Refund Requests for Credit Balances

Real Estate or Personal Property Tax Credit Balances

A refund check is issued to a taxpayer who has a credit balance on an account, provided that the taxpayer supplies the Treasurer/Collector with the proper documentation confirming payment, and provided there are no other outstanding taxes or water bills due and payable to the Town from any other year or on other property owned by the taxpayer.

To guard against mistakes made by mortgage companies and banks applying payments to the wrong accounts, we may require you to provide copies of your cancelled checks for our review to ensure refunds (or transfers) are issued to the party that made payment. It is the Town’s policy not to automatically issue refund checks for current Fiscal Year credit balances since all tax bills for the current Fiscal Year have not yet been issued. If you made an overpayment on one quarter, the overpayment will be credited towards the next quarter’s bill. Credit balances do not automatically move from one Fiscal Year to the next. The Fiscal Year Begins on July 1st and ends on June 30th.

If the credit was caused by an overpayment:

A written request is required. You must include your name, the property address, the Parcel ID number and your signature. Please also provide a current mailing address and telephone number. Forward your letter of request and all check copies (front and back) if required, disbursement sheets if applicable, and/or cash payment receipt(s) copies to: Town of Northborough, Treasurer/Collector, 63 Main Street, Northborough, MA  01532.

If your taxes are paid by a mortgage company or bank, we may require that you obtain a copy of their canceled check(s) along with the disbursement sheets that accompany the check(s). If the property has recently been purchased or refinanced, we may require a copy of the HUD-1 Settlement Statement, which lists the details of the taxes paid at the closing.

If the credit was caused by an abatement:

The refund will automatically be issued unless the property has changed hands during the fiscal year. The refund will usually be refunded to the record owner as of January 1 as it appears on the tax bill. If the property has been sold during the fiscal year to a new owner, the date of transfer (the date of the deed) and the information on the HUD-1 Settlement Statement may be required to determine who is eligible for the refund.

Motor Vehicle Excise Taxes

A refund is issued if there is a credit balance due to an abatement after the bill has been paid in full. In order to receive an abatement the taxpayer will need to file the necessary documentation with the Board of Assessors. To find out if you are entitled to an abatement and what documentation is necessary, please contact the Assessor’s Office at: 508-393-5005, or e-mail.