Travis County Delinquent Property Taxes

The goal in Austin, Texas might be to “Keep Austin Weird,” but for Travis County residents, it might feel like the goal is really “Keep Property Taxes High.” As the state capital, it seems to reason that Austin might be a good representation of Texas property taxes overall. And it is — Travis County property tax rates are close to the state average, which is much higher than the national average property tax rate. You might feel somewhat ashamed if you cannot pay your tax bill on time, but you’re not alone. And there’s no shaming going on here! We’ll take you through the facts so you can understand what you need to know about Travis County delinquent property taxes.

Travis County Property Tax Rate

As we alluded to, the overall average effective Travis County property tax rate is close to the state average — 1.80%. That means it’s lower than a lot of other counties, including Dallas County (1.99%), Bexar County (1.99%), Harris County (2.09%) and Tarrant County (2.16%). However, the county breaks it down like this:

The countywide rate set by the Commissioners Court is .35%
Then, individual cities and school districts add their rates on top of that.

This means that the different cities in Travis County can vary quite a bit in their rates. For example, in Austin, TX, the city rate is .44%, with a school district rate of 1.19%, putting the total tax rate over 1.98%. Cities like Manor and Pflugerville are even higher than that.

How Is Your Travis County Property Tax Bill Determined?

In Travis County, Texas, property tax bills are determined by the following formula:

Value x Tax Rate

According to the Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD), in this equation, “value” is how much your property is worth, and the “tax rate” is the percentage that local taxing entities decide on to accommodate their annual budgets. Multiply those two together, and you should get the amount that shows up on your tax bill! For up-to-date information, you can view the Truth-in-Taxation form provided by TCAD or the tax rate information from the Commissioners Court.

Important Dates for Travis County Property Taxes

These are the dates that residents should be aware of for Travis County property tax matters:

January 1st: TCAD appraises property values and puts a lien on each item to ensure that payments are made.
January 31st: YOUR TAX BILL IS DUE either to the local taxing entity or to the tax assessor-collector (the funds are distributed appropriately to pay for public services, school districts, etc.).
February 1st: If you didn’t pay, you now owe Travis County delinquent property taxes, and the penalties and interest fees will start to accrue.
April through May: TCAD sends notices of appraised values for the following year.
May 1st: The Appraisal Review Board (made up of local citizens appointed by the county) begins settling discrepancies between residents and TCAD regarding property values.
July 1st: The biggest penalty of the year hits for those who are still in delinquency.
July 25th: TCAD notifies local taxing units of the appraised values.
August through September: Local governments set their annual budgets and corresponding property tax rates.
October Residents start getting their tax bills due the following year.

How to Pay Travis County Property Taxes

When looking to pay property taxes, Travis County residents have the following options:

Pay online by credit card, debit card, eCheck, PayPal or PayPal Credit (those using PayPal have financing options available).
Pay in person.
Pay by mail.
Pay by Electronic Funds Transfer.
Pay by phone.
Pay through a drop box.

For more on how to pay property taxes, the Travis County Tax Office website offers a wealth of information.

What Can Happen If You Owe Travis County Delinquent Property Taxes

Owing Travis County delinquent property taxes is no picnic. If you missed the January 31st payment deadline, there are many consequences you’re likely to face, including:

You’ll rack up debt from ever-increasing property tax penalties.
Your property could be foreclosed.
You could lose the deed to your home
Your property could be auctioned off at Travis County tax sale.

Types of Travis County Property Tax Help Available

Travis County offers a few different types of property tax help, such as:

Deferrals:Travis Central Appraisal District outlines the process for deferring payment of your property taxes, which isn’t the best option for everyone and involves filing an affidavit.
Exemptions: General residence homestead exemptions are available, along with exemptions based on age, disability and veteran status.
Payment Plans:The Travis County Tax Office offers payment plans for those meeting specific requirements.

Bear in mind that all of these have stipulations that may prevent residents from taking advantage of them.

Avoid Travis County Delinquent Property Taxes with Help from Tax Ease

Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed at the mere thought of your home’s property tax. Travis County residents can depend on Tax Ease for help when facing delinquency. With a loan from us, you’ll be able to pay off your debts immediately and avoid penalties. And our team will work with you to determine a repayment schedule that suits your budget. Start an application now!

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