Extended Due Date for Tax Payments

Under “An Act to Address Challenges Faced by Municipalities and State Authorities Resulting from COVID-19,” Chapter 53 of the Acts of 2020, the Town of Acushnet, through its Board of Selectmen, has adopted local options to extend due dates for real and personal property tax payments, applications for exemptions, and a waiver of interest and penalties on certain municipal tax and other bills paid on or before June 29, 2020.

The official due date for payment of the fourth quarter property tax bills has changed from May 1, 2020 to June 1, 2020;

The official deadline for filing applications for property tax exemptions has been changed from April 1, 2020 to June 1, 2020;

This extension applies to applications for the exemptions listed in the third paragraph of G.L. c. 59, § 59, including exemptions under clauses 17, 17C, 17C1/2 and 17D (seniors, surviving spouses, minor children of deceased parent); 18 (financial hardship – activated military, age and infirmity); 22, 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D, 22E, 22F and 22H (veterans, surviving spouses and surviving parents); 37 and 37A (blind persons); 41, 41A, 41B, 41C and 41C1/2 (seniors); 42 and 43 (surviving spouse and minor children of firefighter/police officer killed in line of duty); 52 (certain eligible seniors); 53 (certain eligible properties with septic systems); 56 (National Guard and reservists on active duty in foreign countries); and 57 (local option tax rebates); and G.L. c.44B § 3 (CPA exemption). This extension also automatically applies to applications for residential exemptions under G.L. c. 59, § 5C, for small commercial exemptions under G.L. c. 59, § 5I and for deferrals under G.L. c. 59, § 5, clauses 41A (seniors) and 18A (poverty or financial hardship due to change to active military).

All penalties and interest for late payments made between March 10, 2020 and June 29, 2020 on all bills (property tax, motor vehicle, utilities) with due dates between March 10, 2020 and June 29, 2020 is waived.

The wording of the state legislation is specific that payments must be made before June 30, 2020.  Therefore, if a late payment is made on June 30, 2020, then penalties and interest will be charged. 

If a late payment is made on June 30, 2020 or after that date, interest will be calculated based on the due date of the bill.  So, the calculation of interest will be based on the due date of June 1, 2020 for property taxes and the specific due dates for any motor vehicle excise or utility bills.

The waiver described above does not include bills that had a due date before March 10, 2020.

For additional information or if you have questions, please call:
Assessor’s Office (for applications for tax exemptions) at 508-998-0205
Treasurer/Collectors Office (for payment information) at 508-998-0210