Probate Judge Asking for "Deed Tax"

[Arnold Finkelstein]

In seeking to record a Perry County tax certificate, the Probate Judge there has told me I must pay a "deed tax" in addition to property taxes. I have never heard of a "deed tax," nor has any other county in which I have deeds/certs, ever asked me to pay one when I recorded a deed or cert. She confirmed that "deed tax" does not mean "recording fee."

In addition, the Probate office in Perry County seemed cloudy/unclear on other aspects of recording a tax certificate or deed and, from what I could tell, was incorrectly using terms like "redeem," at least once stating that I, the investor, had to "redeem" a tax certificate before they would let me record it.

To further cloud things, the judge told me she spoke with Shelley Tice, who reportedly confirmed that it was necessary to pay a "deed tax" in order to record a certificate.