Wright Township

Treasurer & Taxes

General Information

The treasurer’s office hours are as follows

  • Monday: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
  • Tuesday: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
  • Thursday: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Please contact the treasurer if you have any questions at (616) 677-3048 or send an email to treasurer@ocwrighttwp.org

Tax Payments
  • Pay Online – click here to use the Point & Pay system. There is a convenience fee per parcel. E-Check cost is $3.00 for amounts up to $10,000, or $10.00 for amounts over $10,000. The Credit/Debit fee is 3%, with a $2.00 minimum.
  • In-Person – payments are accepted in person during regular office hours. Extended office hours of 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. will be held on December 29, February 14, and February 29. If you are paying in cash, exact change is encouraged.
  • Drop-Box – payments may be left in the secure drop box located at the Township Offices.
  • Mail – payments sent through the U.S. Postal service should be mailed early enough to meet the deadline for payments.  ***Postmarks are no longer accepted.***
  • Receipts – if you do not pay in person and would like a receipt, one will be mailed to you, if requested.  Also, tax payment records are available online at this link.
  • Bank Payments – payments may be made at any Choice One branch.
Dog Licenses

For additional information, please check the Ottawa County Treasurer’s website

Summer Property Tax Information
  • Summer Tax Collection Dates:
    The summer tax bill is sent out July 1 and is payable July 1 through September 14 without penalty or interest. Beginning September 15 an interest charge will be added. Taxes may be paid in person at the Township on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm, at any Choice One Bank location during regular business hours, by mail, or placed in the Township drop box located on the Southeast corner of the building. Payment received in the mail or placed in the dropbox will be issued a receipt if a self-addressed stamped envelope is included. ***Post marks are no longer accepted.***
  • Summer Tax Deferment:
    The law provides that beginning September 15, interest will be applied to unpaid summer taxes. However, these taxes may be deferred without penalty until February 14, for any taxpayer who is a senior citizen, 62 years or older, totally and permanently disabled or otherwise eligible, whose household income does not exceed $40,000 per year, or is classified or used as agricultural real property and that the gross receipts of agricultural or horticultural operations in the previous year is not less than the household income for the preceding calendar year. Applications can be obtained at our office or see the link at bottom of page. Applications must be filled out annually and be returned by September 14.
Winter Property Tax Information
  • Winter Tax Collection Dates 2023-2024:
    Winter tax bills will be sent out December 1 and are payable through 5:00 pm on February 14, without penalty or interest. Beginning February 15, and through February 29th, a 3% penalty and 1% interest will be added. Taxes are still payable at the township during this time. ***Postmarks are no longer accepted.*** After February 29th, all real taxes must be paid at the County Treasurer’s office. A 4% administrative fee and 1% interest per month is applied to delinquent taxes when paid at the county.
  • Notice to Homeowners with a Mortgage:
    Each property owner is ultimately responsible for their property tax. Please check to see if you are coded for a mortgage company on your tax bill. If you have an escrow account and this tax bill includes a bank code and name, we have billed your mortgage company. If there is not a mortgage number on your bill, your bill has not been sent to your mortgage company. Therefore, enclose one copy of this tax bill with your next mortgage payment. Verification of paid taxes can be made by contacting your mortgage company or the Township.
Helpful Definitions - Assessed Value, Taxable Value, and Uncapping
  • Assessed Value* represents 50% of your property’s “usual selling price”. This changes from year to year based on the economy, the value of the dollar, the “market”, what someone is willing to pay. For residentially classed properties the total township change is determined based on sales compared to assessments. County appraisal studies determine the change needed for Agriculture, Commercial and Industrial classed properties, still based on “usual selling price”.
  • Taxable Value* is what taxes are based upon and is the lesser of Assessed Value and Capped Value. Capped value is last year’s taxable value times the increase in the CPI. Of course, if you add NEW, i.e. a pole barn, half the value of the pole barn is added to the taxable value along with the CPI increase.
  • Uncapping* a property occurs the year after a property is “transferred”. The cap on value is removed and the taxable value will be the same as the assessed value.
  • Property Tax* is the taxable value times the millage rate. There are two rates. Principal Residence Exemption and Qualified Agricultural parcels have a rate 18 mills less than the full millage rate.
    • Example: A taxable value of 100,000 times a millage of 30.5820 (a mill is a thousandth of a dollar) = $3,058.20. Easier yet: Taxable Value divided by 1000, times the millage rate equals tax.
  • The Principal Residence Exemption* must be established by June 1 for summer taxes and November 1 for winter taxes. This is your residence which you own and occupy as documented by deeds, the voter registration roll, your driver’s license, and income tax returns.
    • *The above is set by state law, much of which was added by the passing of Proposal A in 1994.

Note: Class and zoning are not the same thing. The agricultural zoned part of the township is filled with agriculture, residential and industrial (Consumers ROW) class properties. Zoning determines how you can use land and is set by the township. Class determines how the county studies value and is set by the assessor according to state law.