HOPE ANDERSON is the Cass County Treasurer. She can be reached at (269) 445-4468 to get more information or set up an appointment.

If you live in Cass County and you find yourself behind on property taxes, you are not alone.  Currently, there are 240 property owners at risk of losing their properties to foreclosure because of delinquent taxes. Here are some of the resources available to help families and property owners avoid property tax foreclosure:

Hardship extension: For qualifying homeowners with two or more years of delinquent property taxes, we offer hardship extensions in order to prevent foreclosure. This gives families the option to work with us to come up with a monthly payment plan to become current and prevent property tax foreclosure.

In addition, we offer multi-year payment plans. These new plans, together with a hardship extension, give families that are struggling financially an opportunity to escape the cycle of barely avoiding foreclosure year-after-year, and give them peace of mind knowing that their home is safe.

Last year, more than 70 property owners avoided foreclosure by applying for a hardship extension. Property owners must come into the Treasurer’s Office, 120 N. Broadway, in the Cass County Building, to fill out an application.

Veterans: For 100 percent disabled veterans, an exemption from property taxes on a primary residence is available and can save disabled veterans thousands of dollars on current and future years property taxes.

You may also qualify for a Michigan Homestead Property Tax Credit for Veterans.  File form MI-1040CR-2.

Please contact the Cass County Veteran’s Affairs Office at (269) 445-4472 for more information.

Credit card payments: To make it easier and more convenient to pay delinquent property taxes, we offer online payment via credit card. DELINQUENT TAX PAYMENTS can be made by going to casscountymi.org and clicking on “Payments.” You will need your eleven-digit property identification number.  If you do not know the total amount due, please call the County Treasurer’s Office (269) 445-4468 for current pay off amount. You can also visit our office to pay with your credit card.

StepForwardMichigan.org: Step Forward Michigan still has millions of dollars for qualified homeowners who are struggling with back taxes and back mortgages.  Please call (866) 946-7432 or visit:  stepforwardmichigan.org for more information.

Michigan Property Tax Credit: If your household income is less than $60,000 a year, you might qualify for a credit up to $1,500. Your income, home value and assessed property tax will all determine the exact amount you qualify for.  You may still be eligible for the credit even if you don’t file an income tax return. There is volunteer income tax assistance available at the Cass District Library and Niles District Library through the VITA Program. File Form MI-1040CR

Getting help: If you have delinquent property taxes and fear you may lose your home, please contact my office. Whether it’s applying for assistance, working on hardship extensions to help pay off delinquent property taxes, or navigating available resources, my team is on hand to help homeowners in any way we can.