Customers that use online banking systems should send payments to the Town Collector, 8 West Common Street, Topsfield, MA 01983 rather than the Post Office Box listed on the return envelope. Online banking systems, except for the Town's Unibank system, do not issue payments electronically - the bank issues a printed check and mails it. Sometimes the check isn't mailed for several days.
The PO Box on the return envelope is actually a Century Bank automated lock box that processes payments based on information printed on the bill stub. If the scan line beneath the stub's mailing address is unreadable, or the stub is missing, then the lock box rejects the payment and forwards it to the Town Hall for manual processing.
In the event you need to make a payment to avoid a late penalty or termination of service, the safest thing to do is drop your payment off at the Town Hall. The Town Treasurer & Collector's Office hours are posted online and there is a drop box at the front door near the Town Clerks' Office that is checked daily. Late fees are typically calculated seven days after the due date to allow for any payments that might have been in transit near the due date.
Including the bill stub with your payment helps reduce our labor costs by reducing the number of hours spent processing and posting manual payments.
