I Should Have the Money Soon. Can I Pay Delinquent Property Taxes Then?
It can be tempting to put off making a big payment if you are strapped for cash and expecting more money in the future. However, due to the accruing penalties and fees, you need to move as quickly as possible to pay delinquent property taxes in full.
Also, if you are struggling to pay your current taxes, you need to make a plan now – before they become delinquent.
The day taxes become delinquent, penalties and fees hit your account and will not stop accumulating until your tax debt is paid.
Penalty & Interest Charges
In Texas, property taxes are due on January 31st. Beginning February 1st, penalties and interest charges begin to accrue. Monthly interest charges start at 1% and have no maximum. You definitely want to pay delinquent property taxes before July 1st, when an additional 22% penalty is added to overdue tax bills.
Some taxing units hire private attorneys to collect delinquent tax accounts. When this happens, a penalty of up to 20% is added to the delinquent tax bill.
Once your taxes become delinquent, not only do penalties and interest begin to accrue, but the courts also have the power to foreclose on the tax lien on your property to seize the property for auction.
Things can get out of control quickly, so get help as soon as you need it to pay your delinquent real estate taxes, avoid penalties and fees and protect your personal property from tax collection.
What Are My Options for Paying Delinquent Property Taxes?
Texas property taxes are assessed, collected and spent at the local level – that’s over 4,000 local governments, including counties, cities, school districts, hospitals and more, funded through property taxes.
If your taxes are overdue, your payment options for paying delinquent property taxes are specific to your local tax collection office and can include:
- Property Tax Deferrals
- Escrow Accounts
- Installments
- Split Payments
- Partial Payments
Remember there is also help available if you are unable to pay delinquent property taxes.
Paying Delinquent Property Taxes in Texas: Special Circumstances
Tax collections usually begin in the fall of each year, with many Texas property owners receiving their tax bills in October. However, if the tax bill is mailed after January 10th, you do not have to worry about paying delinquent property taxes. The February 1st delinquency date is extended depending on when the original statement was sent and must be printed on the bill.
If you are appealing an Appraisal Review Board (ARB) order, you must pay the tax amount not in dispute.
Where & How to Pay Delinquent Property Taxes
As much as we would like to be able to directly answer every question about paying delinquent property taxes in Texas, each of Texas’s 254 counties establishes its own way of collecting property taxes.
The Texas Constitution and the Texas Tax Code provide rules to ensure equal and uniform taxation. From there, you must contact your county’s tax offices – either the appraisal district or tax assessor-collector – for all property tax information, including:
- Eligibility and how to apply for property tax exemptions
- Obtaining a tax deferral
- Submitting a notice of protest of your property’s appraised value
- Questions about tax rates
- Billing questions
- How to pay delinquent property taxes
- Payment options
- Where to pay delinquent property taxes
Note that not all counties’ tax assessor-collector offices process property taxes. Your county’s appraisal district website is a good place to start for property tax information specific to your local government.
Get Help Paying Delinquent Property Taxes with Tax Ease
Paying delinquent property taxes in Texas doesn’t have to be complicated. If you need help, start by filling out our simple application.
Upon approval, we’ll pay your delinquent property taxes, eliminating the worry of your house being collateral and the looming possibility of foreclosure. Plus, we’ll work with you on a repayment schedule that fits your budget.
The tax experts at Tax Ease have been helping Texans ease the stress of paying delinquent property taxes for almost 20 years. Contact us today if you have any more questions or want to get started on a property tax loan.