• Frequently Asked Questions on School Taxes

    1. Where should I mail my payment?
    2. How can I pay my tax bill in person?
    3. What happens if I don't receive my tax bill?
    4. Is it possible to make installment payments?
    5. Is it possible to pay my bill by credit card?
    6. What is an interim bill?
    7. If I don't receive my tax bill, can I pay the discounted amount after the deadline?
    8. What can I do if my mortgage company tells me the taxes have been paid, yet you have no record of payment?
    9. Is there property tax relief available?
    10. Should I pay my taxes if my house is being sold?
    11. How can I remove my spouse's name from the bill?
    12. How is the school district budget developed?
    13. How is the dollar amount of my tax bill calculated?
    14. What factors impact the tax rate?
    15. Why should senior citizens and people who do not have children in the schools pay school tax?
    16. What is the school district code number for filing Pennsylvania Income Tax forms? 
    17. How can I obtain a tax certification?
    18. How can I obtain a duplicate bill?     
    19. How do I change the address on my tax bill?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

     

    1. Where should I mail my payment?
     
    Full payments should be mailed to one of the addresses below. Please be advised that if you put your tax payment in the mail and we do not receive the payment for any reason, we cannot allow a discount or waive any penalties that may become due.
     
    Fulton Bank Lockbox Address:
    Tredyffrin/Easttown School District
    PO Box 4768
    Lancaster PA 17604
     
    Overnight Address:
    Fulton Bank
    Attn: Lockbox c/o Tredyffrin Easttown School District
    1695 State Street
    East Petersburg, PA 17520 
     
    2. How can I pay my tax bill in person?
     
    Take your tax bill/installment coupon to Fulton Bank. The local branch address is listed below. Be sure the teller receipts your copy and gives it back to you. If you choose to pay discount or face amounts on the last allowable day, you must pay at the bank before 3:00 pm.
     
    Fulton Bank Branch                         Fulton Bank Branch          
    155 E. Swedesford Road     or         1201 West Chester Pike
    Exton PA 19341                              West Chester PA 19382


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    3. What happens if I don't receive my tax bill?
     
    If you don't receive your tax bill by July 15th, please call the tax office at (610) 240-1940. We will verify your address and mail two copies for your use.
     
    4. Is it possible to make installment payments?
     
    Yes. This is not to be confused with making unauthorized partial payments. The only acceptable payments will be printed on your tax bill. If you choose to pay in installments, refer to "Special Instructions for Installment Payments" on the back of the bill.
     
     
     
    5. Is it possible to pay my bill by credit card?
     
    Yes. There is a credit/debit payment option available. You may also pay using e-checks. Instructions for this type of payment are on the back of your bill. ACI Payment Inc is the service provider and they will charge you 3.8% of the payment amount for this service. ACI accepts major credit cards including Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover/Novus. To pay your bill by phone, call 1-800-2PAY-TAX (1-800-272-9829). To pay your bill on-line, go to www.officialpayments.com.
     
    6. What is an interim bill?
     
    When you make certain improvements to your property, Chester County Board of Assessment may make an assessment change for your property. It will notify the School District of the additional assessment and the effective date of the change. The District's tax office will bill for that additional assessment separately until the County provides the full assessment (including the improvement) for your regular tax bill.
     
     
    7. If I don't receive my tax bill, can I pay the discounted amount after the deadline?
     
    No. Occasionally, a tax bill is returned to us because it is undeliverable. When a bill is returned, we re-check the address and send a duplicate. If you do not receive your tax bill by the 15th of July, call the tax office at (610) 240-1940.
     
    8. What can I do if my mortgage company tells me the taxes have been paid, yet you have no record of payment?
     
    Check with your mortgage company to be sure that they paid taxes on the correct parcel. Ask them if the check has been cashed. If the company continues to believe the bill was paid, ask them to call the T/E tax office at (610) 240-1940 and we will help confirm that your contact at the company has the address and parcel number. If your company uses a tax service, ask if the payment was returned. Ask the mortgage company or the tax service to provide a copy (front and back) of the canceled check.
     
