Property tax bills soon will arrive

Property tax statements will soon arrive in Wayne County mailboxes, but will they provide the relief Gov. Mike Braun and state legislators intended?

In 2025, the General Assembly approved and Braun signed Senate Bill 1, a comprehensive bill that began a multi-year plan to reduce local government’s reliance on property taxes with other taxing forms, such as local income taxes, local option highway user taxes and food and beverage taxes. Local governing bodies warned when developing their 2027 budgets that decreased property tax income could significantly impact their bottom lines.

With bills scheduled to mail April 8, Wayne County residents will discover how they’ve been impacted when they open their property tax envelopes.

The property tax rates in 24 of Wayne County’s 35 taxing districts decreased for 2025 payments, following a year when all 35 decreased their rates. Wayne County’s portion of the tax rates is 0.8559. That’s a decrease from 0.8579 paid last year and 0.9373 paid in 2024. Townships, libraries, schools, and cities and towns implement taxes, and a property owner’s overall tax rate is the sum of all rates applying to the property.

Tax rates are established to raise the taxing entity’s maximum levy, which is permitted to grow 4% annually. The state considers the total assessed valuation within a taxing entity and sets a rate that will raise the levy amount.

Lower tax rates, however, don’t guarantee lower taxes, because the taxes also depend on property assessments. Assessor Tim Smith said last year, when property owners received their Form 11s with the assessments, that the county’s average assessment increased 15% from the 2024 assessments. He blamed the state-increased cost tables on building materials and corrections to bring assessments more in line with the county’s housing market.

Tax caps also impact property tax bills. Indiana limits payments to 1% for primary residences; 2% for rental properties, residential properties not a primary residence and agricultural land; and 3% for commercial property. Increased assessments mean that taxpayers who exceed the circuit-breaker limit pay more.

Wayne County residents can view their property taxes at waynecounty.propertytaxes.com and their assessed values at beacon.schneidercorp.com by locating their property.

Spring tax payments are due at 11:59 p.m. May 11, with fall payments due at 11:59 p.m. Nov. 10. There are multiple ways to pay the taxes:

• Online at bilpay.forte.net/waynecointax.
• By mail to Wayne County Treasurer, 401 E. Main St., Richmond IN, 47374. Payment must be postmarked by May 11; to ensure a specific postmark date, take the envelope inside the post office for a postmark at the counter. A self-addressed, stamped envelope should be included if the payer wishes to receive a receipt.
• In person at the treasurer’s office on the upper level of the Wayne County Administration Building, 401 E. Main St., Richmond. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
• At the drop box in the administration building’s south parking lot near Fifth Street. Do not put cash in the drop box, and include a self-addressed, stamped envelope to receive a receipt.
• By calling 1-877-690-3729, entering jurisdiction code 2412 and following automated prompts. Credit card fees apply.
• In person from April 13 through May 11 at First Bank Richmond branches, Wayne Bank and Trust branches and Merchants Bank of Indiana. First Bank charges a $1 fee per parcel, and Wayne Bank charges a $2 fee per parcel.

Contact the Wayne County Treasurer’s Office at 765-973-9238 with questions or for assistance.