February 25, 2020
By: Dwayne Page
The Trustee’s Office is a busy place this week as taxpayers rush to beat the February 29 deadline to pay their 2019 county property taxes.
Because 2020 is leap year, taxpayers have an extra day to pay without penalty. The Trustee’s office is open Monday-Friday and will be open on Saturday, February 29 from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
As of today (Tuesday), Trustee Sean Driver said collections were at 76.77% of almost $10.7 million in DeKalb County property taxes to be collected by February 29, 2020 which includes property, residential, commercial, personal, and public utility taxes.
For budgeting purposes, the county expects tax collections each year to be at least 94.75% with a 5.25% delinquency.
Property taxes are now due and payable through February 29, 2020 before any interest becomes due on March 1, 2020.
The Trustee’s office offers up to 6 different options to pay your property taxes:
*Come in person to the office to pay
*Mail in your payment
* Pay online @ www.tennesseetrustee.org, then select DeKalb and follow the instructions to the next screens. The Vendor BIS (Business Information Systems) accepts Discover, MasterCard, or American Express-The Vendor convenience fee of 2.75% on the total tax bill will apply and fees are subject to change for using credit/debit cards. Also, a $2.75 fee will be assessed on an e-check payment of any amount.
* A QR (Quick Response Code) is also your means of accessing the website www.tennesseetrustee.org with your smart phone.
* Dropbox located on the outside of the building at the County Complex (County Offices Section) for your convenience after hours or on weekends. “If on the last day you can’t make it to the post office to postmark your payment, you can use the dropbox and when we gather the mail on Monday, March 2 in the office, if your payment is in there no interest will be applied to your 2019 tax,” said Trustee Sean Driver.
*Partial Payments are accepted and you the taxpayer sets the amount to pay until full payment is made.
The Trustee’s office is accepting applications for the Property Tax Relief Program through April 6, 2020.
If you would like to inquire more about a possible tax relief for property taxes, come by the Trustee’s office in the County Complex at 732 S Congress Boulevard-Room 103, Smithville or call 615-597-5176.