Balancing the MS-61 Report

Uncollected Taxes Beginning Of Fiscal Year

The Uncollected Taxes At The Beginning Of The Year figures should match your Uncollected Taxes—End Of Year from last year's MS-61 (Page 2). The DRA will require an explanation if the figures do not match.

 

• You can use your printed MS-61 from last year OR

• You can use the archived MS-61 in Avitar Collect:

  • Reports | Archived | Fiscal Year: 20xx | MS-61

  • Click View

  • On page 2 see Uncollected Taxes - End of Year 20xx

   

Taxes Committed This Year - Levy For Year of the Report

Property Taxes, Resident Taxes, Land Use Change Taxes, Yield Taxes, Excavation Tax, Other Taxes

The Taxes Committed This Fiscal Year columns list what was committed to you to collect. To verify this figure:

 

• Add up your signed warrants from the Selectmen (including any supplements) by categories.
• They will also match the Committed and Supplemented column on the Collections YTD report.
• The Collections YTD report separates the Property Tax into P01 and P02 (if you bill twice a year), and the MS-61 combines them into one figure. The same applies to any supplement, if you added them to the system separately as new warrants (see example below).

 

For example, you had a warrant for a Timber Tax that you supplemented in July and then in August you received another Timber Tax warrant. When entering the second supplement, you can choose to add them to the existing 2019T01 Timber Tax from the Add Supplemental Bill screen (which is recommended), or you can add a new warrant creating a 2019T02 Timber Tax. If you decide to add a new warrant, 2019T02, it will be displayed on its own line on the Collections YTD report and it must be added together with any other like warrants to match the Timber Yield Taxes column on the MS-61. Note, the Other Taxes figure should equal the Utility Charges and Betterment Taxes combined on the Collection YTD report.

 

Overpayment Refunds

Property Taxes, Resident Taxes, Land Use Change Taxes, Yield Taxes, Excavation Tax

Overpayment Refunds are the credits you have assigned to payables. As Avitar does not designate a warrant for an unassigned credit, the total amount refunded will be reflected under Property Taxes on the MS-61. To prove this figure:

 

• Go to Reports | Credits | Assigned | Assigned To - Payables.
• Under the Filter Credits section, select By Assigned Date and select January 1st to December 31st.
• This figure should also be verified with what your finance office has for refunds.

 

Interest and Penalties on Delinquent Taxes

This is the amount of interest and penalties you collected, as well as any credits that were assigned to Interest and Penalties during your current fiscal year. This figure should also match the Interest (Include Lien Conversion) and Penalties combined on Page 2 of the MS-61. The MS-61 does not distinguish interest by warrants; only by year. For example, if you collected interest and penalties for a 2019 Gravel, 2019 Property 1st and 2nd issue, and 2019 Timber, the Interest and Penalties on Delinquent Taxes amount will be a total of all the 2019 Collected -Interest and Penalties on the Collection YTD report.

 

Interest and Penalties on Resident Taxes

This is only used if you are billing and collecting Resident taxes. Resident taxes are not charged interest, but they do get a penalty added to their accounts if they do not pay by a certain date. To verify the amounts listed, go to Reports | Transactions. For the section labeled Include Transactions Based On, select Post Date, then select January 1st to December 31st. Under the Include Warrant section, select the Resident Tax warrant. Each year must be run separately. For example, selecting 2019R01-Resident Tax will give you a report of every transaction for January to December for the 2019 Resident Tax. If your MS-61 shows a 2084 Resident tax, you will need to run this report again, but select 2018R01-Resident Tax from the Include Warrant dropdown box.

This process should be used as a guideline, and not as a replacement for understanding the process.

 

The following instructions are how to balance the Print Preview of the MS-61, NOT how to create the official DRA MS-61.

 

NOTE: When balancing the MS-61, page 1 & 2 are only for warrants that have not been liened. Page 3 deals with all liened warrants.

