45.53(1)
(1) In this section, unless the context indicates otherwise:
45.53(1)(a)
(a) "Interest and penalties" mean interest and penalties accruing on taxes during the period of military service and 6 months thereafter. In case property is owned jointly by several owners, other than property held jointly or as marital property with the spouse of the person in military service, interest and penalties shall mean the proportionate share of the total interest and penalties commensurate with the equity in the property of such person in military service.
45.53(1)(b)
(b) "Persons in military service" means any man or woman who is or was serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces.
45.53(1)(c)
(c) "Property" shall mean any real estate or personal property belonging to a person in military service provided that such property was acquired prior to the commencement of military service except in cases where such property was acquired by descent in which case the proviso shall not apply.
45.53(1)(d)
(d) "Taxes" shall mean any general taxes or special assessments or tax certificates evidencing such taxes and assessments not belonging to private buyers.
45.53(2)
(2) In order to supplement and complement the provisions of the soldiers' and sailors' civil relief act of 1940 and all amendments thereof, so as to afford and obtain greater peace and security for persons in military service, the enforcement of certain tax obligations or liabilities which may prejudice the property rights of persons in military service, for the period herein set forth may be temporarily suspended as hereinafter provided.
45.53(3)
(3) Any person while in the military service of the United States or within 6 months after terminating service, or the person's agent or attorney during that period, may petition a court of record in any county in which the person owns property for relief under this section. Upon filing of the petition the court shall make an order fixing the time of hearing and requiring the giving of notice of the hearing. If after hearing the court shall find that the person is, or within 6 months next preceding the filing of the petition was, in the military service of the United States and owns property within the county on which taxes have fallen or will fall due, and that the person's ability to pay the taxes has been materially adversely affected by reason of being in military service, the court shall enter an order determining that the person is entitled to relief under this section. When an order so determines, the court may further suspend proceedings for the collection of taxes on the property for a period not exceeding 6 months after termination of the military service of the person, or for the time reasonably necessary to complete the agreement provided in
sub. (7). Thereafter, the property shall not be included in tax certificates issued to enforce collection of taxes on property, and all proceedings for that purpose shall be suspended, except under terms that the court in the order may direct.
45.53(4)
(4) Whenever any tax or assessment on real property, including all special assessments, is not paid when due, any interest or penalty under
s. 74.47 and the maximum limitation of 6% per year as provided by the soldiers' and sailors' civil relief act shall be waived for the purpose and upon the conditions specified in this section.
45.53(5)
(5) The penalties and interest which shall be waived pursuant to this section are those for nonpayment of all taxes or assessments, general or special, falling due during the period of military service of any person against either real or personal property of which the person is the bona fide owner or in which the person has a beneficial interest.
45.53(6)
(6) The person owning or having an interest in any property in respect to which the order under
sub. (3) is made, or the person's agent or attorney, may file with the county treasurer or with the city treasurer of cities authorized by law to sell lands for the nonpayment of taxes as to such taxes and assessments a certified copy of the order of suspension together with an affidavit in triplicate, sworn to by the person or agent or attorney setting forth the name of the owner, the legal description of the property, the type of property, when acquired, volume and page number where the deed was recorded if acquired by deed and the name of the estate if acquired by descent, amount of delinquent taxes if any, and the names of the holders of any outstanding mortgage, lien or other encumbrance. Upon such filing the county treasurer or city treasurer shall record the order in the office of the register of deeds of the county and file a copy in the office of the treasurer, who shall make proper notation that a person in military service is the holder of the legal title and has made application for special relief, and an additional copy shall be immediately forwarded to the office of the clerk of the town, city or village where the property is located, or if it is located in a city authorized to sell lands for nonpayment of its taxes to the commissioner of assessments, who shall make an appropriate notation in the records.
45.53(7)
(7) Any person seeking relief under this section, within 6 months after termination of military service, or the person's agent or attorney, or in case of death of such person, the personal representative, surviving spouse or heir at law, may apply to the county treasurer of the county, or the city treasurer of cities authorized by law to sell lands for the nonpayment of taxes, as the case may be, wherein such property is located for an agreement for scheduled instalment payments, covering the taxes accrued during such person's period of military service, provided that such taxes will be paid over a period of time equal to a period no longer than twice the length of military service of such person, in equal periodic instalments of not less than $10, and subject to such other terms as may be just and reasonable.
