Tax Year vs Grand List

The term Tax Year applies to the taxes that are owed for a given fiscal year.

The Grand List is a record of all taxable and tax exempt property in a taxing district as of the assessment date. The Grand List is complied as of October 1 and the assessor certifies it by February 1. Then, the tax rates are set in May and the associated tax bills are due in July and the following January.

Lets look at the 2020-21 tax year as an example:

The Grand List is compiled as of 10/1/19.
The assessor certifies it by 2/1/20.
The tax rates are set in May 2020.
The tax bill (based on the Grand List) is split in two parts- the first half is due in July 2020, the second half in January 2021.