News with Views-

Jeffrey Smiles was the personal representative for his Grandmother’s estate and he inherited her home in August 2008. The home had been in their family since 1947. There were no other assets and Jeffrey spent nearly $8,000 in this process, $4,500 in legal fees alone. All taxes were paid in full by Jeffrey.

The place was transitioned to Jeffrey as he worked to fix it up so he could rent it out. More taxes came due, but since he was spending so much money fixing up things, he approached the Baltimore County Tax Office to make a partial payment of $500. He personally took a Certified check of the $500 to them in early April 2010.

Jeffrey states he received one tax bill (others were not received) and he explained to the tax office that he was in the middle of remodeling work and couldn’t afford to pay in full right then but wanted to pay in 3 installments. This was all up front in good faith. He was told that they weren’t accepting partial payments but he had until December 2010 to pay and the figure of the tax bill wouldn’t increase much. So, that is what Jeffrey planned to do since they wouldn’t accept a partial payment plan.

Then Jeffrey got a letter from Baltimore County dated August 1, 2010 saying a tax lien had been issued. He shared with me how stunned he was and that he called the number listed and was quoted a figure more than double the amount listed. When he dared to question this new, engorged figure, even quoting the representative on the phone the law, he was hung up on. Jeffrey immediately called back and no one would answer. He left a message and the phone call was not returned.

The crime against Jeffrey Smiles built from here

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