Brooklyn Center, MN
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Ownership Services / Assessing
Hennepin County is responsible for property evaluations and assessing for the City of Brooklyn Center. The County will have primary responsibility for establishing the estimated market value and classification for more than 8,986 parcels for property tax purposes. The market values must be in compliance with standards established by the Minnesota Department of Revenue and Minnesota Statutes and should represent the most probable selling price of the property as of the assessment date. Properties are physically reviewed by an appraiser every five years.
Hennepin County will also be responsible for accepting and processing homestead applications.
Property Valuations and Assessor
- Residential Property Assessments - Hennepin County Appraiser Josh Whitney at (612) 715-6181
- Commercial Property Assessments - Hennepin County Appraiser Lisa Olmen at (612) 543-3645
- For Property Tax Programs or Exemptions - Hennepin County (612) 348-3046
- Property Tax Information - Hennepin County (612) 348-3011
- Property Information Search - Hennepin County website
- Homestead Applications - Hennepin County Assessors Office (612) 348-3046
- City Special Assessments - Payment and information prior to rollover to the County taxes - City of Brooklyn Center Community Development Department (763) 569-3330
Hennepin County has commissioned two videos as a resource to explain the assessment and taxation process.
- Assessment (valuation and classification) process can be found here
- Information about the taxation and levy process is located here
- The Department of Revenue also has resources and information on the property tax refund for homeowners and renters.
As of April 2020, Hennepin County Assessors Office will be processing homestead applications for Brooklyn Center residents. If you are a new homeowner or qualifying relative of a homeowner, you can save property taxes by filing for the homestead classification. This classification provides a reduction in taxable value for owner(s) or relative(s) that occupy property as their primary residence.
To file for homestead classification, all new homeowner(s) must apply with the Hennepin County Assessors Office. The homeowner(s) will need the Social Security numbers for all owners who occupy the property, a copy of the Certificate of Real Estate Value, and a copy of one of the following proofs of ownership:
- Warranty Deed
- Contract For Deed
- Quit Claim Deed
- Certificate of Title
- Trust Deed
- Personal Representative Deed
- Limited Deed
The Certificate of Real Estate Value and Deed should be located in your closing packet.
If there has been a change in your legal name, marital status or a death of an owner, the homeowner will need to reapply for homestead to continue homestead status. This change will not correct your tax statement. In addition, you will need to notify Hennepin County Property Tax at (612) 348-3011 to correct the name or address on your tax statement.
Property owners who are blind or permanently disabled may qualify for an additional tax reduction called the special homestead classification. Please call (612) 348-3046 for more information, or see the special homestead classification instructions.
Your Property Tax Statement
The Property Tax Statement contains a summary of your property value and tax by each taxing jurisdiction for the current and prior year. It also includes payment stubs which can be used when making your tax payment. Hennepin County mails the statements during the month of March. The first half of your property tax is due in May and the second half is due in October.
Property tax payments can be made in person at any Hennepin County Service Center, by mail, or on the Hennepin County website. Questions regarding ownership or address changes printed on the tax statement can be directed to Hennepin County Taxpayer Services at (612) 348-3011. Please have your address or parcel identification number available when calling.
Hennepin County Property Information
Proposed Property Tax Notices
The annual assessment is used to calculate your proposed property tax for the following year. For example your January 2020 assessment is used to determine the proposed property tax you will pay in 2021. You receive your proposed property tax notice (also called a Truth-in-Taxation notice) in November. This notice shows your proposed property tax if the taxing jurisdictions approve the budgets and tax levies they are considering. Once they approve those budgets and tax levies, your property tax is finalized. This notice does not include any school district referendums that may have recently passed. This notice is only a proposal of the property taxes, and does not include any special assessments.
This notice will include any meeting dates and times for the city, county and school district budget meetings should you wish to voice questions or concerns about your property tax.
Property Tax Refunds
For more information on property tax refunds, rebates, and credits, contact the Minnesota Department of Revenue at (651) 296-3781 or 1 (800) 657-3676; TTY users call 711 for Minnesota Relay. Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Fridays.
Free tax help to seniors, people with low incomes or disabilities, and non-english speaking is available.
To find a volunteer tax help site in your zip code area, call (651) 297-3724. Tax help is only available from February 1st through April 15th.
Need forms or want to check on your refund?
You may call anytime day or night to check on the status or to order forms at (651) 296-3781. You may download forms and other tax-related information from this website. If you must request forms by mail, write to: Minnesota Tax Forms, Mail Station 1421, St. Paul, MN 55146-1421.
Senior Citizens Tax Deferment Program
Participation in this program is voluntary. If you participate, a tax lien will be placed on your property. This lien must be satisfied before you can sell your property. In the event of your death, your heirs must satisfy the lien before they can acquire clear title. You may want to consult with an attorney, an estate planner, or a family member before enrolling. Also, please refer to the information on the Property Tax Refund if you have not applied for this program in the past.
