I accidentally paid my property tax twice - how to get my money back?

Don't panic! This happens more often than you might think with new homeowners. The good news is that you can definitely get your money back. Call your county tax office first thing tomorrow morning and explain the situation. Have your tax bill number, property address, and payment information ready. Tell them you accidentally made a duplicate payment because your mortgage company already paid through escrow. They deal with this situation regularly. In most counties, they'll either void your check if it hasn't been processed yet, or they'll issue you a refund for the overpayment. The refund might take a few weeks to process, but you'll get your money back. Some counties even automatically detect duplicate payments and issue refunds without you having to ask. For future reference, if you have an escrow account with your mortgage, they typically handle property tax and homeowners insurance payments. You can check your mortgage statement or call your lender to confirm what's covered in your escrow.

Something similar happened to me last year and I found this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that really helped me sort through the confusion. I was getting all kinds of contradictory advice about how to handle my duplicate payment situation, and I wasn't sure if I needed to file any special forms or if there were tax implications. I uploaded my property tax bill, mortgage statement, and bank records to taxr.ai and it analyzed everything and gave me step-by-step instructions for getting my refund. It showed me exactly what to say to the county tax office and even pointed out that in my jurisdiction, I was entitled to interest on the overpayment. The whole process was surprisingly simple once I had clear guidance.

Update: I ended up trying taxr.ai after my last comment and wanted to share my experience. It was actually really helpful! My situation was a bit more complicated because I had my property reassessed mid-year and wasn't sure which tax amount was correct. The service analyzed all my documents and even found that my mortgage company had applied the payment to the wrong tax year initially. That would have caused me problems down the road. They gave me a complete explanation of what happened and exactly what to say to both my mortgage company and the county tax office. I was able to get everything sorted out in one phone call with the documentation they provided. Definitely saved me time and headaches trying to figure it all out on my own. Plus they have this cool feature where you can chat with their system about specific questions related to your situation.

If you're having trouble getting through to your county tax office (which is likely - they're always swamped), I used a service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through to my assessor's office when I had almost the exact same situation. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I tried calling the county for DAYS about my double property tax payment and kept getting stuck on hold or disconnected. Claimyr got me through to a real person in about 15 minutes who helped process my refund request immediately. The system calls the office for you and then calls you when a human picks up. Saved me hours of frustration and got my refund process started right away instead of spending days trying to get through. The county ended up sending me a check about 3 weeks later.

I take back what I said before. I was super skeptical but I tried Claimyr out of desperation yesterday after waiting on hold with my county assessor for over 2 hours and getting disconnected. I was shocked when my phone rang about 20 minutes after signing up, and it was actually connected to a real person at the tax office! They were able to look up my account immediately and confirm they had received both payments. They're processing my refund now and said I should have it in 2-3 weeks. I hate admitting when I'm wrong, but this service actually delivered exactly what it promised. Saved me so much frustration of repeated calls and being stuck on hold. Worth every penny for the time saved.

Here's what I'd do - call your bank immediately and see if you can stop payment on the check. If it hasn't cleared yet, this is your fastest option (there's usually a small fee but worth it). If it's already been processed, definitely call the county tax office asap. In my county, they automatically issue refunds for overpayments, but it can take 6-8 weeks. Some places will let you apply the overpayment to next year's taxes instead if you prefer. Also, check your mortgage documents or call your lender to make sure you understand what's covered by your escrow. Typically they handle property taxes and insurance, but it's good to confirm so this doesn't happen again. Good luck!

random question but has anyone ever had luck getting interest on their property tax refund? I made a duplicate payment back in January and just got my refund check but no interest even though they held my money for 3 months?

