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Town Collector

Show All Answers

1. What are some of the benefits of receiving my bill electronically?

It is convenient, saves time, reduces errors, allows you to receive bills anywhere at any time and helps the environment by saving trees. You can continue to receive a paper bill, but if you elect to go paperless, you can always print out a copy of the invoice if needed.

2. What's the Invoice Cloud website?

View the Invoice Cloud Website.

3. When is Personal Property billed?

Personal Property is on the same billing schedule as real estate.

4. What property is taxable?

Tangible (that is, physical) property is subject to the personal property tax unless exempted by statute. Items defined as tangible personal property range from the chairs in a barbershop to the furnishings of a doctor’s waiting room; from the drills used by a dentist to the poles owned by a utility company.

5. What are Personal Property taxes?

All personal property situated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and personal property belonging to the inhabitants of the Commonwealth wherever situated, is subject to taxation unless expressly exempted by law.

6. Why should I pay interest on a late payment when I never received my tax bill?

Under state law, failure to receive a bill does not affect the validity of the tax or any interest or fines incurred due to late payment(s). It is the responsibility of the taxpayer to secure his/her tax bill when one is not received.

7. I’ve lost my tax bill for the next billing cycle what should I do?

We cannot continue to mail out additional bills because it becomes too costly, however you must come into the office and a tax statement will be printed for payment of your taxes or you can go online to the Collector's Office page and print a new bill.

8. Can I make a partial payment on my real estate tax bill?

Partial payments are accepted on real estate taxes, however the amount must be at least ten (10%) of the balance due.

9. Can you correct my mailing address on auto excise bill?

The Town of Dartmouth cannot make this change. You need to notify the Registry of Motor Vehicles and your insurance company of any address change immediately. If you do not receive an excise bill, it is your responsibility to contact the Town Collector’s Office at (508) 910-1806 or you can check online to see if you have a bill by using your registration number.

10. Why is the former owner(s) name on my real estate tax bill?

The tax bill is assessed to the owner of record as of January 1st which is the assessment date for the fiscal year. It is very important that during the closing of the property that the Town is notified of ownership and mailing address change. Copies of deeds must be made available to the Town for proper changes of ownership. Taxes are prorated at the closing between the buyer and seller. Property may be transferred several times within a fiscal year.

11. What forms of payment can I use?

You can pay by credit or debit card or you may issue an electronic check from your bank account (checking or savings). Please check your biller’s website for the credit and debit cards that are eligible.

12. Can more than one person pay bills online for the same account?

There are two ways that payment responsibilities can be shared. If the other payer is part of your household, you may choose to share your login information with that individual. In a situation where personal financial data is not shared, you may forward your email notification to the individual, who will then use “View or Pay Now” button and elect to make an express pay payment. They will need to enter their name, email address, address and payment information. They will receive the payment confirmation. You can verify their payment by viewing the invoices in your account.

13. I forgot my Password, how do I find it?

You should use the “Forgotten Password?” button on the login screen. You will need your account number and email address to retrieve your password. If you’re unable to locate this information, you may call the Biller, and after verifying your identity, the Biller can provide you with the information.

14. How do I find my account number to login?

Once you have registered, you will need only your email address and password to log in. To login the first time you use the system, you will need your account number or customer ID from your bill. The “locate your bill” screen gives instructions regarding the required information.

15. How Do I Register?

Registering is easy and can be done when you make a payment. There are two ways you can make a payment.

1. When you receive an email notification that your bill is ready to be paid, simply use the "View Invoice or Pay Now" button. You will be directed to Biller's "Pay and/or View Bills Online" site, powered by Invoice Cloud. Once there, you will be given the opportunity to register or make a One Time Payment. If you choose to register, you will be asked to provide a password and accept the terms and conditions to use the system. The payment information you enter in your profile will then be securely encrypted and saved for your next visit.
2. You can go directly to the biller's website and use "Pay or View your Bill" button. You will then be directed to the Biller's "Pay and/or View Bills Online" site, powered by Invoice Cloud. Once there, you will need to locate your account and be given the opportunity to register or make an express payment. If you choose to register, you will be asked to provide a password and accept the terms and conditions to use the system. The payment information you enter in your profile will then be securely encrypted and saved for your next visit.

