updated daily.
29. I have delinquent water bill charges on my tax bill; I paid these charges already so why are they on my tax bill?  If your payment was not received by the utility department by November 15, 2007, it was placed on the tax roll.  In this case, you are responsible to pay that amount to prevent your property tax bill from becoming delinquent.  If you made the utility payment by November 15, 2007, please call the Utility department at (414) 570-8210 to verify if your payment was received and applied as a credit to your account.