Don't stress too much about this - it's a really common mistake for new homeowners! I went through the exact same thing my first year and it all worked out fine. Here's what I'd recommend doing right away: 1. Call your county tax office first thing in the morning and explain you made a duplicate payment. Have your property address, tax bill number, and payment details ready. 2. Most counties have dealt with this before and have a standard process for refunds. They'll likely ask you to fill out a simple overpayment refund form. 3. You'll need to provide proof of both payments - your mortgage statement showing the escrow disbursement and your check payment confirmation. 4. Ask about the timeline for getting your refund. Some counties are quick (2-3 weeks) while others can take longer. The good news is that you WILL get your money back - it's just a matter of following their process. Many counties even have automatic systems that detect duplicate payments and issue refunds without you having to ask. For next year, just check your mortgage statement or call your lender before paying any taxes directly. Your escrow account should handle property taxes and homeowners insurance automatically. You can usually see the scheduled disbursements in your online mortgage account. You're not an idiot - this happens all the time! Better to be proactive about paying your taxes than to miss a payment.

I work for a county tax assessor's office and can confirm that duplicate property tax payments happen surprisingly often, especially with first-time homeowners who aren't familiar with how escrow accounts work. The good news is that you will definitely get your money back! Here's the process from our side: When we receive duplicate payments, our system flags them during reconciliation. We typically send out refund checks automatically within 4-6 weeks, but calling speeds up the process significantly. When you call, have your parcel number (from your tax bill), property address, and both payment confirmations ready. A few important tips from someone who processes these daily: - If your check was just mailed yesterday, it may not even be in our system yet, so don't panic if they can't see it initially - Ask specifically about interest on the overpayment - many people don't know they're entitled to it - Request that they note your file that this was an escrow account issue so there's no confusion about the refund reason Also worth mentioning - once you get this sorted out, ask your mortgage company to send you their annual escrow analysis statement. This shows exactly what they pay and when, which will help you avoid this situation next year. Most lenders are required to provide this annually anyway. You're definitely not alone in this mistake - we probably process 50+ of these refund requests every month!

I've been through this exact situation and can share what worked for me. First, don't beat yourself up - this is incredibly common with new homeowners who have escrow accounts. Here's what I did that got me the fastest resolution: 1. Called the county tax office early in the morning (they're usually less busy then) and explained I accidentally made a duplicate payment due to not realizing my mortgage escrow had already covered it. 2. They had me email them a copy of my mortgage statement showing the escrow disbursement along with my payment confirmation. This helped them quickly verify both payments. 3. I specifically asked about getting interest on the overpayment since they'd be holding my money - turned out I was entitled to it but they don't automatically mention this. 4. Got my refund check in about 3 weeks rather than the 6-8 weeks they initially quoted, probably because I had all the documentation ready. One thing that really helped was setting up online access to my county's tax portal so I could track the status of both payments and the refund request. Most counties have this now. For next year, I set a calendar reminder to check my mortgage escrow disbursement schedule before tax season so I know exactly when my lender will be making payments. You can usually find this in your online mortgage account or by calling them. You'll get your money back - just follow the process and stay organized with your documentation!

I'm a tax professional and see this situation frequently with my clients. You're absolutely going to get your money back, so try not to stress about it! Here are the key steps I always recommend: 1. Contact your county tax office immediately - don't wait. Explain that you have an escrow account that already made the payment and you accidentally sent a duplicate check. They handle this situation regularly. 2. Gather your documentation now: your property tax bill, the canceled check or payment confirmation, and your mortgage statement showing the escrow disbursement. Having everything ready speeds up the process considerably. 3. Ask specifically about their refund timeline and whether you're entitled to interest on the overpayment (many counties are required to pay interest if they hold your money beyond a certain timeframe). 4. For the future, contact your mortgage servicer and ask them to provide you with an annual escrow disclosure statement. This shows exactly what payments they'll be making and when, so you can avoid this situation next year. The silver lining here is that being proactive about paying your taxes shows you're a responsible homeowner - you just need to coordinate better with your escrow account going forward. Most counties will have your refund processed within 4-6 weeks once you submit the proper documentation.