 

Uncollected Taxes Beginning Of Fiscal Year

• You can use your printed MS-61 from last year OR

• You can use the archived MS-61 in Avitar Collect:

  • Reports | Archived | Fiscal Year 20xx | MS-61

  • Click View.

  • Navigate to Page 2 (Uncollected Taxes - End of Year 20xx).

 

Taxes Committed This Year

• Add your signed warrants (including any supplements) together, by categories... yes, the actual paper copies.

• They will also match the Committed and Supplemented column on the Collections YTD report.

  • NOTE: The Collections YTD report separates the Property Tax into P01 and P02 (if you bill twice a year), and the MS-61 combines them into one figure. The same applies to any supplement, if you added them to the system separately as new warrants (20xxT01, 20xxT02).

 

Overpayment Refunds

• Reports | Credits | Assigned To - Payables

  • Under the Filter Credits section, select By Assigned Date.

  • Set dates to: January 1st to December 31st.

  • Select View.

• This figure should also be verified with what your finance office has for refunds.

 

Interest and Penalties on Delinquent Taxes / Resident Taxes

• On the Collections YTD report, add the following by year of warrant (ex: 20xx Int for property, gravel, current use, timber):

  • Collected – Int/Pen

  • Prior Yr Credits Assigned – Int/Pen

   

• NOTE: Interest and Penalties on Resident Taxes can utilize the following to balance:

  • Reports | Transactions.

  • Select Post Date and choose 1/1/20xx to 12/31/20xx.

  • Under the Include Warrant dropdown box, select Filter Warrants.

  • Click Set Warrant Filter…

  • Select each Resident Tax warrant (ex: 2022R01, 2021R01).

  • Click OK and View.

 

Remitted To Treasurer

Property Taxes

The Remitted To Treasurer section for Property Taxes consists numerous figures that will need to be added together for you to prove this section of the MS-61. It includes what you have collected in principal as well as credits both assigned and unassigned during your fiscal year.

 

To prove the Remitted to Treasurer - Levy For Year of this Report add the figures from the following reports together:

 

• Collection YTD Report | Collected - Principal for current fiscal year P01 and P02.

 

• Collection YTD Report | Prior Yr Credits Assigned - Principal for current fiscal year P01 and P02.

 

• Reports | Credits | All | By Fiscal Year of Receipt. Select your current fiscal year. As you are only looking for new credits that have not been assigned to another receivable or to interest, you will need to add the following figures:
  • Unassigned Prepayments
  • Unassigned Overpayments
  • Assigned to Payables

  (This figure is used to prove This Year's New Credits on the MS-61 print preview report.)

   

• Reports | Credits | Assigned to Receivables | By Fiscal Year Receipts.
  • Filter Credits the drop down menu, select Before and your current fiscal year.
  • For example, if you are proving your 2019 MS-61, you would want to select Before 2019.

  (This figure is used in part to prove Prior Years' Overpayments Assigned on the MS-61 print preview report and should be subtracted from the total.)

 

• Reports | Credits | Assigned to Interest and Penalties | By Fiscal Year Receipts.
  • Select Before and your current fiscal year from the drop down menu.
  • For example, if you are proving your 2019 MS-61, you would want to select Before 2019.

  (This figure is used in part to prove Prior Years' Overpayments Assigned on the MS-61 print preview report and should be subtracted from the total.)

 

• Reports | Credits | Deleted | By Fiscal Year of Receipt: Before 2019.
  • Go to the last page of the report and add all credits that were Created in your last fiscal year and Deleted in this fiscal year.

  (This figure is used in part to prove Prior Years' Overpayments Assigned on the MS-61 print preview report and should be subtracted from the total.)

