Introduction

Kimberly J. Cuva, The Receiver of Taxes and Assessments, welcomes you to the Colonie Tax Office.

The staff and I welcome any inquires pertaining to collection policies as well as general tax information. We offer our assistance to residents, realtors, lending institutions, title companies, and other entities that may require tax information. Upon request, we will be happy to furnish duplicate tax bills and receipts via email, mail or fax. The tax roll is available on computer, hard copy, and micro fiche for public inspection.

The hours of collection are extended to 8:30am - 6:00pm during the last 5 business days of January and September. This affords residents the opportunity to pay tax bills after work hours during the last 5 business days of the penalty free collection. For information on dates, please contact the Tax Office.

Duties of the Office of Receiver of Taxes

The Town of Colonie is a Town of the first class. Collecting officers in Towns of the first class are know as Receivers of Taxes and Assessments. This is an elected position with a four year term. Before entering upon the duties of the office, it is required that all tax collecting officers take and subscribe the Constitutional oath of office. In addition, an official undertaking or bond, which guarantees the faithful performance of the office, must be executed and filed in the Town Clerk's Office. Once the Receiver has taken the oath and executed the bond, she becomes the insurer and guarantor of all moneys, securities, books, papers and records that the law provides shall be in her custody.

• The Receiver of Taxes collects the General Property Taxes in January. The bills are mailed December 31st. The tax bill covers the period of January 1st. - December 31st. Payments can be made January 1 - 31, without penalty. If they are paid February 1 -28, there is a 1% penalty and if paid March 1 - 31, there is a 2% penalty. On April 1st., all unpaid tax bills are turned over to the Albany County Department of Finance for collection.
• The General Tax bill contains levies for the Town, County, and special districts. In addition, if school, village taxes, or water bills are unpaid, they will be re-levied on the General Tax Bill. If a previous owner was receiving an exemption, an exemption payback amount may also appear on the bill which covers the time period that the new property owner enjoyed a previous owner's exemption to which they were not entitled to. Please contact our office if there are any questions regarding the amounts due.
• The Colonie Tax Office also collects the taxes for five school districts - South Colonie, North Colonie, Menands Union Free, Niskayuna Central and Mohonasen Public. School bills are mailed August 31st. They are due in the month of September without penalty. If they are paid October 1 - 31, there is a 4% penalty. On November 1st., all unpaid school bills are turned over to Albany County. They may be paid at the County the month of November with additional interest and penalties. After December 1st., all unpaid school bills are levied on the following general tax bill with a 7% penalty.
• Payments are accepted in person at the Tax Office which is located on the first floor of Town Hall in Latham. This is across from Siena College. Payments made in person can be made by cash or check. Payments can also be made by mail. The address is Colonie Tax Office, 534 New Loudon Road, Latham, NY 12110. Please do not send cash through the mail. Online payments are available through the online payment portal. Please see "payment methods" on the Tax Department homepage.
• In addition to the collection of general and school taxes, the Tax Office also collects water usage and miscellaneous water bills for the Department of Public Works, Division of Latham Water. The district is split into three sections for billing and collecting purposes only. The three water sections are billed in February, March and April and again in August, September, and October. Approximately 22,000 water accounts are billed twice a year for water usage. Each section has 30 days to pay without penalty. After 30 days, a 5% penalty is added to the bill.
• To assist our elderly and disabled residents, third party notification of tax bills is offered. Property owners who are disabled or 65 years of age or older , and own a one, two, or three family home, may designate an adult consenting third party to receive duplicate copies of tax bills and notices of unpaid taxes. In order to receive this service, one must fill out a third party notification form RP-923, which is available in the Tax Office.
• Many residents have their taxes escrowed with lending institutions. The Tax Office updates bank codes prior to each billing cycle. It is the lending institution's responsibility to notify this office of any additions or deletions of accounts. Many banks contract with Tax Service Organizations (TSOs), which are agencies that service escrow accounts for the banks. These organizations provide us with a listing of their customers and their identifying account numbers. The larger organizations do this primarily by computer disc. In the event that a resident received a bill that should have gone to the bank, it is still the responsibility of the bank to call for that bill. If the bill should have gone to the homeowner, but went to the bank, it is the homeowner's responsibility to know that taxes are due. Please call our office immediately and we will issue you a duplicate bill. The failure to mail a statement or the failure of a property owner to receive a statement will not affect the validity of the taxes or interest prescribed by law. (New York State Real Property Tax Law §922). If you should have received a bill, but have not during the first week of September and January, please contact this office for a duplicate bill.