delinquent tax notice

new york

i'm stationed in utah and just received a deliquent tax notice on a house, in new york, that i sold for a dollar to my sister 1 april 1999. i was stationed in south carolina at the time. she sent me a 101-s deed, warranty, with lien covenant form by sanders legal publishers, buffalo, new york. i signed it, had it notarized, kept a copy, and sent her the original. a sister and brother living in the house kept previous tax notices from me and paid the taxes, however, this one was forwarded after filing a change of address for absentee voting. the house was given to me after my mother passed away. i don't want the house. since my sister has not filed the house in her name, am i liable? how do i correct this? thanks!

2-23-2002

DEAR LEEC:

How much is the house actually worth?

How much taxes are they asking for?

If the house is worth something and you or your sister don't want to lose it, you need to come up with the money to pay the taxes. If you don't pay the taxes by the deadline listed on the notice, the house and land will go up for sale to whoever (a member of the general public) is interested in the property and pays the tax debt. If you or your sister pay the taxes, then you still have ownership of the house.

If the house is worth something, it would be a good idea to go ahead and pay the taxes, and then sell the house if you are not interested in owning it any longer.

Have you discussed this with your sister--maybe she is interested in retaining the home, and for some reason was not receiving the notices in timely fashion.

At some point, you or your sister should have had a title/deed search done to get her name added to the deed, but maybe you don't really need to worry about that right now.

If the house is decrepit and not worth very much, then you don't need to do anything, since whoever pays the taxes will have to worry about demolishing the home or selling it to someone else.

Doesn't the tax notice mention what will happen if the taxes are not paid?


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