General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAnyone from PA? Need to ask a question about city taxes now being collected by the state
and is this done by any other state?
Okay Every couple of months I get this letter from Berkheimer tax administrators. They keep saying they are collecting all the taxes for the city that I live in.
I called the city and they said the State is requiring this. BUT when I talked to other people about this in town they said I shouldn't be getting this because it has to do with home owners.
It seems when I try and get an answer I get the run around. ALSO when I google the company and checked it on BBB website it is not good only negative stuff.
Can anyone please help me out on this?
appleannie1
(5,067 posts)I think it is a dumb way of doing it because people that have kids in school that rent don't have to pay school tax but people without kids that own property do. But that is the way it has been done as long as I can remember.
Justice wanted
(2,657 posts)mass mailing. I was trying to figure out if it was school tax or city income tax or what. It isn't clear in the mailing.
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)to be paying property taxes
Saving Hawaii
(441 posts)It's a wash.
femmocrat
(28,394 posts)It could be an occupation tax or something other than property tax (paid only by homeowners). Sometimes there are regional tax collecting agencies that collect taxes for several small municipalities.
Call (or visit, taking the letter with you) your city controller's office to see who the tax collector is for your city. Or maybe your state representative's office could advise you.
Justice wanted
(2,657 posts)answers.
MgtPA
(1,022 posts)Everyone pays this, not just homeowners.
Justice wanted
(2,657 posts)Berkheimer been collecting in your area? Thanks for the info.
MgtPA
(1,022 posts)So at least since the early 1970's
PA Democrat
(13,225 posts)for wage taxes several years ago. Another local govt. however continues to collect its own wage taxes through the borogh tax collector. I would imagine that there may be some savings for small municipalities, but I agree that Berkheimer leaves a lot to be desired in the way of service.
bluestate10
(10,942 posts)mrmpa
(4,033 posts)The state now does require Berkheimer to collect taxes (wage) and remit them to your municipalilty. If your employer takes the taxes from your pay, they remit them to your municipality.
If you own your home, your county by March should inform you of what you owe and by July your municipality should inform you of what you own.
As you get a notice from Berkheimer every 3 months, you pay your wage tax, quarterly.
starroute
(12,977 posts)If you are, Berkheimer might want you to pay quarterly estimated employment tax to them directly. Otherwise, there's no reason they should be getting in touch with you.
But as far as I know, they have nothing to do with local real estate taxes, so the people you talked to are probably wrong about that.
Justice wanted
(2,657 posts)I just find it hard to believe the state is allowing a company not accredited by the BBB to do this and the few reviews I've seen on them have ALL been negative.
PA Democrat
(13,225 posts)If so, check to see if your employer is taking it out of your pay. If not, you will have to pay by April 15th. Even if your employer is withholding the tax, you still need to file a tax return through Berkheimer or whoever collects local wage taxes. It is a one page form. That is probably what you got because I just received mine.
starroute
(12,977 posts)Several months ago, we received a "notice of delinquency" from them saying we hadn't paid a Local Services Tax for doing business within our borough and that we owed them $20. I emailed them saying that we were self-employed but did not operate a business, and that in any case I'd never received any previous notification of this and could they explain why we'd been sent this notice. I never heard back.
Berkheimer has been collecting taxes as long as I can remember -- at least since the 1970's -- so they're not a fly-by-night. But I don't think they're well organized, and I suspect they sometimes set their people to going through lists of residents to see if there's somebody they can charge for something.
You might check your pay stubs to make sure the Earned Income Tax is being properly deducted. Or if they're definitely trying to bill you for a real estate tax, you could write them saying you do not own property. Aside from that, I don't think there's much you need to do.