My mom died several years ago. Do I need to pay her past due real estate property tax bills?
Her accountant filed her income taxes after her death, and now I have a bill for $200. Am I now liable for the debts of her estate? We are in the process of selling her home. Thank you in advance.
A: The quick answer is that you will need to settle up with the local taxing authority for any real estate taxes that may be owed on your mom’s home. Any buyer looking to purchase the home will want to make sure that any bills associated with the home are current and paid.
One more important thing about real estate taxes: If those taxes have not been paid for some time, you risk losing the house to a tax buyer. If that happens, you could lose the entire value of the home as a result of the unpaid taxes.Recently, the Supreme Court ruled that a local municipality can’t sell off a home to satisfy a debt to the municipality and also keep money above and beyond what was owed. But it doesn’t work that same way when it comes to unpaid real estate taxes.
We don’t think you have any personal obligation to repay your mom’s debts. But if you are inheriting property from your mom, your mom’s estate’s representative may have the obligation to settle those debts before giving any remaining funds to you. In the end, it may be the same result — you inherit her assets but the debts get paid off.
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