this post was submitted on 17 Apr 2026
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Explain Like I'm Five

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Explain Like I am a child ... taxes. I get you pay taxes on goods you buy everyday. And you get said goods by paying a one time fee. But how come on a home after being paid off I still pay taxes...... (lemmy.world)
submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by Patnou@lemmy.world to c/explainlikeimfive@lemmy.world
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I mean I paid for it like I would anything else I wanted. They charge a tax at checkout. So if I buy a house and pay the whole thing off, why do I still have to pay taxes on said house when I paid the whole agreed on price in full? It would be like me buying a six pack of beer I pay for it and tax at checkout. But then timely I have to keep paying taxes on the beer even though paid in full?

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[โ€“] aramis87@fedia.io 21 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Your yearly property taxes are for the services provided by your town, county, or state. Depending on where you live, those services may include police, fire fighters, paramedics/EMTs, road paving and maintenance, flood control, wildfire training and response, trash pickup, snow plowing, public schools, teachers, local libraries, parks and parks services, dam control and maintenance, a community center, the town hall, salaries for the mayor, town clerk, local judge, purchase and maintenance of all the equipment needed for the above - fire trucks and outfits, ambulances and medical supplies, computers and specialized software, school buildings and supplies - the list is nearly endless. That's what your property taxes go to, and that's why you have to pay them every year.

[โ€“] NarrativeBear@lemmy.world 7 points 4 months ago

This is the answer, your property taxes are not for your property alone but all the services provided for you, your children and your community.

If you don't pay those taxes then that road infront of your home never gets built, the street never get plowed, the bus never picks up your kids.