 

To prove the MS-61 Prior Levies Remitted to Treasurer columns, you would start by following the same procedures above by adding the Collected -Principal with the Prior Yr Credits Assigned columns on the Collection YTD report; however, for the first prior year column (2019), you need to you subtract the principal amount that went to lien for the category you are balancing. Keep in mind that the MS-61 does not include the principal amount that went to lien in the various warrants, where the Collections Summary YTD does. For example, when you created the lien, a deposit was generated to pay off all the unpaid receivables. The Collections Summary YTD sees this as payments and puts the totals in the payments column for each warrant type that went to lien. However, the MS-61 has a separate entry for the principal amount that went to lien, so it does not include them as amounts you actually collected. So, when you are balancing your Remitted to Treasurer on the MS-61, you need to know the principal amounts that went to lien for each warrant. You can get these figures by looking at your lien totals printed at the time of the lien, or print the deposit totals page for the deposit created by the lien. For example, to prove the 2019 Property Taxes Remitted to Treasurer on the MS-61, add the Collected -Principal for the 2019P01 and 2019P02, plus any Prior Yr Credits Assigned for the same warrants. Then, using the Deposit report for the Lien (or the Lien Report), subtract the Principal amount for the 2019P01 and 2019P02. The total should match the Remitted to Treasurer – Property Taxes under the 2015 column on the MS-61.

 

Resident Taxes, Land Use Change Taxes, Yield Taxes, Excavation Tax

Start by proving your current fiscal year collections column. From the Collections Summary YTD report, look at the Collected -Principal column and add that figure to the Prior Yr Credits Assigned -Principal column, if there are any. For example, to prove the 2018 Property Taxes Remitted to Treasurer on the MS-61, using the Collections YTD report, add the Principal collected for 2018P01 and 2018P02. Then add the Principal from the Prior Yr Credits Assigned column for the same warrants. The total should match the Remitted To Treasurer for Property Taxes on the MS-61. Continue with this process until all the Current Fiscal Year amounts are balanced.

 

Interest (Include Lien Conversion)

This is the amount you collected in interest for each warrant. You can prove these figures by running your deposit report for your fiscal year and add the interest column for the warrant year you are proving.

 

Penalties

This is the amount you collected in penalties for each warrant. You can prove these figures by running a deposit report for your fiscal year and add the penalties column for the warrant year you are proving.

 

Other Taxes

These are the amounts you collected in principal for Utility Charges and Betterment warrants combined. Keep in mind that the MS-61 does not include the principal amount that went to lien in the various warrants, where the Collections Summary YTD does. For example, when you created the lien, a deposit was generated to pay off all the unpaid receivables. The Collections Summary YTD sees this as payments and puts the totals in the payments column for each warrant type that went to lien. However, the MS-61 has a separate entry for the principal amount that went to lien, so it does not include them as amounts you actually collected.

 

Abatements Made

Property Taxes, Resident Taxes, Land Use Change Taxes, Yield Taxes, Excavation Tax

The Abatements column on the MS-61 should match the figures under the Abated column on the Collections YTD report. They should also match the Abatements report and the signed abatement slips from the Selectmen.

 

Other Taxes

The Other Taxes row under the Abatements Made column should match the figures under the Abated column on the Collections YTD report for Utility and Betterment warrants combined.

 

Current Levy Deeded

The Current Levy Deeded figure consists of the principal amount owed as of the deed date for all current levy warrants. For example, to prove the 2017 Current Levy Deeded amount on the MS-61, add all the Deeded amounts for every 2017 warrant on the Collections YTD report. The figures can be verified from the Deeded Property report.

 

Uncollected Taxes—End of Year #1080

Property Taxes, Resident Taxes, Land Use Change Taxes, Yield Taxes, Excavation Tax

The Uncollected Taxes-End of Year figures are what remain in outstanding receivables at the end of your fiscal year. The figures should match your Balance Due column on the Collections YTD report. As in all the above procedures, you will need to add the multiple warrants in a year together to match the MS-61. Details about unpaid invoices and the outstanding balances can be found on the All Unpaid Receivables report. To print this report, go to Reports | Receivables | Group of Invoices. The system will default to the selections you need, except that you will need to change the interest date to your yearend date.

