Behind on Property Taxes in Saginaw County? The Forfeiture Calendar and Your Options

If you are behind on property taxes in Saginaw, Michigan, you have more time than one overdue notice may suggest. Saginaw County tax foreclosure follows a fixed calendar set by state law. For unpaid 2024 taxes, the County Treasurer's timeline runs to March 31, 2027 before redemption rights end. That leaves room to pay, ask for relief, or sell on your own terms.

This guide covers the Saginaw details: the City's bills, the county's dates and fees, the hardship exemption, and what happens to your equity. For the general process across the state, see our Michigan property tax foreclosure guide. Nothing here is legal advice, and the Treasurer's office can confirm the exact balance on your parcel.

How does Saginaw County tax foreclosure work?

Saginaw County tax foreclosure moves in three stages: delinquency, forfeiture, and foreclosure, spread over about 25 months. Each stage starts on a date fixed by Michigan's General Property Tax Act, so the calendar repeats every year. The City of Saginaw sends the bills, but the County Treasurer collects them once they go unpaid.

Stage 1: The City bills, then hands off on March 1

The City of Saginaw bills property taxes twice a year. Its Property Taxes page says the July (summer) bill "is due on/or before July 31st." The December (winter) bill "is mailed on December 1st and is due on/or before February 14th" (City of Saginaw, Property Taxes).

City Hall takes payment on both bills until February 28. On March 1, the City says, "any unpaid property taxes are transferred to the County of Saginaw Treasurer, which is a separate entity from the City of Saginaw." State law sets that same March 1 handoff (MCL 211.78a). From then on, the Treasurer's office at 111 S. Michigan Avenue is where you pay.

Stage 2: Forfeiture the next March 1

A year after the handoff, a house with taxes delinquent for 12 months or more "is forfeited to the county treasurer" (MCL 211.78g). Forfeiture does not take your ownership. You still hold title, you can still live in the house, and you can still pay or sell.

Within 45 days, the Treasurer records a forfeiture certificate with the Register of Deeds. That certificate puts the delinquency on the title record, where a buyer's title company will see it.

Stage 3: Judgment and the March 31 deadline

In the third year, the Circuit Court holds a hearing on the county's foreclosure petition. For an uncontested case, the judgment takes effect on the March 31 after the hearing (MCL 211.78k). On that day, "all redemption rights to the property expire." Title, and any equity in the house, then passes to the county.

The Saginaw County forfeiture calendar for 2024 taxes

For 2024 taxes, the Saginaw County calendar runs from the summer 2024 bill to the end of redemption on March 31, 2027. The County Treasurer publishes this timeline on its Information for Property Owners page. The table below combines it with the City's billing dates.

The same pattern shifts forward one year for each tax year, so unpaid 2025 taxes went to the county on March 1, 2026. If you owe several years, the county says you must pay every year through the year in forfeiture to keep the house.

What falling behind costs: interest and fees

Falling behind adds a 4% administration fee and 1% interest a month in the first year, then 1.5% a month and $354 in forfeiture fees once the house forfeits. Those are the figures on the Saginaw County Treasurer's page. The Treasurer's page puts it this way: "Taxes that remain delinquent for more than 1 year are placed into Forfeiture, and will have a substantially higher interest rate (1.5% per month, as opposed to the current 1%)."

The county's figure and the statute's figure

The $354 is the county's stated total for forfeiture fees. State law sets its own forfeiture fee of $175 (MCL 211.78g), and the county page does not break its total into parts. Ask the Treasurer's office for a written payoff if you want to see each charge.

The higher rate also reaches back. Under MCL 211.78g, the extra half percent a month is "computed from the March 1 preceding the forfeiture." Before forfeiture, the City adds its own charges as well. The summer bill picks up penalty and interest from August 1. The winter bill picks up a flat 3% penalty after February 14, on top of the City's 1% administration fee.

An illustrative example

Take a house with $1,000 in unpaid taxes that reach the county on March 1. This example is illustrative only, not a quote on any parcel. The 4% fee adds $40 right away, and interest adds $10 a month. After forfeiture, interest runs at $15 a month on that $1,000, and the county adds $354 in fees. The longer a balance waits, the more of your equity it takes.

Partial payments, senior deferment, and the hardship exemption

Saginaw owners behind on taxes have three forms of relief to ask about: partial payments, the City's senior deferment, and the City's hardship exemption. None of them requires you to sell or to leave.

