Under a new state law, the Cascade County Treasurer’s Office is now offering a payment plan for residential property taxes.

At the request of the owner of a primary residence, through an application to the treasurer’s office, the owner can pay current property taxes on an alternative payment schedule of seven payments.

One-seventh of taxes must be paid by 5 p.m. on the last day of each month beginning on Nov. 30 and ending on May 31 as long as the full amount is paid by 5 p.m. May 31 of each year.

Applications are due by Sept. 30 and are online or available in the treasurer’s office at 121 4th St. N., Suite 1A.

Call 406-454-6850 or email _real_estate@cascadecountymt.gov for questions.

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Once enrolled in the alternative payment schedule, the property owner remains enrolled until the owner provides a written request to terminate that program, according to the county’s application. The request to terminate must be made before Sept. 30 to apply to the current year. Termination requests made after Sept. 30 will apply to payments for the next year.

The county treasurer may not accept a payment from a third-party escrow service, lender or mortgage company.

A primary residence is a single-family dwelling unit, unit of a multiple-unit dwelling, trailer, manufactured home or mobile home and the surrounding land classified as class four residential property that’s been owned and occupied by the taxpayer for at least seven months of the year, according to the county’s application.

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It does not apply to a dwelling that isn’t on a permanent foundation and is classified by the department of revenue as personal property, according to the application.

On the November tax notices, information on the monthly installment amount will be included.

The legislation was backed during the 2023 session by the AARP, which said they supported the measure since older adults are less likely to pay property taxes through monthly escrow payments with their mortgage.

AARP also backed tax rebates, which were part of legislation passed in 2023.

The Montana Department of Revenue is currently accepting applications through Oct. 1 for the property tax rebate of up to $675 of property taxes paid on a principal residence.

To qualify, applicants must have owned and lived in a Montana residence for at least seven months of 2023 and paid the property taxes on that residence. Properties owned by an entity and irrevocable trusts are not eligible for the rebate.

A complete list of qualifications is here.

All property tax rebates will be sent by paper check.