Help is available for delinquent taxpayers as O.C. property taxes soar

OFFICE OF THE TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR SHARI L. FREIDENRICH, CPA, CCMT, CPFA, ACPFIM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Shari L. Freidenrich Date June 9, 2015 (714) 834-7625; Treasurer@ttc.ocgov.com

Property Tax Collection Rates Soar – Help is Available for Delinquent Taxpayers

The collection rate for secured property taxes for FY 2014-15 is at 98.25%, making this the highest collection rate in the last 20 years, Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector Shari Freidenrich announced. Incoming receipts for the second installment are $133 million or 5.4% higher than the same time last year. Electronic payments represent 55% of all incoming payments, up 2% from last year. Steps taken to streamline the payment process also has reduced wait times at our public counter, as taxpayers generally waited less than 10 minutes to pay in person.

Treasurer Freidenrich said her office has mailed approximately 30,000 delinquent notices to taxpayers who did not pay their property taxes in full for the FY 2014-15 tax year, down 7% from the previous year and 20% from three years ago. Delinquent taxes from FY 2014-15 will be considered defaulted if full payment is not received or postmarked on or before June 30, 2015. After that date, the Treasurer adds a $15 administrative cost and a penalty of 1.5% per month (18% per year) to the amount due until the tax bill is fully paid. After going five years unpaid, the Treasurer-Tax Collector will sell the parcel at an annual property tax auction sale.

For taxpayers who are unable to pay their secured property taxes in full, the Treasurer offers a five-year installment payment plan for delinquent secured taxes starting on July 1, 2015. Taxpayers must qualify to enter into an installment plan by meeting certain criteria. The plan allows for installment payments of at least 20% per year for five years, usually reducing the overall penalties charged by allowing partial payments of the outstanding property taxes. Otherwise, the Treasurer can only accept payment in full if a payment plan is not established or if the property has been delinquent for five or more years. For more information on the payment plan option, go to “Payment Plans” under the “Property Tax” tab on at ocgov.com/octaxbill.

Taxpayers can view and print duplicate copies of their tax bills for the last five years online at ocgov.com/octaxbill as well as pay the outstanding balance of any tax bill. To avoid missing due dates in the future, taxpayers can sign up to receive a reminder email of the due dates at ocgov.com/taxreminder.

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ocgov.com/octaxbill

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