Partial payments to the County Treasurer

The County Treasurer's page says plainly: "The County Treasurer accepts partial payments on delinquent property taxes." The county adds that partial payments "may help you to avoid forfeiture and foreclosure." Ask how the office applies each payment.

State law also allows more formal arrangements. A county treasurer "may enter into a tax foreclosure avoidance agreement for a term of up to 5 years" with the owner of a residential house (MCL 211.78q). The word is "may," so the program is the county's choice. Ask the Treasurer whether Saginaw County offers one and who qualifies.

Senior deferment on the summer bill

The City of Saginaw offers a Senior Deferment Application for the summer bill. It is open to owners "62 years old, or older," who "make less than $40,000 annually, and occupy the home as their Principal Residence." The form must be filed before September 15, and the City does not accept late applications.

The deferment holds off interest on the summer bill until February 14. That lets an owner make several monthly payments without interest. It helps keep a current bill from going delinquent, but it does not clear older years already at the county.

The City of Saginaw hardship exemption

The City's Board of Review can reduce or erase one year of taxes on a homestead for owners who cannot pay. Its Hardship Property Tax Reduction guidelines were adopted by City Council on February 9, 2026, under state law (MCL 211.7u). The guidelines say the reduction "is only available to residents of the City of Saginaw for their homestead."

The main tests on the City's page are:

• Income: household income at or below the federal poverty guidelines the City lists for 2026 exemptions, such as $15,650 for one person and $32,150 for four.
• Assets: no more than $10,000 in assets, not counting the homestead or one car.
• Paperwork: tax returns or an affidavit for every household member, plus proof of income.
• Timing: an annual application, with any exemption lasting one year only.

An approved exemption can be full (100% of taxable value) or partial, such as 25% or 50%. The City's page describes relief on the current year's taxes. It does not say the exemption clears older delinquent years, so ask the Treasurer how the two fit together. A denial can be appealed to the Michigan Tax Tribunal.

Can you sell a house before tax foreclosure in Michigan?

You can sell a Saginaw house before tax foreclosure at any point up to March 31 of the foreclosure year, even while it sits in forfeiture. MCL 211.78g lets a forfeited house be redeemed "at any time on or before the March 31" after the judgment. A sale is one way to make that payment.

How the taxes get paid at closing

At a typical closing, the title company asks the County Treasurer for a payoff on every delinquent year. It pays that amount from the sale proceeds, along with any current taxes owed to the City. What is left after the taxes, any mortgage, and other liens goes to you.

You do not need to find the tax money before you sell. Leave time for the closing, though, because the payment has to reach the county before redemption ends.

Why the timing matters for your equity

Before March 31 of the foreclosure year, the equity in the house is yours. After that date, the forfeited house and "any equity associated with an interest in the property" vest in the county (MCL 211.78g). A former owner's only path to that money is then the surplus claim covered below.

For context on values, Redfin reports a median sale price of $86,764 in Saginaw for the three months ending September 2026, up 8.5% from a year earlier (Redfin, September 2026). Houses sold after a median of 29 days on the market (Redfin, September 2026). Separately, Zillow's typical home value index for the city was about $133,927 in September 2026, up about 5.1% from a year earlier (Zillow ZHVI, September 2026). The two measure different things, so read them side by side rather than as one figure.

Listing or a direct cash sale

A listing can work if the house is ready to show and you have months before the deadline. A direct cash sale can fit when time is shorter or the house needs work. Propcash buys houses directly, as-is, and makes one cash offer based on local market data, with the reasoning shown. Closings can happen in as few as 7 days, and you pick the date.

If a cash sale is not your best move, we will say so. You can get a cash offer on your Saginaw house with no obligation, or read how selling a house fast in Saginaw works. If the house came to you from a parent or relative, our guide to selling an inherited house in Saginaw covers the probate steps that can affect timing.

After foreclosure: Form 5743 and the Land Bank

A former owner can claim money left over from the county's public sale, but only by filing Form 5743 with the County Treasurer by the July 1 after foreclosure. The Treasurer's page cites MCL 211.78t for this right. For a foreclosure effective March 31, 2027, that deadline is July 1, 2027.

The deadline arrives before the county's public sale in August or September. You file before you know whether anything will be left.

