§ 26-35-101 - Escrow funds for payment of real property taxes.
26-35-101. Escrow funds for payment of real property taxes.
(a) (1) All banks, savings and loan associations, and other financial institutions and all persons, firms, or corporations which are holders of escrow funds for payment of real property taxes, within thirty (30) days after sufficient funds have accumulated in each account for the payment of property taxes, shall notify the county collector.
(2) If sufficient funds for the payment of one (1) year's taxes on real estate have accumulated within an escrow account prior to the commencement of the period in which the collector may collect real property taxes for the year in which due, this notification shall be made within thirty (30) days after the collector is authorized by law to commence collecting real property taxes during the year.
(3) Further, those holders of escrow funds must remit payment for property taxes within sixty (60) days of receipt of the tax bills from the collector.
(4) (A) Any bank, savings and loan association, or other financial institution or any person, firm, or corporation holding escrow funds for the payment of real property taxes due on properties belonging to persons for whom the escrow accounts are being held, which fails to pay to the county collector the real property taxes on the property within the time limitation imposed by this subsection, shall be subject to a penalty of ten percent (10%) of the amount of the total taxes due.
(B) The penalties shall be paid from funds belonging to the holder of the escrow account.
(b) In no event shall moneys paid as penalties for late payment of real property taxes under the provisions of subsection (a) of this section be charged against the escrow account.
(c) All penalties collected by the county collector under subsection (a) of this section shall be credited to the various taxing units of the county in the respective proportions that each taxing unit shares in real property taxes collected by the county.