 

Other Taxes

The Other Taxes row under the Uncollected Taxes--End of Year #1080 column should match the figures under the Balance Due column on the Collections YTD report for Utility and Betterment warrants combined.

 

Property Tax Credit Balance

The Property Tax Credit Balance figure represents the credits that are unassigned at the end of your fiscal year. To verify this figure, go to Reports | Credits | Unassigned.

This process should be used as a guideline, and not as a replacement for understanding the process.

 

Remitted to Treasurer

Property Taxes Levy for Year of this Report

STEP 1:

• Collected Principal: Reports | Collection YTD Report (add amounts to get total)

 

 

STEP 2:

• This Year’s New Credits: Reports | Credits | All | By Fiscal Year of Receipt (add amounts to get total). Select your current fiscal year, as you are only looking for new credits that have not been assigned to another receivable or to interest. You will need to add the following figures:

 

 

STEP 3:

• Prior Years’ Overpayments Assigned: Reports | Credits | Assigned To… | All | By Fiscal Year Receipts - select Before 20xx (current fiscal year) (add amounts to get total). For example, if you are proving your 2023 MS-61, you would want to select Before 2023.

 

 

STEP 4:

• Reports | Credits | Deleted | By Deleted Date 01/01/20xx to 12/31/20xx | By Fiscal Year of Receipt: select Before 20xx (current fiscal year).

 

 

STEP 5:

• Enter amounts from Steps 1-4 above. Add/Subtract to get the final total for Remitted To Treasurer - Property Taxes Levy For Year of this Report.

 

 

Remitted to Treasurer – Levy For Year of this Report:

All other warrants (not property). Add like warrants together, for example all timber taxes T01, T02, T03, etc.

• Collection YTD Report

  • Collected - Principal for current fiscal.

  • Prior Yr Credits Assigned – Principal for the current fiscal Year.

 

Remitted to Treasurer – Prior Levies

The first column in this section (Prior Levies) will require the Lien Deposit Report. All other columns in this section will not.

• Collected Principal - Reports |Collection YTD Report:

  • Collected – Principal: Property taxes, P01 and P02

  • Prior Yr Credits Assigned – Principal, P01 and P02

• Lien Deposit Report – Subtract the following from the above total:

  • Principal for Property: P01 and P02

 

Continue the above process for all amounts in this section/columns.

 

Interest (Include Lien Conversion)

• Reports | Deposits | Deposits

• By Deposit Date 01/01/20xx to 12/31/20xx

• Use Interest Column

 

Penalties

• Reports | Deposits | Deposits

• By Deposit Date 01/01/20xx to 12/31/20xx

• Use Penalty Column

 

Abatements Made

The Abatements column on the MS-61 should match the signed abatement slips from the Selectmen.

• Reports | Abatements | 01/01/20xx to 12/31/20xx

• Reports | Collection YTD | Abatement column

 

Current Levy Deeded

• Reports | Collection YTD | Deeded Column

• Reports | Liening and Deeding | Deeded Property

 

Uncollected Taxes—End of Year #1080

• Reports | Collection YTD | Balance Due

• Reports | Receivables | Group of Invoices | All Warrants | Only Unpaid Receivables

 

Property Tax Credit Balance

• Reports | Credits | Unassigned

 

 

Summary of Debits

Unredeemed Liens Balance - Beginning of Year

The Unredeemed Liens Beginning of FY should match the Unredeemed Liens End of FY from last years MS-61 and the Beginning Balance on the Collection YTD report.

 

Liens Executed During Fiscal Year

Liens Executed During FY are liens you created this year and should match the Committed and Supplemented column on the Collections YTD report. It should also match the total on the Deposit that was created at the time of the lien and the lien execution report.

 

Interest and Cost Collected (After Lien Execution)

Interest and Costs Collected is the amount of interest and penalties you collected during the fiscal year. To verify this figure with the Collection YTD report, look under the Collected -Interest and Penalties column for the lien year you are balancing.

