County prepares for tax deadline with two weeks remaining
By Melinda L. Lucas
With just about two weeks left before the official deadline, a large percentage of the county-wide tax levies will be collected in the next few days.
Taxes assessed during 2024 are officially due on Friday, Jan. 31.
Taxpayers have the option of mailing in their payments as well as coming inside or using the drop box to the left of the front door. Payments can also be made using credit or debit cards on the SCAD website (shackelfordcad.com) by searching for a specific account(s) using the property search section. Online payments will be assessed a convenience fee by the processing company.
Since Jan. 31 falls on a Friday this year, payments that are not in the drop box at the open of business on Feb. 3 or postmarked Jan. 31 will be considered delinquent, according to interim chief appraiser Richard Petree at the Shackelford County Central Appraisal District (CAD) office.
Collection Rate
Payments have been coming in at a steady pace since the statements went out last fall and have accelerated in January, Petree said.
He expects collections to eventually be in the usual range of 90 to 95 percent range.
About a quarter of the total levy is typically collected by the end of the year, with payments coming in steadily throughout the month of January and momentum picking up in the last week before the deadline.
Petree explained that there are a small number of “individually significant” taxpayers, mostly corporations, who tend to wait until right before the deadline to pay their taxes.
“That’s the reason the collection rate is typically so volatile between December and January,” said the interim chief appraiser.
Official Deadline
Payments postmarked Jan. 31 or earlier are not considered delinquent even though they may not arrive at the tax office for several more days.
A self-addressed stamped envelope needs to be enclosed with mailed or dropped payments in order for taxpayers to receive a receipt by return mail.
Online payments at www.shackelfordcad.com can be made any time before midnight on Jan. 31.
Local taxpayers can bring in their payments in person by the end of the working day on Friday, Jan. 31.
Payments placed in the drop box outside the office at 132 Hill St. will be counted as current as long as they are in the office by the morning of Feb. 3.
Hours at the SCAD office are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Staff members stagger their lunch hours in order to keep the office open during that time for the public’s convenience.
Payment Plans
According to Petree, payment plans are basically the same as last year and can be set up when the taxpayer calls the office for arrangements to be made.
Local homeowners with the homestead exemption who are over the age of 65, and also those who have a disability exemption through Social Security may qualify for special payment plans.
Persons who are over 65 or disabled are allowed to pay their taxes on their homestead in four equal installments by paying the first one by Jan. 31. The remaining payments are due March 31, May 31, and July 31. No penalty or interest is collected on this alternative method of payment.
Over-65 homeowners may also take advantage of a “deferment option,” which delays collection of homestead taxes until the property owner is deceased. At that time, the total amount of taxes is taken from the estate.
These homeowners fill out a one-time form, so it is not required annually.
Petree reminded taxpayers who are interested in any kind of payment plan that they must call this month.
Penalties
Taxes will become delinquent after the payment deadline, and property owners who do not pay their 2024 taxes in time will be charged penalty and interest on an accumulating scale.
Local taxpayers can contact the tax office at 325-762-2207.
