Your taxing authority
Use the exact phone number or website printed on the official notice, then verify it independently through the county or city website.
Find state and local government →Homeowner action guide
Behind on property taxes? Start here before a tax sale.
Tax enforcement is local. The words on your notice, the office that sent it, and the date shown are more important than generic internet timelines.
If a sale is scheduled: Call the office named on the notice now. Ask for the exact payoff and the last date, time, payment method, and confirmation needed to stop the sale. Then contact a local attorney or legal aid if ownership or court action is involved.
1. Identify your exact stage
“Behind on taxes” can mean an unpaid bill, delinquency, recorded lien, sold certificate, filed lawsuit, judgment, scheduled auction, completed sale, or open redemption period. Each stage has different options.
2. Request the official amount
Ask for a written payoff or redemption amount. Confirm whether interest, penalties, legal charges, publication costs, or other municipal charges are included and how long the figure remains valid.
3. Ask about public relief
Ask the county or municipality about payment plans, hardship arrangements, exemptions, abatements, deferrals, circuit-breaker programs, and senior, disability, veteran, or homestead relief. Ask whether applying pauses enforcement—it may not.
4. Check ownership and other liens
Inherited homes, deceased owners, divorces, unrecorded deeds, multiple heirs, mortgages, judgments, HOA liens, and municipal charges can complicate a payoff or sale. A title professional or attorney can identify who must act.
5. Compare keep-versus-sell economics
If you can afford the home after the delinquency is addressed, relief or responsible financing may be worth reviewing. If ongoing taxes, insurance, repairs, or mortgage costs are not sustainable, a voluntary sale may preserve more control.
6. Protect yourself from pressure
Be cautious with guarantees, blank documents, requests to hide information, oral promises to return ownership, or demands to sign immediately. Verify licenses where applicable and use a closing professional.
Independent places to start
National directories that lead to local help.
These resources are not affiliated with Tax Fund USA.
HUD housing counseling
Search for a HUD-approved housing counseling agency and ask whether it handles property tax delinquency or foreclosure prevention.
HUD counseling directory →Legal aid
Find a local nonprofit legal-aid provider for advice about notices, court cases, heirs property, redemption, or consumer rights.
Legal Services Corporation →Key questions
Tax lien and tax sale FAQ
What is the difference between a tax lien sale and a tax deed sale?
In a tax lien or tax certificate sale, an investor may acquire an interest tied to the delinquent tax debt, while title usually does not transfer immediately. In a tax deed or foreclosure sale, the property interest itself may be sold. Names and procedures differ by state.
Do I have a redemption period after the sale?
Some states provide a period to redeem before or after a tax sale; others use different procedures. Do not assume one exists. Ask the taxing authority or a local attorney about the exact property and date.
Can I get extra time because I am elderly, disabled, a veteran, or low income?
Possibly. Many jurisdictions offer exemptions, freezes, deferrals, circuit-breaker programs, payment plans, or hardship relief, but the application and timing rules vary.
Should I sign a deed to someone who promises to save my home?
Do not sign a deed, sale contract, power of attorney, or new lien without understanding it. Verify the party, use independent professional advice, and make sure every promise appears in the written documents.
General consumer context reviewed against resources from AARP Foundation, HUD, and the Legal Services Corporation. Local law controls.