45.53(8)
(8) In the event default is made by the applicant in the performance of any of the provisions of such agreement, such treasurer, as the case may be, shall forthwith notify the applicant of such default and the amount and date due, by written notice either served personally or by registered mail with return receipt demanded to the address set forth in such application. If such defaulted payment is not fully made within 10 days after service of such notice, then such treasurer without further notice may declare that the entire amount of such tax subject to the scheduled instalments shall be immediately due and payable and that such agreement is fully rescinded and terminated. Thereupon the county treasurer shall notify the register of deeds and the town, city or village treasurer thereof, or if the city treasurer of cities authorized by law to sell lands for the nonpayment of taxes the latter shall notify the register of deeds and the county treasurer and such officers and shall make appropriate notations thereof on their records. Thereafter, the county treasurer or city treasurer as to taxes of cities authorized by law to sell land for the nonpayment of taxes, may without further order of the court enforce the collection of such tax or assessment and sell such tax certificates together with such penalties and interest as may have accrued thereon from the date of default of such scheduled instalment payment.
VETERAN'S HOUSING LOAN PROGRAM
45.70(1)(1)
Legislative findings. It is determined that veterans, who have sacrificed in the service of their country, valuable years of their lives and considerable earning potential, constitute a readily identifiable and particularly deserving segment of this state's population. It is further determined that by making additional housing funds available to eligible veterans limited private home loan funds available will be more readily available to all. It is further determined that the loan programs established under this subchapter are special purpose credit programs for an economically disadvantaged class of persons for the purposes of the federal equal credit opportunity act (
15 USC 1691-1691f).
45.70(2)
(2) Legislative intent. This subchapter is created principally to enable the state and the authority to exercise their borrowing power to increase those funds available for loans providing for the purchase or construction of private housing, without requiring downpayments beyond the reach of families of modest means. It is the intent of the legislature that the department in its administration of this subchapter avoid the duplication of those administrative services available through private lending institutions, utilizing the administrative services of such institutions to the maximum extent consistent with the purposes of this subchapter.
45.71
45.71
Definitions. In this subchapter:
45.71(1)
(1) "Anticipated annual shelter payment" means the total annual payments anticipated for the following, as determined by the department or authorized lender on the basis of the loan applied for under
s. 45.79:
45.71(1)(a)
(a) Real estate taxes on the premises to be mortgaged.
45.71(1)(c)
(c) Required payments on principal and interest on all mortgages placed or to be placed against the home of an eligible person.
45.71(1m)
(1m) "Authority" means the Wisconsin housing and economic development authority.
45.71(2m)
(2m) "Board" means the board of veterans affairs.
45.71(3)(d)
(d) Other costs authorized by the department.
45.71(4)
(4) "Department" means the department of veterans affairs.
45.71(5)(a)
(a) The spouse of a veteran who resides with the veteran; and
45.71(5)(b)
(b) Any person who resides with a veteran and is dependent upon the veteran for more than one-half of the person's support.
45.71(6)
(6) "Eligible person" means any veteran qualified under
s. 45.74 to receive a loan under this subchapter.
45.71(7)
(7) "Funds" include cash on hand, liquid investments, and any asset the conversion of which to cash would not result in a substantial loss, except as provided under
s. 45.85. The funds of a veteran include all funds owned by the veteran and spouse, individually or jointly, unless the veteran and spouse are permanently separated.
45.71(7m)
(7m) "Guaranteed loan" means a loan guaranteed by the U.S. department of veterans affairs under
38 USC 1801 to
1827.
45.71(8)
(8) "Home" means a building or portion thereof used as the veteran's principal place of residence, and includes condominiums and income-producing property, a portion of which is so occupied by the veteran, and the land, including existing improvements, appertaining to such a building.
45.71(9)
(9) "Income" means the amount of adjusted gross income a veteran is receiving for regular work together with any income from other sources that may reasonably be expected to be regular and dependable, except as provided under
s. 45.85.
45.71(9)(a)
(a) Part-time or overtime pay, unemployment compensation and income of the veteran's spouse are considered income only if the department or authorized lender deems such sources of income to be regular and dependable.
45.71(9)(b)
(b) Unless temporary in nature and except as provided under
s. 45.79 (2m) or
45.85, pensions and disability compensation shall be considered income.
45.71(10)
(10) "Insurer" means any insurer authorized to do business in this state.
45.71(12)(a)
(a) Is used as the veteran's principal place of residence; and
45.71(13)(a)
(a) Required payments on principal and interest.
45.71(13)(c)
(c) One-twelfth of annual real estate taxes on the mortgaged property.
45.71(14)
(14) "Qualified purpose" means any purpose authorized under
s. 45.76.
45.71(15)
(15) "Secretary" means the secretary of veterans affairs.