What is it?
The Senior Citizens’ Property Tax Deferral program allows people 65 years of age or older, and whose household incomes are $60,000 or less, to defer a portion of their homestead property taxes. The program began with property taxes payable in 2000.
How does it work?
This is not a tax forgiveness program – it is a loan from the state. The deferred tax is paid by the state to your county. Interest will be charged on this loan. The interest rate will be adjusted annually, but will not exceed 5 percent. A lien will attach to your property.
While in this program, you will pay no more than 3 percent of your household income toward your property taxes each year, no matter how high your property taxes actually are. The state will pay the rest. You, or your heirs, will need to repay the deferred amount before you can transfer title of the property.
As part of your initial application, you will need to provide – at your expense – a report detailing any mortgages, liens, judgments, or unpaid property taxes on the property. If there are none, you will still need to provide a report confirming this fact. The report must be dated within 30 days of your application. Depending on the type of property you own, your report must be one of the following:
- If you have "Abstract" property, a licensed abstracter must prepare a report showing the last deed recorded and any unsatisfied liens or judgments. Such a report is also called an "Owners and Encumbrances" report. These reports cost approximately $50.
- If you have "Torrens" property, you will need to obtain a copy of the "Original Certificate of Title," sometimes called a "Condition of Register," from the county recorder. This certificate costs $10.
- If you are unsure what type of property you have, contact your county recorder.
What about my refunds or rebates?
When you apply for property tax refunds or rebates based on the qualifying amount on your property tax statement, you will not receive the refunds or rebates as cash payments. They will be applied to your deferred property tax total. Your income tax refunds, political contribution refunds, or lottery winnings of any type will also be applied to your deferred property tax.
The Department of Revenue Property Tax Division will notify you whenever they use a refund to reduce the amount of deferred tax. If your refund exceeds the deferred amount, they will send you a check for the difference.
Who may be eligible?
In order to qualify for this program, all of the following conditions must be met:
- The property must be owned and occupied as a homestead by a person 65 years of age or older. In the case of a married couple, both must be at least 65 when the first deferral is granted. (The homestead can be classified as residential or agricultural, or it may be part of a multi-unit building.)
- The total household income may not exceed $60,000 for the calendar year proceeding the year of initial application.
- The home must have been owned and occupied as the homestead of at least one of the homeowners for at least 15 years prior to the year of initial application.
- There must be no state or federal tax liens or judgment liens on the property.
- The total unpaid balance of debts secured by mortgages and other liens against the property must not exceed 75 percent of the estimated market value of the property.
How do I apply?
Applications are available in your county auditor’s office. All applications must be made by July 1 to defer a portion of the following year’s tax. You may apply in the year in which you become 65 years old, but no deferral will be allowed until the following year.
What else should I know?
If you are accepted into the program, the state will file a notice of lien with your county. If there are fees associated with this filing, you will be responsible for paying them.
Deferral of taxes will terminate when any one of the following occurs:
- The property is sold or transferred.
- The qualifying homeowner dies.
- The homeowner notifies the Commissioner of Revenue, in writing, that he/she wishes to discontinue the program.
- The property no longer qualifies as a homestead.
Upon termination of the deferral, the deferred taxes and interest will become due and payable to the state. If the property is sold or the homeowner dies, payment is due within 90 days of termination. If the homeowner voluntarily leaves the program or the property ceases to qualify as a homestead, the deferred taxes and interest will become due within one year of termination. No additional interest will be due if timely paid. If the deferral is not timely paid, penalty, interest, lien, forfeiture, and other rules for the collection of property taxes will apply.
What if I have questions?
This is only a summary of the Senior Citizens Property Tax Deferral program. For more information, or for answers to specific questions, contact:
Property Tax Division
Minnesota Department of Revenue
651-296-0335 or
1-800-627-9094, extension 6-0335
TDD/TTY users: call the Minnesota Relay Service at 1-800-627-3529; ask for 1-800-652-9094, extension 6-0335
The Community Development Department is responsible for receipting special assessment prepayments. These are the special assessments that have not yet been certified to the property taxes with Hennepin County.
The City of Brooklyn Center has a feature that can be used to look up and pay pending and levied assessments. This feature can also calculate interest for the special assessments. To look up an assessment, you will need a property address or parcel identification number (PID or PIN). Please click here to access this service: City of Brooklyn Center Assessment Lookup/payment.
At the bottom of the Assessment Lookup there is a link to Assessments Certified to Property Taxes. Please call Hennepin County at (612) 348-3046 to verify that the certified amounts remain due and payable to Hennepin County.
If you have any questions please call the Community Development Department, Ownership Services at (763) 569-3330.
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