The Henderson County Attorney’s office is reminding residents that the best time to pay property taxes is now—before Jan. 1 when the bills are considered delinquent.
Bill collection is currently being handled by the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office will continue to collect payments until mid-April. At that time, the bills get transferred into the Henderson County Clerk’s Office, and the county attorney’s office assumes enforcement and collection duties.
After Jan. 1, additional fees are added to the bill, said Kyle Evans, the First Assistant County Attorney. A month later, more fees—on top of the January fees—get added if the bill is still unpaid, he said.
Then in mid-April, the bills get transferred from the sheriff’s office to the county clerk’s office, and the county attorney’s office is then in charge of enforcement and collection. It’s also the point when an unpaid tax bill is given a certificate of delinquency, Evans said.
At this time, property owners still owing money can set up a payment plan with the county attorney’s office, said Evans, who recommends this to property owners with unpaid bills.
He added that property owners who set up a payment plan are protected from third-party purchasers that can buy unpaid tax bills starting in August. Third-party purchasers who buy unpaid tax bills can ultimately file to foreclose on the property attached to the unpaid tax bill.
Additionally, the fees that can accrue from Jan. 1 to the time it gets to the county clerk’s office in mid-April are hefty. One such example from last year saw a $1,047 bill balloon to more than $1,800, Evans said.
