If you recently purchased a newly developed condominium (one unit of a two- family or three-family, or new construction for example), you should realize that the Assessing Department may not have your unit listed as a condominium, and that your property may still be listed as a master parcel. This means that for Real Estate Tax billing purposes, until the Assessing Department assigns your unit an account number, the property is still listed as a master parcel and is billed as a two-family, three-family, four-family, etc. If your property is not listed as a condominium and is still listed as a master parcel, the tax bill is for the entire building! Review your condominium documents and determine your percentage interest in the master parcel (common areas). Your percentage interest in the master parcel determines the percentage you owe on the master parcel's tax bill. Until you are billed separately for your own condominium unit, pay only your percentage interest in the tax bill and not the bill for the entire building. Contact the Treasury Department for a duplicate bill if necessary.

If your mortgage company pays your taxes and your tax bill is for the entire building, contact your mortgage company and inform them that the billing information contained in the electronic file they receive(d) is for the entire building, a "master parcel that has not been split." Your mortgage company will need to know your percentage interest in the master parcel to ensure they pay only your percentage interest in the bill. Otherwise, your mortgage company will pay the taxes for the entire building out of your escrow account. Mortgage companies usually pay for the entire building because they do not realize that the tax bill is for a master parcel that has not been split. It is advisable that you both call and write a letter to your mortgage company to put them on notice that the master parcel has not been split. Enclose proof of your percentage interest in the building with your letter. Keep a copy of the letter for your records. Track the date, time and telephone extension of any representative that speaks with you. Please note that mortgage companies typically take tax payment funds from your escrow account a month before the tax due date. *Look at your mortgage statements a month before the tax due date (when they pull funds from your escrow account in order to pay your taxes on time) to be sure they are paying the correct amount.

You are responsible for paying taxes from the day you purchase. Typically, prior and current taxes due are paid during the settlement/closing and are listed on the HUD Settlement statement. You are responsible for all back taxes that are not paid at the closing. Most closing attorneys request a Municipal Lien Certificate from the City and will file same at the Registry of Deeds to protect your interest. If you subsequently discover back taxes owed on the property for a period prior to your purchase, you should seek legal advice.

When paying taxes under the master parcel's account number, you should keep all of your payment records and inform your condo association of same. PUT THE ACCOUNT NUMBER ON YOUR CHECK, MAIL YOUR PAYMENT TO OUR OFFICE AT 93 HIGHLAND AVENUE AND KEEP ACCURATE RECORDS OF WHAT YOU PAID AND WHEN. Save your check copies and put them with your copy of the HUD Settlement statement from the purchase. Payments processed by the cashiers in the Treasury Department have the check numbers documented in the payment history (see "Transactions Inquiry" report, checks have a "K" before the check number). Payments sent to the lockbox service (PO Box 197) must have a bill copy or our bank cannot process.

If there is a balance due on the master parcel after you get your own account number, you will be able to prove that you paid your percentage interest of the master parcel's tax bill. The HUD Statement typically lists the tax period covered by the tax payment made by the attorney as a result of your closing. To calculate your tax liability, look to your HUD Statement to determine when you are responsible for paying taxes, then take the amount charged for the upcoming quarter and multiply it by your percentage interest in the building. If the developer is paying the taxes until you get your own parcel number, calculate your amount due and reimburse the developer as necessary.

Real estate account numbers contain 8 digits. New condominium account numbers begin with "2004" "2005" 2006" "2007" etc. A new condo for fiscal year 2008 will have an account number that begins with "2008" and is followed by four digits. For example: 20081234. If your newly developed condominium's account number does not begin with a year (2006, 2007, 2008) you may contact the Assessing Department to see how your building is listed for tax purposes, for example as a two-family, three family, etc. Condo's have a use code "USECD 102" on the "RE Commitment Inquiry" report (top right), and a "class" code of 102 on tax bills.

It is City policy not to issue refund checks for credit balances in the current Fiscal Year because all tax bills for the current fiscal year have not yet been issued. If you or your mortgage company overpaid in one quarter, deduct that overpayment from the amount you owe in the next quarter. Inform your condo association of same. Please read the refund policy, entitled "Refund Requests for Credit Balances" to see what documentation is required for refunding credit balances after the May 1st due date. The Refund Policy is found on the Treasury Department's web-page and is entitled "Refund Requests for Credit Balances." If you do not have internet access, please contact our office to have the policy mailed to you. Please familiarize yourself with the policy so that if there is a credit balance on the master parcel at the end of the fiscal year, you will not be surprised at the amount of paperwork required for a refund. www.somervillema.gov Departments - Treasurer/Collector - Refund requests for Credit Balances.