Moultrie County

• Obtain a verbal or printed Redemption Estimate of the balance due from the County Clerk's office.

• Verify that the Estimate of the Cost of Redemption you receive is for the correct PIN (property index number, also known as a parcel or permanent real estate index number) for your property address.

• Do not redeem a property in which you have no ownership or other legal interest.

• If your property has been the subject of more than one tax sale, be sure you know which of the sales has priority. Because each sale may be on a different schedule, it is important to know the deadlines that apply to each sale. Be sure you know the last day to redeem (Expiration Date) for each sale to avoid losing your property.

• Moultrie County requires that redemption tax payments be made by certified or cashier's check or money order. Partial payments are not permitted by law, nor are credit cards, debit cards or personal checks.

• Unscheduled charges can increase the total amount your owe:

• If current taxes are not paid in full by the 2nd installment due date in September, the tax buyer may add them to the tax sale he already has, with additional fees and penalties. This is known as "Subsequent Taxes". The tax buyer is not required to wait for the tax sale in October for the current year's taxes if your taxes he purchased for a previous year remain due and has not yet reached the expiration date of the redemption period.

• If the sale is not redeemed prior to five months before the Expiration Date of the redemption period, certain costs, such as charges for the Moultrie County Sheriff to serve notices to you, Circuit Clerk fees, etc., may be included in the cost of redemption.

• If the tax buyer has filed a Petition for Tax Deed with the Circuit Clerk's office and the current year's tax bills have been issued, the tax buyer has the right to pay for these taxes and add them to the tax sale he is processing for tax deed. By doing so, the property owner would have to pay a larger amount right away in order to retain possession of his property. Otherwise, you could have paid the redemption amount needed to save the property from tax deed now. Then pay the current year's taxes either in a few months when due, or if this year's taxes are sold, pay them within the 2 1/2 years before the new expiration date as noted above.

• REDEEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID ADDITIONAL CHARGES.

• If you do not redeem your taxes before the Expiration Date of your redemption period, the tax buyer will proceed through the court system and obtain a tax deed whereas you will lose your property.