    9. Is there property tax relief available?
     
    The Pennsylvania legislature enacted a law that expanded the Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) program to give more Pennsylvanians a rebate and increase the amount of the rebates.
     
    The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters, and half of Social Security income is excluded.

    The maximum standard rebate is $650, but supplemental rebates for qualifying homeowners can boost rebates to $975.

    The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program is one of five programs supported by the Pennsylvania Lottery. Since the program’s 1971 inception, older adults and adults with disabilities have received $4.8 billion in of property tax and rent rebates. The rebate program also receives funding from slots gaming. 
     
    Homeowners now receive:
     

    Income   

    Maximum Rebate

    $0 to $8,000

    $650

    $8,001 to $15,000

    $500

    $15,001 to $18,000

    $300

    $18,001 to $35,000

    $250


    Click here to visit the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue's web site to download the PTRR program form and other information.

     
    10. Should I pay my taxes if my house is being sold?
     
    Title companies generally pro-rate the taxes between buyer and seller at the time of settlement. If the taxes are already paid, the buyer will reimburse you for the number of days left in the tax year. If the taxes are not paid, they are collected at settlement. If, at the time of settlement, you already paid in discount, it will benefit you and the buyer.
     
    11. How can I remove my spouse's name from the bill?
     
    The District is not empowered to make this change. Taxpayers should call the Chester County Board of Assessment at (610) 344-6105 for information about making this change.
     
    12. How is the school budget developed?
     
    The school budget is compiled over a period of months beginning each fall, with final budget approval by the School Board in June. Dates and times of budget workings and meetings are posted on the T/E School District web site and in local newspapers. All budget meetings are open to the public. Click here for the budget section of the T/E School District web site.
     
    13. How is the dollar amount of my tax bill calculated?
     
    The Chester County Board of Assessment places an assessment value on your property. The school district sets a mill rate (an amount of tax paid on every $1000 assessment) according to budget needs. Your tax bill is a calculation of the assessment and the mill rate.
     
    14. What factors impact the tax rate?
     
    There are many factors including the rising costs of goods and services, and increases in enrollment. The budget process is long and complicated, but a great deal of information is available to the public at meetings, on the District web site and through the newspapers.
     
    15. Why should senior citizens and people who do not have children in schools pay school tax?
     
    The State determines funding sources for schools. At the present time, property owners are responsible for funding schools. The current process benefits the entire community through the appreciation of your property value.
     
    16. What is the school district code number for filing Pennsylvania Income Tax forms?
     
    The code number for Tredyffrin/Easttown School District is 15780.
     
    17.  How can I obtain a tax certification?
     
    Requests are to be sent to the T/E School District Tax Department, 940 West Valley Road, Suite 1700, Wayne, PA, 19087 with a $50.00 check payable to the T/E School Tax Collector. The request should include the owner name, property address and parcel number. The District emails the certifications, so a current email address should also be provided with the request. The certification includes the current tax year and four previous years.
     
    18. How can I obtain a duplicate bill?
     
    The District charges $50.00 for a duplicate bill. Checks are payable to the T/E School Tax Collector and must be mailed to the Tax Department. If the bill is requested ahead of time so that it can be included with payment, then the bill copy and check should be mailed to:
     
    Tredyffrin/Easttown School Tax Collector
    940 W Valley Road
    Suite 1700 
    Wayne PA 19087
     
    If you wish to send overnight payment: 
     
    Overnight Address:
    Fulton Bank
    Attn: Lockbox c/o Tredyffrin Easttown School District
    1695 State Street
    East Petersburg PA 17520 
     
    If a check is sent in without a bill, the $50.00 duplicate bill fee is to be included with the payment and sent to the tax department. 
     
     19. How do I change the address on my tax bill?