January 6, 2020
Avoid penalties, interest and late fees
By Wendy M. Grams - Chief Appraiser
Special to the Prophet
It’s 2020, and with the New Year comes the inevitable list of resolutions. The staff at the Central Appraisal District of Bandera County hope you had a merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year. We also hope your 2020 resolutions include avoiding penalties, interest and late fees by remembering these important tax calendar events.
Jan. 31 is the legal deadline to pay your 2019 property tax without penalty and interest. Your payment will be considered timely if paid or postmarked by Jan. 31. If payment is not received or postmarked by that date, a 7 percent penalty and interest fee will attach and become due. Penalty and interest percentages increase each month. Unpaid property accounts will receive 33 percent in penalty, interest and attorney fees on July 1 of each year which brings the total P & I and attorney fees to 38 percent.
There are several payment options available. Please contact the Bandera County Tax Office for information about payment options or check out their website at https://www.banderacounty.org/departments/tax.htm.
If you have qualified for the Over 65 or the Disabled Person exemption, you may pay your taxes in four installments without penalty and interest fees. Contact the Bandera County Tax Office to request this payment option. To avoid penalties and interest on each installment amount, you must pay the installments before Feb. 1, April 1, June 1 and Aug. 1. If the first payment is not made by March 1, you cannot take advantage of the installment option.
The line to pay in the tax office will get longer as the payment deadline approaches. You can expect delays especially if you wait to pay the last two weeks of the month.
The appraisal district will soon mail out confidential Business Personal Property renditions to business owners. Please complete the rendition, listing: business inventories, furniture, fixtures, machinery, equipment and vehicles as of Jan. 1, 2019. Return the form to our office by April 15 to avoid fees for late filing. The rendition form is lengthy and can be confusing, so please let us know if you have questions. Contact the appraisal district at 830-796-3039.
The appraisal district staff are committed to accurately appraising your property for 2020. As you are concentrating on paying your 2019 tax amount this month, the 2020 appraisal of your property is already well under way. Field appraisers are inspecting properties, updating property records, requesting information on recent sales, and analyzing sales data. The appraisal district will be looking closely at market changes reflected in sales prices and rental rates in preparation for the Jan. 1 valuation of your property.
Please check your tax statements carefully. If you have a problem or a question with your tax statement, go by and see the tax office staff, give them at call at 830-796-3731 or email them at [email protected]. Now is the time to solve owner or exemption issues before penalties and interest are applied.
If you want to check the status of your exemptions, please visit our website at www.bancad.org. You can search for your property by name, address or account number. The exemption status is located in the property information section under Owner.
For any questions regarding exemptions and qualification, please call us at 830-796-3039.
Jan. 31 is the legal deadline to pay your 2019 property tax without penalty and interest. Your payment will be considered timely if paid or postmarked by Jan. 31. If payment is not received or postmarked by that date, a 7 percent penalty and interest fee will attach and become due. Penalty and interest percentages increase each month. Unpaid property accounts will receive 33 percent in penalty, interest and attorney fees on July 1 of each year which brings the total P & I and attorney fees to 38 percent.
There are several payment options available. Please contact the Bandera County Tax Office for information about payment options or check out their website at https://www.banderacounty.org/departments/tax.htm.
If you have qualified for the Over 65 or the Disabled Person exemption, you may pay your taxes in four installments without penalty and interest fees. Contact the Bandera County Tax Office to request this payment option. To avoid penalties and interest on each installment amount, you must pay the installments before Feb. 1, April 1, June 1 and Aug. 1. If the first payment is not made by March 1, you cannot take advantage of the installment option.
The line to pay in the tax office will get longer as the payment deadline approaches. You can expect delays especially if you wait to pay the last two weeks of the month.
The appraisal district will soon mail out confidential Business Personal Property renditions to business owners. Please complete the rendition, listing: business inventories, furniture, fixtures, machinery, equipment and vehicles as of Jan. 1, 2019. Return the form to our office by April 15 to avoid fees for late filing. The rendition form is lengthy and can be confusing, so please let us know if you have questions. Contact the appraisal district at 830-796-3039.
The appraisal district staff are committed to accurately appraising your property for 2020. As you are concentrating on paying your 2019 tax amount this month, the 2020 appraisal of your property is already well under way. Field appraisers are inspecting properties, updating property records, requesting information on recent sales, and analyzing sales data. The appraisal district will be looking closely at market changes reflected in sales prices and rental rates in preparation for the Jan. 1 valuation of your property.
Please check your tax statements carefully. If you have a problem or a question with your tax statement, go by and see the tax office staff, give them at call at 830-796-3731 or email them at [email protected]. Now is the time to solve owner or exemption issues before penalties and interest are applied.
If you want to check the status of your exemptions, please visit our website at www.bancad.org. You can search for your property by name, address or account number. The exemption status is located in the property information section under Owner.
For any questions regarding exemptions and qualification, please call us at 830-796-3039.