45.71(16)(a)(a) "Veteran" means any person who has served on active duty under honorable conditions in the U.S. armed forces or in forces incorporated as part of the U.S. armed forces, except service on active duty for training purposes, and who meets the following conditions:
45.71(16)(a)1m.a.
a. Is entitled to receive the armed forces expeditionary medal, established by
executive order 10977 on December 4, 1961, the Vietnam service medal established by
executive order 11231 on July 8, 1965, the navy expeditionary medal or the marine corps expeditionary medal.
45.71(16)(a)1m.b.
b. Has served in Bosnia, Grenada, Lebanon, Panama, Somalia or a Middle East crisis under
s. 45.34.
45.71(16)(a)1m.c.
c. Has served for 90 days or more during a war period as enumerated under
par. (am) or under section 1 of
executive order 10957, dated August 10, 1961, except service on active duty for training purposes, or if having served less than 90 days was honorably discharged for a service-connected disability or for a disability subsequently adjudicated to have been service-connected or died in service.
45.71(16)(a)1m.d.
d. Has served on active duty for more than 6 months during the period between February 1, 1955, and August 4, 1964, and was honorably discharged.
45.71(16)(a)2m.
2m. The person is either a resident of and living in this state at the time of making application, or is deceased, and meets one of the following conditions:
45.71(16)(a)2m.a.
a. Has been a resident of this state for any consecutive 5-year period after completing service on active duty and before his or her application or death. If a person applying for a benefit under this subchapter meets that 5-consecutive-year residency requirement, the department may not require the person to reestablish that he or she meets the 5-consecutive-year residency requirement when he or she applies for any other benefit under this chapter that requires a 5-consecutive-year residency.
45.71(16)(a)2m.b.
b. Was a resident of this state at the time of enlistment or induction into service.
45.71(16)(af)
(af) If the person had more than one qualifying term of service under
par. (a) 1m., at least one term of service must have been under honorable conditions or have been terminated by an honorable discharge.
45.71(16)(aj)
(aj) Veterans who are otherwise eligible and who are serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces need not be living in this state on date of application to qualify for a loan under this chapter.
45.71(16)(am)2.
2. Spanish American war: Between April 21, 1898, and April 11, 1899.
45.71(16)(am)3.
3. Philippine insurrection: Between April 12, 1899, and July 4, 1902 (extended to July 15, 1903, if actually engaged in Moro Province hostilities).
45.71(16)(am)4.
4. Boxer rebellion: Between June 16, 1900, and May 12, 1901.
45.71(16)(am)5.
5. Mexican border service: Between June 19, 1916, and April 5, 1917.
45.71(16)(am)6.
6. World War I: Between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918 (extended to April 1, 1920, if service was in Russia).
45.71(16)(am)7.
7. World War II: Between August 27, 1940, and July 25, 1947.
45.71(16)(am)8.
8. Korean conflict: Between June 27, 1950, and January 31, 1955.
45.71(16)(am)9.
9. Vietnam war: Between August 5, 1964, and January 1, 1977, excepting service on active duty for training purposes only.
45.71(16)(am)10.
10. Persian Gulf war: Between August 1, 1990 and the ending date of Operation Desert Shield or Operation Desert Storm as established by the department by rule.
45.71(16)(b)
(b) An unremarried spouse of a deceased veteran shall be considered a veteran under this subchapter.
45.71(16)(c)
(c) A minor or dependent child of a deceased veteran shall be considered a veteran under this subchapter.
45.72
45.72
Powers of the department. In respect to loans made by and mortgages and mortgage notes executed or properties mortgaged to the department or to authorized lenders under this subchapter or s.
45.352, 1971 stats., the department may:
45.72(1)
(1) Execute necessary instruments.
45.72(2)
(2) Collect interest and principal.
45.72(3)
(3) Compromise indebtedness due on mortgage notes.
45.72(5)
(5) Exercise the rights of a mortgagee generally including but not limited to, the right to:
45.72(5)(a)
(a) Acquire or take possession of such mortgaged property and in so doing the department may accept voluntary surrender and conveyance of title to such property in full satisfaction of a mortgage debt or may bid for and purchase such property at a sheriff's sale or replevin such property.
45.72(5)(b)
(b) Commit itself to execute and execute subordination agreements, partial releases and other necessary instruments.
45.72(5)(c)
(c) Set up and follow procedures to assure proper disbursement of the proceeds of insurance checks, share drafts or other drafts covering damages sustained on mortgaged properties.
45.72(5)(d)
(d) Pay the principal and interest on any obligations incurred in connection with such mortgages on such property including real estate taxes, insurance premiums, attorney fees and obligations created as a result of its exercise of powers vested in it under this subchapter.