16. Why should I register to pay a bill?

By registering, you have access to all of your invoices regardless of type and all of the features of the payment portal. These features include the ability to view all current invoices, see previous invoices and payment dates, update your profile information, access the online customer service system, go paperless (if bill type allows), schedule payments for a specific dates, and sign up for Auto-Pay. You also avoid having to enter your payment information each time you pay a bill.

17. Do I need to register to pay a bill?

You may need to register to receive electronic bills by email, but registration is not required for One Time Payments. One Time Payments require that you enter your payment information each time you make a payment. By registering, you avoid that step and gain access to your payment history.

18. Will I receive a confirmation email that my bill has been paid?

Yes, you will receive a confirmation email.

19. When I try to pay my bill, it asks for credit card information and I want to pay by electronic check?

Under “How would you like to pay” click on the drop-down box and choose EFT Check.

20. Do I have to enter an email address to make a payment?

Yes, an email address is required for payment confirmation. A payment receipt is sent via email.

21. I can't locate my bill?

Please scroll down on the page to view the matching items at the bottom. Otherwise, try re-reading the instructions for the search criteria. You may be entering more than one search criteria for Real Estate or Personal Property bills, which may only require one out of two fields. Utility bills may require a service address as confirmation. It must be entered exactly as indicated on printed bill.

22. What Browsers are supported?

Windows:

• Safari 4, 5
• Chrome 10, 1
• Opera 10, 11
• Firefox 3.6, 4
• Internet Explorer 7, 8, 9

iPhone and iPad:

• Mobile Safari 4x

Apple / Mac:

• Firefox 3.6, 4.0
• Chrome 11
• Opera 10.x, 11
• Safari 4, 5

Ubuntu (Linux):

• Opera 9.6
• Firefox 3.6

23. Can I use an Apple / Mac to use the service?

Yes, many customers use Macs.

24. How does the system work?

It is very simple. Here are the 3 steps taken by customers:

1. Customer receives email notifications or accesses the account via the Biller website by using the "View or Pay Your Bill" button.
2. Customer locates and views the invoice and either enters payment information for a One Time Payment or registers to schedule a payment.
3. Customer receives an email confirmation with their payment amount and payment process date.

25. Can I put my sewer bill on Auto-Pay, but keep my real estate taxes as a scheduled payment?

Yes, each bill type operates independently. When you sign up for Auto-Pay, you be asked to select which bill type you want to put on Auto-Pay. Those bills selected will be paid on the day they are due.

26. If I pay different bills (i.e. property tax and water) do I need to register twice?

Yes, one time registration is required for each bill type to access the resident portal. You need to register for each of the bill types and accounts you wish to pay online. If you own two parcels you will need to register both parcels. If you own multiple vehicles, you will need to register each vehicle. Once the initial registration process has been completed for each of your accounts, viewing and paying future invoices will be in place. However, if you register your accounts with the same email and password, you will get a list of accounts to choose from in your customer portal.

27. Is there one account number for all of my bills?

No, account numbers vary for the different tax types. For instance:

1. Real Estate - Parcel ID
2. Personal Property - Bill Number
3. Motor Vehicle - Registration Number (License Plate Number)
4. Water/Sewer and Trash - Bill Number
5. Boat Excise - Bill Number

28. What is the relationship between my city, town or utility and Invoice Cloud?

Your biller wanted to make paying bills easier for their customers, but didn't have the electronic presentment and payment systems required to display, safely process and store financial information. Your biller chose Invoice Cloud because it is easy to use, and the security is the strongest available. All the data collected is double encrypted and stored on secure servers. The data is not sold or released for any purpose other than to complete transactions.

29. What is Invoice Cloud?

Invoice Cloud is a web-based, electronic invoice presentment and payment company that we have partnered with to provide faster, more convenient billing services to our customers. By automating billing and collections, customers can click and pay online while helping the environment and reducing clutter in their home or workspace.

30. What are the benefits of paying a bill online?

Paying online with a credit card or electronic check saves time, gives you the flexibility to pay how and when desired, and saves money (no more stamps, paper checks or envelopes), and Invoice Cloud will store your information for future use – but only if you choose to store it.

31. Which bills can I pay online?

You can pay current real estate, personal property tax, boat excise, Motor vehicle excise, water/sewer and Trash.

