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Local tax collections pick up momentum

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As is typical, property tax payments at the Shackelford County Appraisal District accelerated just before the end of the year, according to chief appraiser Clayton Snyder.

“We are still busy processing and posting the many payments that were mailed in to us at the end of 2018, as well as the electronic transactions through the district’s website,” said Snyder on Monday night. “Unfortunately, there is not an accurate way to estimate the collection rate until we finish processing December payments, and close out the month in our collection system.”

He added that the district had collected about 97 percent of the 2017 levy as of November 2018, a figure that is “in line” with prior levy years after the taxes have been due for about one calendar year.

“When everything’s said and done, we usually have 96 to 99 percent collections,” said Snyder. “I don’t expect any deviation from that rate at the end of 2019.”

Payment Plans

According to Snyder, the CAD office is limited on what kinds of payout plans can be accepted because the law changed in 2013.

Escrow plans for the next year’s payments were discontinued in 2013, but were reinstated in 2016 and can be set up again for the current taxes.

Also available is a special payout plan for local homeowners with the homestead exemption who are over the age of 65, and also those who have a disability exemption through Social Security. 

There will be no penalty and interest charged on late payments for those types of arrangements as there is for regular late accounts, said Snyder, but the special plan can be applied only to taxes on a homestead for those persons who are over age 65.

If these taxpayers are unable to pay all of their taxes by the Jan. 31 deadline, they may submit one-fourth of the total by Jan. 31, another quarter by March 31, the third quarter by May 31, and the balance by July 31.

Snyder reminded taxpayers who want to take advantage of this plan that they must come in during January and sign up as an annual requirement.

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.

Deadline Details

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.

Since Jan. 31 falls on a Thursday this year, there are no concessions for payments made later than that date. Walk-in payments can be brought in or dropped off in the night deposit slot. Anything in the night deposit on the morning of Feb. 1 will be back-dated to Jan. 31, said Snyder.

However, mailed payments must still be postmarked by Jan. 31, 2019.

A self-addressed stamped envelope needs to be enclosed with mailed payments in order for taxpayers to receive a receipt by return mail.

Taxpayers may use the online pay option by going to the local tax office’s website at www.shackelford cad.com.  

For any questions that a taxpayer might have, Snyder added, they should stop by or call the office at 325-762-2207.