City of Oak Creek, WI :: Treasurer's Office

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Real Estate Property Tax Payment Information

What defines real estate taxes?

Definition of real property. "Real property", "real estate" and "land" include not only the land itself but all buildings and improvements thereon, and all fixtures and rights and privileges appertaining thereto.

Making A Payment
Payment Deadlines
Information Related to Personal Property

Please read carefully to see the changes for payment of property tax bills—

Tax bills are mailed to the OWNER(S) on record for Real Estate property in the City of Oak Creek. If you are not the owner of the property described on the bill you receive, please forward it to the owner or return it to the City Treasurer’s Office. For any properties sold or titles recorded after October 2007, we will make every attempt to forward current tax bills to new owners. If you are the current owner of property in the City of Oak Creek and did not receive a tax bill, it is your responsibility to find out the amount of property tax due and when the tax bill needs to be paid. You may find this information on the City website at www.oakcreekwi.org, or by contacting the Treasurer's Office.

Wis. Stats. 74.09 Property tax bill and related information -
(6) Effect of Failure to Receive. Failure to receive a property tax bill does not affect the validity of the general property taxes, special taxes, special charges and special assessments levied or the collection of delinquent general property taxes, special taxes, special charges and special assessments.

CHECK(s) should be payable to Treasurer, or City of Oak Creek. Please DO NOT STAPLE your check to your tax bill, DO NOT COMBINE with any other payments and DO NOT send correspondence with your payment. Checks not properly completed or endorsed may be returned unprocessed and your taxes could become delinquent. Receipts are not valid until the check clears our bank. Any check returned from the bank for any reason is subject to a $25.00 recovery fee and the applicable payment will be void. We must receive a full replacement payment and separate recovery fee, with cash or certified funds, by the original due date to avoid delinquent charges.

The date of payment from ESCROW ACCOUNTS is determined by the signed agreement you have with your bank. Please check your agreement or call your bank to verify that your ESCROW CHECK will be mailed on time.

All persons listed as payee on an escrow check must endorse the check in order to process your payment. Please avoid delays in processing, and possibly falling delinquent, by remembering to sign your check. Please note the full amount of your escrow check must be applied to your tax bill. If the escrow check exceeds the full amount due, an overpayment refund will be issued.

Important Information

The amount of the full payment and installments due are shown on your tax bill and must be paid by the appropriate due dates. Please mark your calendar, so you do not miss these important due dates. The tax bill is the only bill you will receive. No other notices will be sent when paying by installments. 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 1st at 1.5% per month on the unpaid principal balance, regardless of when it becomes delinquent. The postmark governs the date of payment - NOT the date on the check. The final payment date allowable for real estate taxes is July 31st of each year of collection. All delinquent tax and charges as of August 1st of each collection year will be turned over to the Milwaukee County Treasurer's Office. After July 31st, please contact Milwaukee County Treasurer's Office at (414) 278-4033 for information on delinquent taxes. Please, if at all possible, take advantage of the U.S. mail, any of the five Tri-City Bank locations, the 24-hour depository, or the credit card option and avoid waiting in long lines at City Hall.

Making A Payment

Pay your taxes by credit card, we are pleased to announce the availability of credit card payments for payment of real estates 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 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.

Easy Payment via 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), 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.

By mail, please return payment with your entire tax bill for proper identification. To receive a receipt of payment from the Treasurer’s office, please enclose your original tax bill, a copy of your tax bill or a self-addressed envelope. We will return your tax bill with your receipt.

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 to: Treasurer, City of Oak Creek, 8640 S. Howell Avenue, Oak Creek, WI 53154.

When mailing a personal check, an escrow check that is first mailed to you for endorsement, or when an escrow check is mailed from a bank or other payment service directly to the City of Oak Creek, a PAYMENT IS TIMELY IF ALL of the following criteria are met:

it is mailed to the City of Oak Creek in a properly addressed envelope,
*postmarked before midnight of the last date prescribed for making the payment, with postage prepaid, and
is received by the proper official not more than 5 days after the prescribed date for making the payment

Payments postmarked by December 31^st but received January 1^st or later will be receipted as January; the receipt will reflect a December Postmark.

In person at any of the following five Tri-City Bank locations through January 31^st only:

S. 27th St. and College Ave.
W. Ryan Rd. near S. 27th St.
MegaMall Pick ‘n Save store (corner of Puetz Rd. & Howell Ave.)
Pick‘n Save store (S. 27th St. near College Ave.)
Pick'n Save store (corner of Ryan Rd. & 27th St.)

You will receive a receipt from the bank. With proper identification, IMMEDIATE REFUND FOR OVERPAYMENT is given at the bank.

24-hour depository, located near the south doors of City Hall.

DRIVE-UP 24 hour depository, located at City Hall on the east side of the south parking lot (Puetz Road), is a quick, easy and convenient way to pay your taxes.

Simply place your bill, along with a check, money order or cashiers check (NO CASH PLEASE!) in a sealed, standard size envelope. Drive to City Hall and follow the drop box signs. Enter the drive-thru facing Puetz Road, drop your envelope into the slot and drive away. To receive a receipt of payment for taxes, please enclose your original tax bill, a copy of your tax bill or a self-addressed envelope. Your tax bill and receipt will be mailed to the address on the tax bill unless a self-addressed envelope is enclosed with payment.

In person at City Hall, 8640 S. Howell Avenue. Normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. (Please note the following exceptions).

Monday, Dec. 31st, 9 am - 12 noon for tax payments only
We will be closed on Monday, Dec. 24th, Tuesday, Dec. 25th, and Tuesday, Jan. 1st. On these days please use one of the other available payment options.

BEFORE stepping into the payment line:

Please have all checks completed and;
Bring your tax bill(s) with you or have your parcel number(s) available.
Otherwise, we will take care of the next person in line while you prepare your payment. If needed, a computer with an instruction sheet will be available for you to look up your parcel number(s).

Payment Deadlines

Full Payment

“Paid-in-full” payment is due January 31, 2008. Please be aware that if your overpayment is more than $20, the refund 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.

Installment Option

All payments must be made as listed below. Any payment not made by the due date will result in delinquency of taxes and forfeiture of the installment option. The tax bill is the only bill you will receive. No reminder notices will be sent.

First Installment – 50% of net real estate taxes plus all special charges due on or before January 31, 2008
Second Installment – 25% of net real estate taxes due on or before March 31, 2008
Third Installment – 25% of net real estate taxes due on or before May 31, 2008