32. Can I still send in a paper check?

Yes, your bill can be paid in any of the following ways:

1. Email notification based payment: Use the "View invoice or Pay Now" button in your email
2. Web based online payment: Login to online bill pay via your biller website
3. Phone payments: Call your biller's office
4. Paper check: Sent by whatever means you choose, including U.S. Postal Service (note: many paper checks today are converted into electronic transactions once they are received by the biller).

33. What if this website is down or for some reason I am unable to use this site?

Please be aware that interest and fees will not be waived if this website is inoperable for any reason or if data entry errors occur. If the website is inoperable, payments can be made by mail, by phone in some locations, or at the biller's office.

34. Who do I contact with questions about a bill?

If you are unable to find the information you need in your online payment history or open invoices, please call your biller's office at 508-910-1806.

35. Who has access to my account?

You and Biller's authorized staff. No one will have access to your financial information as all check routing numbers and credit card numbers are truncated, so you never have to worry about security. As a security precaution, we don't even show your full financial information back to you.

36. What is PCI Compliance and why is it so important?

PCI stands for Payment Card Industry, and compliance with the industry standards is a requirement for those that accept the major credit cards and for software providers who have applications that involve the transmission and/or storage of credit card information. If breaches are found on systems that are not PCI compliant, the major credit card companies have the ability to levy significant fines on the offending parties.

37. Are my credit card and checking account information safe when I pay online?

Invoice Cloud will safely store all of your financial information using Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliant systems. This includes truncating (abbreviating) account numbers so that even the Biller does not see your complete account information.

38. Is my information secure?

Invoice Cloud uses the highest standards in Internet security. Account information displayed within the customer and biller portals is truncated to protect confidential data. Any information retained is not shared with third parties.

39. If I have additional questions or I am having trouble registering, who should I call?

Your biller's office at 508-910-1806 can answer most questions, but if the website is down or inoperable, please call Invoice Cloud customer service at 781-848-3733.

40. I accidentally deleted my current email notification, what should I do?

If you are registered, you can log in via your biller website and view the bill there, or you can call your biller's office and ask them to resend the email.

41. Why am I being charged a late fee?

If you feel that this fee has been assessed in error or you would like more information about late fee charges, please contact your biller's office.

42. What if I already have auto-pay / a scheduled payment set up with my bank?

You will need to contact your bank and cancel your automated or scheduled payment before the payment is due (typically payments are made a couple of days in advance of the due date, so don't wait until the last minute).

43. What is the difference between auto-pay and a scheduled payment?

Auto-pay is an automated process that pays your balance in full each billing cycle at 2 am on the due date; scheduled payments are manually entered by you for the date you choose for each bill you choose.

44. I received an email stating “thank you for going paperless,” but I did not sign up for paperless!

The paperless box is generally defaulted to enroll you in paperless billing because it helps the environment.

• Option 1: Customer must click on the "Complete paperless process" link within the email to complete enrollment. If they do not, the paperless option will not be active and will drop off the system within a few days.
• Option 2: Customer can log into the account and cancel paperless registration. Choose then My Profile then the paperless option then cancel paperless registration.

45. What is a partial payment?

A partial payment occurs when only part of an invoice is paid and may apply if your biller has elected to allow partial payments. Please contact your biller's office for more information.

46. Can I change a scheduled payment?

Yes, as long as it is changed before the date it was scheduled to be paid.

47. Can I schedule payments?

Yes. You can set up a future payment at any time prior to the bill's due date.

48. What are scheduled payments?

Scheduled payments are scheduled individually by you for each bill on your specified date.

49. I signed up for Auto-Pay but do not see any information under “My scheduled payments.”

The Auto Pay date will not appear under scheduled payments. Auto Pay will be debited from the customer's account on the due date.

50. Can I cancel Auto-Pay?

Yes, simply go into your profile and uncheck the auto-pay box that you had previously checked when you elected to opt into Auto-Pay.

51. What is Auto-Pay?

If you elect to opt-in to Auto-Pay, it means that your bills will be paid automatically on their due dates using your default credit card or bank account. This will avoid any late fees and free you from having to remember when to pay.

52. How do I change my account information?

Simply log into your account and change any of your personal information under the My Profile tab. If you are unable to change some of your information, you may need to call the biller and have them change it for you.

