San Diego, CA asked in Real Estate Law for California

Q: can your partner pay your property taxes without your permission?

Related Topics:
1 Lawyer Answer
James L. Arrasmith
PREMIUM
James L. Arrasmith pro label Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
Answered

A: Yes, anyone can pay property taxes on your behalf in California, even without your permission. This is because property tax payments are tied to the property itself rather than the individual owner, and counties generally accept payments from any source to prevent tax delinquency.

However, if you're concerned about your partner paying your property taxes, you should examine why this bothers you. While the payment itself is legal, it could signal deeper relationship or financial boundary issues that might need addressing. Remember that having someone else pay your taxes doesn't change your ownership rights or give them any legal claim to the property.

You might want to have open communication with your partner about financial responsibilities and boundaries. If you're uncomfortable with their actions, consider consulting with your local county tax assessor's office to set up payment notifications or speaking with legal counsel about establishing clear financial boundaries in your relationship. For immediate concerns, you can also contact your county tax collector's office to verify payment status and discuss future payment arrangements.

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.