It is important to remember that a parcel of property is not redeemed until all applicable taxes, interest, and fees have been paid on that parcel.

If a county treasurer agrees to receive partial payments (which is not necessary under the law, but may be desirable), then that treasurer should hold all amounts received and apply them to the receivable that has been established for that parcel. Receipts should be issued to the taxpayer for each partial payment made, but under no circumstances should a redemption certificate be completed unless all delinquent taxes, interest, penalties, and fees have been paid. A parcel is only "redeemed" under the statute when the final payment has been received and no additional delinquent taxes, interest, penalties and fees are owed.

Partial payments received after forfeiture should not be forwarded to the state, but should be held at the county level. The state will only accept full payments once the redemption certificate has been completed and no additional payments from the taxpayer are due.

The "float," or interest earned on these partial payments during the time the funds are held by the county treasurer, is not due to the state. The county treasurer may either hold the float as compensation for administrative costs incurred by accommodating partial payments or apply it to the taxpayer's delinquent tax liability.