Homeowner Awaits Delayed Property Tax Refund

A homeowner in St. Paul is still waiting for a property tax refund that he relies on to help offset a substantial tax bill.

Steve Jones mentioned that he paid his property taxes by October 15, out of his own funds, while he was waiting for the refund to arrive.

He told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that typically, this refund comes in earlier and assists him with the second half of his tax payment.

“It usually arrives around late September or early October, which helps cover the second half of the property taxes, but this year, it just hasn’t come,” Jones explained.

Having purchased his St. Paul home back in 1986, he settled the mortgage by 2006. He pointed out that since his 4,000-square-foot home in the Highland neighborhood is now mortgage-free, he lacks an escrow account for tax payments.

Why the Delay?

According to Jones, his annual property tax bill amounts to around $6,400, with the refund being approximately half that amount. He reached out to 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS to inquire about the delay in receiving his refund.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS subsequently contacted the Department of Revenue to ask about the reasons behind the delays and how many taxpayers were affected.

Jones speculated that a one-time 15% increase in refunds might have caused the slowdown, but a spokesperson from the Department of Revenue clarified that this increase does not affect processing times.

“The one-time increase itself does not impact processing times for an individual’s return,” the spokesperson stated. “So far, we’ve processed over 507,000 returns, which accounts for 88% of returns received and is ahead of schedule compared to previous years.”

The spokesperson added that the duration of processing can vary for different reviews. Some returns require manual inspections for accuracy, to check for fraud, or for amendments, and the timing of refunds is dependent on when the returns are filed.

When Refunds Go Out

The department also noted that most homeowner refunds are typically disbursed in September and October.

They mentioned that the one-time 15% increase this year was manually adjusted for returns submitted before mid-July.

Jones did get in touch with someone at the Department of Revenue, who indicated that his refund would be prioritized and he might receive it in about two weeks.

He expresses concern for those who might struggle to make the tax payment due in October.

“We’re fortunate, I suppose. We’ve got Social Security, and we’re at the age where we have some regular pension payments and savings,” said Jones.

Does he think this situation could pose a financial burden for others?