Local property taxes due by Feb. 1
By Melinda L. Lucas
With just a little over a week 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 2020 are officially due next week, on Monday, Feb. 1. With the Jan. 31 due date falling during the weekend, Monday payments made in person will be accepted, as well as those placed in the drop box that day, according to chief appraiser Clayton Snyder at the Shackelford County Appraisal District (SCAD) office.
The front door of the office at 132 Hill St remains locked because of COVID concerns, but taxpayers can call ahead to pay in person or talk to SCAD personnel.
Tax statements are usually mailed in October, but were late this year because of information coming from another appraisal district.
“In anyone needs to come in to talk in person, they can call, and we’ll let them in,” said Snyder. “We are just trying to limit traffic to one person at a time so there’s not as much chance of COVID exposure.”
He also said that he or other personnel will also come out to vehicles if needed to talk to taxpayers.
In addition, there is a dropbox to the left of the main door, and as always, payments can be mailed.
Payments have been coming in at a steady pace since the statements went out in early December.
About a quarter of the total levy is typically collected by the end of the year, with payments coming in steadily throughout January and momentum picking up in the last week before the deadline.
Snyder 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 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 payments in person by the end of the working day on Monday, Feb. 1.
Anything in the night deposit on the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 2 will not be considered late, said Snyder.
Penalties
Taxes will become delinquent after the payment deadline, and property owners who do not pay their 2020 taxes in time will be charged penalty and interest on an accumulating scale.
Local taxpayers can contact the tax office at 325-762-2207 for more information.
