Cass County Auditor's Office

General Info
Department Head	Cass County Auditor  Cheryl Alcorn
Contact Information	Phone: (574) 753-7720  Fax: (574) 753-3512
Location	Cass County Government Building  Room 105 • 200 Court Park  Logansport, IN 46947

The county auditor is a constitutional office holder elected by voters of the county at large for a term of four years with prohibition against serving more than two consecutive terms. The auditor serves as secretary of the Board of County Commissioners and secretary of the county council. A few technical duties include budget preparation, financial statement preparation, and compliance with federal tax guidelines and programs. The office of county auditor has evolved dramatically from a bookkeeper and part-time secretary to a financial manager whose responsibilities impact the financial well-being of county government.

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Auditor's Office News

NOTICE - Effective July 1, 2019
Pursuant to IC 36-2-9-18, our endorsement fee will increase to $10.00 PER PARCEL PER DEED. Deed being defined as signed instrument containing some legal transfer, or contract; this includes: Land Contract, Affidavits, and any other legal instrument for which the Auditor make a real property endorsement. (refer to Ordinance 19-07 signed by the Cass County Board for Commissioners for details)

NOTICE - Effective October 1, 2014

The Auditor's Office will NO LONGER accept marriage licenses or death certificates to change title on real property. To change the Title on Real property requires one or more of the following three properly executed documents with legal descriptions: DEEDS, AFFIDAVITS, COURT ORDERS - file stamped by Clerk's Office and SIGNED by JUDGE.

Tax Rate Chart 2018 payable 2019

Notice to tax payers: 2019 Proposed Budget

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Duties

Secretarial

• Secretary to County Commissioners and County Council
• Prepare and distribute meeting agendas
• Prepare and maintain meeting minutes
• Notification to all media of meetings; public and executive

Financial

• Annual budget preparation for Council
• Semi-annual distribution of property tax collections
• Preparation of County Annual Financial Report
• Annual preparation of Abstract of Property Taxes
• Quietus of all miscellaneous receipts
• Administer all county funds and grants
• Audit and process all expense claims
• Audit and process all payroll claims
• Additional appropriations
• Maintain various ledgers
  • Tax sale redemption
  • Tax sale surplus
  • Surplus property tax
  • Investment
  • Drain maintenance
  • Excise tax
  • Fixed assets

Tax

• Preparation of annual proposed and adopted property tax rates
• Distribution of CAGIT and CEDIT taxes
• Maintain TIF district allocations
• Maintain and apply real estate tax abatements
• Process corrections to tax duplicate and issue refunds
• Tax Sale-publication, recording of sale, issuance of deeds

Property

• Maintain permanent record of all property owners
• Maintain plat maps in office and in GIS
• Accept documents for transfer and sales disclosure forms
• Assist public with filing of property tax deductions
  • Mortgage
  • Homestead/Standard
  • Age
  • Blind/Disabled
  • Disabled Veteran

Personnel

• Maintain all employee files and service records
• Annual preparation of W-2's, 1099's
• Remittance of all payroll taxes to federal and state governments

Fees

• Deed
  • $10.00 per parcel per Deed**
• Sales Disclosure
  • Exempt (1 signature) No Fee
  • Non-Exempt (2 signatures) $10.00 per parcel per Deed**
• Contract (Beginning)
  • Sales Disclosure $10.00 per parcel per Deed**
  • Non-Exempt (2 signatures)
  • Stamp - Endorse
• Contract (Ending)
  • Deed $10.00 per parcel per Deed**
  • Non-Exempt (2 signatures)
• Affidavit of Survivorship
• $10.00 per parcel per Deed**

**DEED being defined as a signed instrument containing some legal transfer, or contract; this includes: Land Contracts, Affidavits, and any other legal instrument for which the Auditor makes a real property endorsement.

Property Deductions Available

Homestead

• If own property by 12/31/2020 and file by 12/31/2020, deduction will be on 20 pay 21 taxes.

Mortgage

• If mortgage recorded on or before 12/31/2019 and file by 12/31/2020 - Mortgage deduction effective for 20 pay 21 taxes.
• If mortgage recorded between 1/1/2020 and 12/31/2020 and file before 12/31/21 deduction will be effective for 21 pay 22 taxes.

Over 65

• Start January 1, 2020 for pay 2021
• Tax form filed 2020 for 2019 income
• Income Limits AGI  Single - $30,000  Multiple Owners - $40,000
• Assessed Value Limit $200,000
• Deduction Value $14,000
• Meet qualifications - If 65 on or beofre 12/31/19, have owned property for at least one year, and file by 12/31/20 - deduction will be effective for 20 pay 21 taxes.

Blind or Disabled

Disabled Veteran

• Start January 1, 2020 for pay 2021
• Code 1 Assessed value limit $200,000
• Deduction Value $14,000
• Code 2 No Av Limit Deduction Value 24960
• Code 3 Av Limit $200,000  Total Deduction 38960

Geothermal

If you believe you are eligible for any property deductions, please call or visit the Auditors office. For 2020 taxes, deductions must be filed by December 31, 2019. A complete list of DED & QUALIFICATIONS is available at DLGF.IN.gov