I'm still paying property taxes on a home I don't own anymore

This is definitely fixable, but you need to act quickly before more tax issues pile up. First, you need to contact both the county tax assessor's office AND the county recorder's office. The recorder's office is where property deed transfers are officially recorded, and it sounds like something went wrong with recording your sale. Bring copies of your closing documents - especially the final settlement statement and the signed deed. For the taxes you've already paid, you can request a refund from the county tax collector. Most counties have a process for this, but you'll need to provide proof that you weren't the legal owner during the periods you paid taxes. This is where those closing documents are crucial. As for your tax returns where you claimed these property tax deductions, you'll likely need to file amended returns (Form 1040X) for any year you incorrectly claimed property taxes on a home you didn't own. Since the deductions weren't valid, you'll probably owe some additional taxes plus interest, but fixing this proactively is better than waiting for the IRS to catch it.

I went through something like this last year and discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) was super helpful in sorting out the documentation mess. My situation was with rental property taxes I was still paying after a sale, and I needed to prove exactly when ownership transferred and which payments were made when. The service analyzed all my closing documents, old tax returns, and payment records to create a clear timeline showing I was due a refund of about $7,200 in property taxes. It also helped identify which tax years needed amendments. Their document analysis saved me from having to piece everything together manually while trying to explain the situation to multiple government offices.

Just wanted to update everyone - I ended up trying taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here, and it was exactly what I needed! My situation with the trust property transfer and multiple jurisdictions wasn't too complicated for them after all. They identified exactly which property tax payments were eligible for recovery and which tax returns needed amendments. They pointed out something I hadn't even considered - that some of the property taxes I paid should actually be added to my basis calculation for the property sale rather than taken as itemized deductions. This apparently makes a big difference in how the recovery is handled tax-wise. Just got confirmation that my refund from the county is being processed, and I've now got clear documentation for my amended returns.

Had almost this exact situation happen to me last year, but the county was giving me the runaround for months! Every time I called, I'd wait on hold for 45+ minutes only to get transferred around and ultimately disconnected. After trying for literally 4 months, I found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual human at the county tax office in minutes. They have this system that navigates all the phone trees and holds for you, then calls you when a live person answers. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Once I finally got to speak with someone who could actually help, I got the ownership records corrected and started my refund process within a single call. Totally worth it after wasting so many hours trying to do it myself.

I have to eat my words about the Claimyr service. After posting my skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try it for my county assessor issue. Not only did I get through in about 20 minutes (after trying for WEEKS on my own), but I actually got transferred to a supervisor who helped resolve my property assessment appeal that had been pending for months. The person I spoke with explained that most property tax offices are severely understaffed right now, and calls are basically answered in the order received. The service just waited in that queue for me. The county tax office actually processed my refund request immediately once I explained the situation and emailed them my documentation during the call. Definitely changed my perspective on how to deal with government offices!

Make sure you check if the title company had an error and omissions insurance policy! When I had a similar problem, it turned out the title company failed to record the deed properly after my closing. Their E&O insurance ended up covering not just the back taxes I paid, but also the cost of filing the amended tax returns. Don't just assume you have to eat these costs yourself.

Something nobody's mentioned yet - you should check if the new owner has been claiming the property tax deduction on THEIR taxes too, even though you were paying it! If so, the IRS might come after both of you for sorting this out. When I had a similar issue, the new owners had been claiming the deduction even though I was the one actually paying the bills.

This is a surprisingly common issue that often stems from problems with the deed recording process or outdated county database systems. The fact that you've been autopaying for 3 years without noticing shows how easy it is for these situations to slip by. A few additional points to consider: First, document everything NOW - print out all your autopay records, bank statements showing the tax payments, and your closing documents. You'll need this paper trail for both the county refund process and your amended tax returns. Second, contact your real estate agent or closing attorney from the original sale. They may have professional liability insurance that covers recording errors, and they're often better equipped to navigate county bureaucracy quickly. Third, regarding the tax implications - you mentioned claiming these on Schedule A, but since you didn't actually own the property, those deductions were invalid. When you file your amended returns, you might actually owe additional federal taxes plus interest for the years you incorrectly claimed the deductions. However, the property tax refund you'll eventually receive from the county should help offset some of that cost. Finally, make sure to put a stop on that autopay immediately if you haven't already! The county might continue billing you even after you start the correction process.

Great question about timing limitations! Generally, most counties allow property tax refund requests for 3-5 years back, but this varies significantly by jurisdiction. Some are more generous (up to 7 years) while others are stricter (only 2-3 years). You'll need to check your specific county's policy. For IRS amended returns, you typically have 3 years from the original filing date or 2 years from when you paid the tax, whichever is later. So there can definitely be timing mismatches where you might recover some years but not others. Here's the strategy I'd recommend: Start with the most recent tax years first since those are most likely to be within both the county refund period and the IRS amendment window. Work backwards from there. Even if you can't recover everything, getting the recent years corrected is better than nothing. Also, document your good faith effort to correct the situation - if you can show the IRS you're proactively fixing an honest mistake, they're often more lenient about penalty waivers, even if some of the corrections fall outside normal time limits.