 

Add Line - Liens Supplemented This Fiscal Year

This line will only be utilized if during the fiscal year you have had to supplement in a tax lien. For example, if you deeded a property in December, closed your fiscal year, and then the selectmen decided in January they didn't want to take the deed. In this case your only option would be to supplement the liens back in.

 

Summary of Credits

Redemptions

The Redemptions figure is the amount you have collected in principal this fiscal year and will match the Collected -Principal column on the Collections YTD report for each individual lien warrant.

 

Interest and Cost Collected

The Interest and Cost Collected is the same amount as the Interest and Cost Collected under the Debits section above.

 

Abatements of Unredeemed Liens

Abatements of Unredeemed Liens are any abatements you have received and posted during the fiscal year. This figure will match your Collections YTD report under the Abated column and the details will come from the Abatements report.

 

Liens Deeded to Municipality

Liens Deeded to Municipality are the principal amounts that were owed on the liens of the properties that went to deed. These figures will match your Collections YTD report under the Deeded column and the details will come from the Deeded Property report.

 

Unredeemed Liens End of FY

Unredeemed Liens End of FY and Unredeemed Elderly Liens End of FY are what is still outstanding in liens at the end of your fiscal year. They should match your Balance Due column on the Collections YTD report. The details of who is unpaid is on the All Unpaid Receivables report.

 

Remember to sign and date the report. Give a copy to your selectmen for the town report. Make a copy for your auditors, a copy for yourself, and mail the original to DRA by the following dates:

 

• March 1st for municipalities reporting on a fiscal year basis pursuant to RSA 31:94 (January-December).
• September 1st for municipalities reporting on an optional fiscal year basis pursuant to RSA 31:94-a (July-June)

 

Summary of Elderly Liens

Elderly Liens

Elderly liens are not represented on the MS-61 submitted to the DRA. However, you can view a summary of Elderly liens committed and collected at the bottom of page three on the preview MS-61 printed from Tax Collect.

This process should be used as a guideline, and not as a replacement for understanding the process.

 

Summary of Debits

Unredeemed Liens Balance - Beginning of Year

• You can use your printed MS-61 from last year OR

• You can use the archived MS-61 in Avitar Collect:

  • Reports | Archived | Fiscal Year: 20xx | MS-61

  • Click View

 

Liens Executed During Fiscal Year

• Reports | Collection YTD – Committed & Supplemented

• Reports | Deposits – By Lien Deposit Number

 

Interest and Cost Collected (After Lien Execution)

• On the Collection YTD report add up the following by year of warrant:

  • Collected – Int/Pen

  • Prior Yr Credits Assigned – Int/Pen

 

Summary of Credits

Redemptions

• Reports | Collection YTD:

  • Collect – Principal

  • Prior Yr Credits Assigned - Principal

  • Reports | Deposits | Deposits | By Deposit Date 01/01/20xx to 12/31/20xx

 

Interest and Cost Collected (After Lien Execution)

• On the Collection YTD report add up the following by year of warrant:

  • Collected – Int/Pen

  • Prior Yr Credits Assigned – Int/Pen

 

Abatements of Unredeemed Liens

Should match the signed abatement slips from the Assessors/Selectmen.

• Reports | Abatements |01/01/20xx to 12/31/20xx

• Reports | Collection YTD – Abatement

 

Liens Deeded to Municipality

• Reports | Collection YTD | Deeded Column

• Reports | Liening and Deeding | Deeded Property

 

Unredeemed Liens End of FY

• Reports | Collection YTD | Balance Due

• Reports | Receivables | Group of Invoices | All Warrants | Only Unpaid Receivables

 

Summary of Elderly Liens

Elderly Liens are not represented on the MS-61 submitted to the DRA. However, you can view a summary of Elderly Liens committed and collected at the bottom of page three on the preview MS-61 printed from Tax Collect. Note, not all Collectors track Elderly Liens in tax collect because it is not a Collector’s responsibility, so you may not see this section on the report.