I'm a mortgage loan officer and can confirm that this is one of the most common mistakes new homeowners make! You're definitely not alone in this situation. Here's what I typically advise my clients who find themselves in this predicament: First, don't panic - you WILL get your money back. The county has processes in place specifically for handling duplicate payments because they see this so frequently. Second, act quickly but strategically. Since you just mailed the check yesterday, there's a small chance it hasn't been processed yet. Call your bank first to see if you can stop payment - there's usually a $30-35 fee, but that might be worth it to avoid the refund waiting period. If the check has already cleared (which sounds like it has based on other comments), then your next step is calling the county tax office. Have your property address, parcel number from your tax bill, and both payment confirmations ready when you call. For the future, I always recommend that my escrow account holders check their annual escrow analysis statement before paying any taxes or insurance directly. Your lender is required to send this to you each year, and it shows exactly what they're scheduled to pay and when. You can also usually see upcoming escrow disbursements in your online mortgage account. The key lesson here is that if you have an escrow account, your mortgage company handles property taxes and homeowners insurance automatically. You should never need to pay these directly unless there's a shortage in your escrow account (which your lender would notify you about). You'll get through this - just follow the county's refund process and you'll have your money back in a few weeks!

I just went through this exact same situation last month and wanted to share my experience to hopefully ease your stress! The short version is: yes, you'll absolutely get your money back, but the process varies depending on your county's procedures. Here's what worked for me: **Immediate steps:** - I called my county treasurer's office first thing in the morning (around 8 AM when they opened) and explained the duplicate payment situation - Had my property tax bill, mortgage statement showing the escrow disbursement, and my check number ready - They were super understanding and said this happens "all the time" with new homeowners **The process:** - They had me fill out a simple overpayment refund request form (available on their website) - Required copies of both payment proofs - the escrow disbursement from my mortgage statement and my canceled check - Took about 5 weeks to receive the refund check, but they gave me a reference number to track the status **Bonus tip:** Ask about interest! I had no idea but was entitled to interest on the overpayment since they held my money for over 30 days. It wasn't much (like $15) but still nice to know about. **For next year:** I now have a recurring calendar reminder every November to check my mortgage account for scheduled escrow disbursements before paying any taxes directly. My lender shows all upcoming payments in their online portal. Don't feel like an idiot - this is honestly such a common new homeowner mistake. The important thing is you were trying to be responsible about paying your taxes on time! You'll have your money back soon enough.

I completely understand your panic - I made the exact same mistake during my first year as a homeowner! The good news is this is incredibly common and you will definitely get your money back. Since your check was just mailed yesterday, I'd recommend calling your bank first thing in the morning to see if you can stop payment on it. There's usually a fee (around $30), but that might be much faster than waiting for a county refund process that could take weeks. If the check has already been processed, then your next step is calling your county tax office. They deal with this situation constantly with new homeowners who have escrow accounts. Have your property address, tax bill number, and both payment confirmations ready when you call. Most counties have a standard refund process - you'll likely need to fill out an overpayment refund form and provide documentation of both payments (your mortgage statement showing the escrow disbursement and your payment confirmation). For future reference, check your annual escrow analysis statement from your mortgage company - it shows exactly what payments they make and when. You can also usually see upcoming escrow disbursements in your online mortgage account portal. Don't feel like an idiot - this happens to new homeowners all the time! Better to be proactive about paying taxes than to miss a payment. You'll get your money back, it's just a matter of following their process.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! As someone who just became a homeowner last month, I'm taking notes on all this advice. It's reassuring to see how common this mistake is and that there are clear steps to resolve it. I wanted to add one thing I learned from my real estate agent during closing - she recommended setting up alerts in my mortgage account for any escrow activity. Most lenders let you get email or text notifications when they make disbursements, which could help catch these situations before you accidentally make duplicate payments. Also, for anyone reading this thread later, I'd suggest calling your county tax office even if you're not sure you made a duplicate payment. They can quickly tell you what payments they've received for your property and from what sources. Better to check and be sure than to wonder! The community advice here about having all your documentation ready before calling is spot-on. It really does seem like being organized and proactive makes a huge difference in how quickly these situations get resolved. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical homeownership advice that new buyers like me need to hear!