THE CHIEF'S APPRAISAL: Options for paying 2011 property taxes abound

Local property taxes are due by the end of this month. If 2011 tax payments are not received or postmarked by Monday January 31, 2012 a seven percent penalty and interest fee will attach and also become due. We know paying taxes is just not your favorite thing to do this time of the year so we don’t want to make it any harder than it already is. We have several payment options available.

You can bring your payment in our office, you can come to our drive-up window, you can place your payment in our night deposit box, you can send your payment to us by mail or you can go to our website and make your payment online.

There are also several methods of payment. We accept cash, checks, money orders, credit card, debit card and e-checks. Credit/debit card payments have 2.5-percent transaction fees associated with them. In order for us to be able to process credit/debit card payments, we have chosen to pass on those fees to the individual taxpayers who utilize the process. We have had several complaints about the credit card fees but we are not a “for profit” business that can increase our sales prices in order to absorb the processing fees. Last year the transaction fees totaled more than $50,000. If we paid the fees, it would be passed on to all taxpayers because our operational funds come from the taxing entities who in turn get their money from local property tax dollars. We also pass on the $2.00 fees associated with online e-check payments.

Remember if you own property such as real estate, business personal property, mobile homes or mineral rights, you will have property taxes to pay. It is your responsibility to pay your taxes even if you did not receive a tax statement.

We have a couple of reminders for you. First, the lines to pay in our office will get longer as the month goes by. If you pay in the office during the last couple of weeks you can expect to wait in line 15 to 20 minutes. The second reminder concerns the postmark on payments made on the last day. We will be looking for payments postmarked January 31, 2012. If you put your payment in a USPS mail drop box January 31st after the final pickup time, your payment will not get postmarked until February 1st and we will not be able to consider the payment timely paid. However, we do have a convenient night deposit located on the west side of our building and we will accept payments deposited in it through midnight on January 31st. Our office is located at 1301 E. Eighth Street.

If a mortgage company is not paying your taxes and you have not received your tax statement you will still be responsible for paying the tax by the legal deadline. If you should have received a 2011 tax statement, but didn’t, please contact our office by calling 432-332-6834 or come by 1301 East Eighth Street.

Confusion can sometimes occur when mortgages are paid off. If the mortgage is paid off prior to October, the current year taxes are usually not paid by the mortgage company. When you pay off your mortgage, it is a good idea to contact our office to find out if the taxes have been paid and to ensure that our records reflect the correct mailing address information.
In the same way that mortgage pay-offs are confusing, new home purchases can also have confusing issues regarding tax payments. Taxes are assessed as of January 1st each year but are not billed until October. Taxes cannot be prorated by the tax collector. That means that the owners must deal with the proration of taxes even before the actual tax amounts are known. An abstract company will estimate the tax proration between owners, but those who do not close through an abstract company will have to make their own estimation and ensure that the tax statement is mailed to the proper owner.

We also want to remind those taxpayers who are disabled or over 65 that you may pay your taxes in four installments without penalty and interest fees assessed, but you MUST pay the first installment this year by January 31, 2012. If you do not make the first payment on time, you cannot take advantage of the installment option.