From Brazos County Tax Assessor-Collector Kristy Roe:
Property owners in Brazos County have their first decision this weekend on how to take care of that property tax bill. Unlike most taxing jurisdictions across the state, local taxing units offer an additional option for budgeting that tax payment. The deadline to pay property taxes in full is January 31, but taxpayers in Brazos County have the option of making two equal payments in six month intervals.
This year the first deadline for split payment is Monday November 30. There is a drop box inside the tax office for those who wish to drop their payments off and have receipts mailed. For those who wish to drop off their payment after hours or over the long holiday weekend, there is a secure drop safe in lane one of the drive through windows at the tax office. All drop payments must be made by 5:00PM on Monday November 30 to be timely.
For those residents who want to make that payment in person, there are several things that should be remembered. The Brazos County Tax Office moved in May of this year and many residents still have not identified the new location. Computer savvy residents can Google “Brazos County Tax Office” and receive full directions, but most GPS and search engines still do not recognize the new street address of the office. A map of the location is available on the tax office website at www.brazostax.org.
Holiday hours are another thing that can cause consternation for residents. Along with all other Brazos County offices, the tax office will close early on Wednesday November 25th, and be closed Thursday and Friday of this week for the Thanksgiving Holidays. Office hours on Wednesday are 8:00AM to 3:00PM. The drive through lanes will close at 3:00PM as well.
For taxpayers who prefer to take care of business through the mail or online, those options are also available. Payments by mail must be postmarked by the US Postal Service or date stamped by private carrier on or before November 30 to qualify for the half payment option. Residents are reminded that scheduling payment through their bank does not provide a timely postmark.
The best bargain for payment is to take advantage of the eCheck payment option available through our website at www.brazostax.org. The fee to have your tax payment drafted from your bank account is $1.00, and taxpayers can print proof of the date and time of their payment. Payment with credit or debit card is also available from the website, and additional convenience fees apply. Online payments are accepted as timely if completed by 12:00 midnight on Monday November 30.
Accurate information is critical for all online transactions, and Brazos County taxpayers are urged to identify and provide their property ID numbers and a contact number to enable employees to reach them with any questions about their payment. Like black Friday, the deadlines at the tax office provide for long lines and frustrated people. The tax office urges local residents to plan extra time for their transactions.