The steps under MCL 211.78t

• File Form 5743, the Notice of Intention to Claim Interest in Foreclosure Sales Proceeds, notarized, by personal service or certified mail.
• By the January 31 after the sale, the county sends each claimant a notice (Form 5744) showing the sale price and any remaining proceeds.
• Between February 1 and May 15, file a motion in Circuit Court to claim your share. The court then sets a hearing.

The statute deducts the delinquent taxes, the county's foreclosure and sale costs, and a sale charge equal to 5% of the price. A claim pays only what is left after those deductions.

Where unsold houses go

When a tax-foreclosed parcel does not sell at the county's public sale, it typically ends up with the Saginaw County Land Bank. The Land Bank's own page says "nearly all" of what it owns comes through tax foreclosure (Saginaw County Land Bank).

Your options if you are behind on property taxes in Saginaw

Saginaw owners behind on property taxes have five main paths, and the right one depends on income, equity, and whether you want to stay. The table below sets them side by side. For pressure from a mortgage lender rather than the county, see our page on selling a house facing foreclosure.

These paths can overlap. An owner might make partial payments while applying for the hardship exemption, then decide to sell if the balance keeps growing. If you also have a mortgage in default, our guide to Michigan's mortgage foreclosure timeline in Saginaw explains how that process runs alongside the tax calendar.

The calendar is public and the dates are fixed, which gives you room to decide without guessing. Propcash can give you one cash offer to weigh against the other paths.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Saginaw County give owners before tax foreclosure?

Saginaw County gives owners about 25 months from the day unpaid taxes go delinquent until redemption rights expire. For 2024 taxes, the county's timeline runs from delinquency on March 1, 2025, to forfeiture on March 1, 2026, and the end of redemption on March 31, 2027. You can pay, make partial payments, or sell at any point in that window.

Can you sell a Saginaw house while it is in tax forfeiture?

You can sell a Saginaw house while it is in tax forfeiture, because forfeiture does not take your title. Michigan law lets a forfeited house be redeemed at any time up to the March 31 after the foreclosure judgment (MCL 211.78g). At a typical closing, the delinquent balance is paid from the sale proceeds, and what remains after liens goes to you.

Does the Saginaw County Treasurer accept partial payments on delinquent property taxes?

The Saginaw County Treasurer accepts partial payments on delinquent property taxes, according to the Treasurer's own page. The county says partial payments may help an owner avoid forfeiture and foreclosure. Ask the office how a payment is applied, because the county says owners with several years owing must pay every year through the year in forfeiture to keep the house.

Why does Saginaw County list $354 in forfeiture fees when state law sets $175?

Saginaw County lists $354 in forfeiture fees as its stated total, while MCL 211.78g itself sets a $175 forfeiture fee. The county page does not break the $354 into parts. The Treasurer's office can give you the exact payoff for your parcel, including every fee.

Who qualifies for the City of Saginaw hardship property tax exemption?

The City of Saginaw hardship exemption is open to City residents for their homestead only, with household income at or below the federal poverty guidelines and no more than $10,000 in assets. The City's guidelines, adopted February 9, 2026, list $15,650 for a one-person household and $32,150 for a household of four. You apply each year to the Board of Review, and an approved exemption lasts one year.

Can a former owner get money after a Saginaw County tax foreclosure?

A former owner can claim money left over after a Saginaw County tax foreclosure, but only by filing Form 5743 with the County Treasurer by the July 1 after the foreclosure takes effect (MCL 211.78t). For a March 31, 2027 foreclosure, that deadline is July 1, 2027. The claim covers only what is left after the delinquent taxes, the county's costs, and a 5% sale charge, and it is decided in Circuit Court.

Sources: City of Saginaw Property Taxes page and Hardship Property Tax Reduction guidelines (adopted February 9, 2026). Saginaw County Treasurer, Information for Property Owners and Land Bank pages. Michigan Department of Treasury, forfeiture and foreclosure taxpayer resources. Michigan General Property Tax Act (MCL 211.7u, 211.78a, 211.78g, 211.78k, 211.78q, 211.78t). Redfin (September 2026) and Zillow ZHVI (September 2026). Propcash is a direct cash homebuyer, not a law firm or tax advisor. For advice on your situation, contact the Saginaw County Treasurer or a Michigan attorney.