Escape Tax-prior owner, 2016 -2020. County billed us $6k in 2024. Can I deduct it in my property tax ?

[ErFrank]

Owned 1/3 when sold in 2021, will claim deduction for my tax. Worried about audit if I claim it. It is unsecured property tax.

[IsabellaG]

Yes, if this is an ad valorem (value based) tax and you owned the property during the time for which you are being billed, you can deduct this as personal property tax, subject to the $10,000 cap on State and Local Taxes.

[Opus 17]

It's not clear from your question if you are being billed for taxes that you did not pay as an owner, or are being billed for someone else's taxes.   You can deduct property taxes that you pay, if they are assessed for the time/days you owned the property.  You can deduct these taxes in the year you pay them, even if you are no longer an owner, as long as they are assessed for a period of time when you were an owner.