53. Will I be able to print a copy of my bill?

Yes, each invoice is presented in PDF and HTML format. Electronic storage is recommended because it saves paper and has a beneficial impact on our environment.

54. How long will my payment history be maintained?

18 months is the standard retention period.

55. Will I have online access to my account?

Yes, you will have 24/7 access to your account for invoice review and payment, payment history and customer service requests.

56. Can I tell if my payment has been posted?

Yes, simply log in to your account and select "View paid or closed invoices". If you are a registered customer, you will receive an email notification.

57. Can I use a debit card to pay my bill(s)?

Yes, although technically your debit card will be processed like a credit card and you will not be asked to enter a pin number. The convenience fee is the same as credit cards and varies based on the type of card, type of bill, and payment amount. The exact convenience fee amount will be displayed during the payment process prior to submitting the payment.

58. Can I use a credit card to pay my bill(s)?

Yes, you can. There is a convenience fee when using credit cards which varies based on the type of card, type of bill, and payment amount. The exact convenience fee amount will be displayed during the payment process prior to submitting the payment.

59. When can I pay?

You can make payments or review your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is always a good idea to pay or schedule a payment at least a few days before the due date to allow for processing time.

60. What information do I need to make a payment?

If you are registered, the only information you need to have available to complete a payment transaction is your email address and password. If you make a one-time payment, then you will also need your bank account or credit card information and your account number.

61. Do I need to notify my bank or change bank accounts?

No, your current bank account (checking or savings) will work fine. So many payments are made electronically now that banks are already prepared for online payments. However, if you have arranged through your bank to automatically pay your bill, you need to contact your bank and discontinue the automated payment, otherwise, you may pay your bill twice.

62. How much does paying online help the environment?

Paying online is only half of the benefit, by going paperless and not receiving paper invoices, you can increase the effect you can have on the environment. There are several ways reducing paper consumption helps the environment, including saving trees and using less gas. According to the PayItGreen AllianceTM, if one in five households were to switch to electronic payments, statements, and bills, we could collectively save 1.8 million trees each year and avoid using 103 million gallons of gasoline to mail bills, statements, and payments. If you'd like to be part of that one in five, just sign up to "go paperless" in your account under my profile, paperless options.

63. How long does it take for an EFT (electronic funds transfer) transaction to process if I pay online?

EFT transactions typically take 48 to 72 hours to settle.

64. How long does it take for a credit card transaction to process if I pay online?

Credit card transactions typically take 48 hours to settle.  An authorization is issued immediately; however, it takes 48 hours for the money to be moved.

65. Can I use more than one payment method per transaction?

Yes, if your biller accepts partial payments, you may use one payment method for part of the transaction and another payment method for other parts of the transaction.

66. How will I know that my payment has been accepted?

After you submit your payment, you will see a payment confirmation screen. It will contain your payment confirmation message. It will show an approved number for credit cards or a processed number for electronic checks. You will also receive a confirmation email after your transaction is submitted. The email will include your account number, invoice number, the amount paid, and confirmation message. If your electronic check does not pass through the bank, you will receive an email informing you of the rejected payment. You may need to call your biller in order to pay again.

67. How should I enter my credit card information?

The information you enter on the payment screen must be exactly the same as it appears on your credit card. This information collected will be used to authorize your payment.

68. What are the costs for paying online?

There are no signup costs or subscription fees. The non-refundable convenience fee when using an ACH transfer (electronic check) from your checking or savings account is $0.40 per transaction.

The non-refundable convenience fee when using credit cards is a percentage-based or flat rate fee that varies depending on the card type and the bill you are paying. The convenience fee is automatically calculated based on the type of credit card used and the dollar amount of the bill being paid and is shown on the payment page before you submit your payment for processing.

There are fees imposed by Invoice Cloud for returned payments, and your bank may charge you a fee based on the bank's fee schedule.

69. If I don’t have email can I still process an electronic payment?

No, to complete the online payment process, you will need an email address so that the system can deliver your payment confirmation. If you do not have an email address, you can obtain a free email account from any of the following services: yahoo.com, hotmail.com, or gmail.com.

70. What is a service / convenience fee?

A non-refundable fee is added to an invoice to cover various administrative costs associated with billing and accepting payment.