It's been a while since I've escrowed - but yes taxes will be paid from escrow. You should call to make sure it happens - and happens in the tax year you want it to (2017 or 2018) Usually they're not due in total till late January so you have a choice as to the year.

Some lenders insist on you paying your property tax into Escrow so they can be sure it's being paid. Some make it optional. Either way, it's your responsibility to make sure the taxes are paid. Speak to your lender. It sounds like you're paying the tax into Escrow, but you need to be sure, and as I said, you need to make sure the bank pays the tax on your behalf. Once they've made the first tax payment though, it's likely there won't be any administration issues going forward.

Yes. The property tax bill comes directly to you. In the next few days, you should receive a check from your mortgage lender. The check will be made out to you AND your municipality. You take the check to city hall and pay your bill. You sign over the check to the municipality. A few weeks later, you will get a refund check from the municipality for any over payment. If your escrow check is less than your bill, you pay the difference. That is rare, but can happen. Each year, your monthly escrow amount will be adjusted based on your bill from the prior year.

Make sure to pay it by Dec 31 so you can take it an a deduction on the 2017 tax return.

EDIT TO ADD: You can mail in your payment as well, but, to ensure you get credit for 2017, you are better off going to city hall in person and paying your bill. Otherwise, it is quite possible the check will sit at city hall until after the holidays and not be "received" by the municipality until 2018. If you go in person, you get a dated receipt to use for your tax return.

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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

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You will get a copy every year. As already mentioned the mortgage company will pay it out of your escrow. They should be aware of paying it but first year it’s a good idea to notify them.
One thing to be aware of be prepared for the payment to be readjusted after the first year. IME they usually get the estimate wrong and your payment goes up after the first year.

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"I think I've cracked the code. double letters are cheaters except for perfect squares (a, d, i, p and y). So Leddy isn't a cheater... "

Pretty much sums it up.

In MN the bank sends the check to you ?
That seems so odd that they don't pay it directly. That is not how they do that here in MD/DC/VA.

Weird thing for me is in our county the tax is due 1/8 so I had to instruct the bank to pay by 12/31 to be deducted in the current year.

Wisconsin. The "default" under WI law is that the lender issues a check by Dec 20 in the name of the borrower and the municipality. The law permits the borrower to request the lender pay the amount directly. If the borrower so elects, the borrower must send in the tax bill by Dec 20 to have it paid by Dec 31. If the borrower sends the tax bill after Dec 20, the lender has until Jan 31 to pay the municipality.

The borrower must contact the lending institution by November 1 regarding preference for paying, otherwise, the "default" kicks in. If a borrower fails to pay property tax by the due date, the lender may refuse to send the check to the lender and require direct payment.

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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR