New Twists to Approaching Property Tax Payment Deadlines

Photo of the Brazos County tax office that was taken April 29, 2015.
Photo of the Brazos County tax office that was taken April 29, 2015.

Next Tuesday (June 30) is the last day to make property tax payments.

A reminder from Brazos County Tax Assessor-Collector Kristy Roe for those who mail their payments to do so now because the postmark, which is how they determine whether payments are on time, come from Houston and not the post offices in College Station and Bryan.

Another payment option is using the drive thru lanes at the new tax office, located off Pendleton between Copperfield and Boonville.

There are also drop off boxes in and outside the building, and you can pay online with an electronic check for service fee of one dollar.

Click below for comments from Kristy Roe, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver:

 

News release from Brazos County Tax Assessor-Collector Kristy Roe:

Two groups of taxpayers are facing important deadlines on Tuesday June 30. For those taxpayers who chose to pay their taxes in two equal installments, the second installment must be submitted to the Brazos County Tax Office on or before Tuesday of next week to avoid penalty and interest that will begin on the first of July. Taxpayers are urged to check their records and submit their payments well before Tuesday to avoid the maximum penalty of 12% and the first month of interest of 1%.

The second group includes those taxpayers who didn’t participate in the payment option, but still have a balance on their 2014 taxes. Those taxpayers are already subject to penalty and interest for late payment, but on July 1st, an additional attorney fee applies to all collections for those accounts. Penalty interest and attorney fees are set by statute and continue to accrue until the tax is paid in full.

In both cases, payment by mail is determined by the U.S. Postal Service postmark. Taxpayers are reminded that local mail is not postmarked until reaching the processing center in Houston, so waiting to mail a payment on Tuesday could result in penalties. If paying by mail on the last day, taxpayers are urged to take the payment to the post office before the last pickup time. For extra proof of mailing, taxpayers can use certified mail, or use any other manner that provides a dated receipt for your records.

A drop box for payments is available in the tax office lobby and is a simple way to submit your payment without waiting in line. Receipts are mailed for every payment received. Taxpayers can also pay online with credit or debit card, or they can have the payment drafted directly from their bank account by paying with an e-check. A confirmation is provided at the time of the transaction for the taxpayer’s record. There is a fee for these services. Users will be provided the amount of the fee before completion so they can determine whether they wish to complete the transaction or make payment in another manner. The website is www.brazostax.org.

Taxpayers are asked to please provide the account information for the properties they wish to pay. The property ID number is the best information. This assures that the payment is applied accurately, and makes the process much faster for those wishing to pay in person.

Brazos County residents are reminded of the additional services available at the County Tax Office new location. The office includes the option of paying your taxes in the drive through windows, as well as a secure drop box in the drive through area for after-hours payments. All payments dropped after hours will be credited as next day payments.

Phone call volume is expected to be high, so use of the website for balance information is encouraged. If you need to call the office for assistance, please consider making your call well before the deadline to make sure tax office personnel are available to assist you. The tax office is located just off Pendleton Drive between Copperfield and Boonville Road in Bryan. The address is 4151 County Park Ct., Bryan, TX 77802. For additional information please contact the tax office at 979-775-9930.

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