Understanding Your Tax Bill & Valuation
The town operates on a fiscal year that runs from July 1st to June 30th. The total tax liability
is billed in 4 quarterly payments as follows:
| Quarter | Type of Tax Bill | Period Covered | Tax Payment Due |
| Q1 | Preliminary | July – September | August 1st |
| Q2 | Preliminary | October – December | November 1st |
| Q3 | Actual | January – March | February 1st |
| Q4 | Actual | April – June | May 1st |
Every year, as required by the Department of Revenue (DOR), all properties in Marblehead are assessed. The fair market value is based on market sales of properties sold in town. All assessments are valued as of January 1st. To determine the timeframe or calendar year for the basis of valuations, you need to work backwards:
- Fiscal Year 2026 begins on July 1, 2025.
- Date of Valuation is January 1, 2025.
- Penultimate calendar year (2024) is used primarily for basis of
determining values. The DOR provides latitude to extend that
period +/- 6 months, so market sales beginning July 2023 through
June 2025 could be used.
Preliminary bills are calculated based on what you paid in the prior fiscal year and actual bills are based on current fiscal year valuations. Here are the steps used in calculating your bills this year:
- Take the prior Fiscal Year (2025) total tax paid and divide by 4.
- This is the approximate amount to be billed for Fiscal Year 2026, Q1 & Q2.
- After the town has been valued and the tax rate set, your total tax liability
for Fiscal Year 2026 is determined. - Subtract payments made in Q1 & Q2 above from the Fiscal Year 2025
total tax due. - The balance due is divided into 2 and that is the amount billed in Q3 & Q4.
*updated: May 9, 2025