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

PRESS RELEASE, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 23, 2016

Contact: Shari L. Freidenrich,  (714) 834-7625, Treasurer@ttc.ocgov.com

Unsecured Property Tax Payment Deadline on August 31

Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector Shari Freidenrich reminds those with unsecured property taxes due for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016-17 relating to business property, leased equipment, boats and aircraft to submit payment by Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016 to avoid late charges. Any unsecured property tax payments received after Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016 that do not show a US Postal Service date stamp for the 31st or earlier will be charged a 10% delinquent fee and a $75 late charge.

Treasurer-Tax Collector Shari Freidenrich encourages taxpayers to not stand in line, but pay online by eCheck with no additional cost using a bank checking or savings account at ocgov.com/octaxbill, a secure website. “The most cost effective way for my office to process tax payments is by eCheck,” says Freidenrich. To further assist taxpayers, tax payments processed no later than 11:59 pm PST, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, using the Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector’s website at ocgov.com/octaxbill will be accepted as timely payment of taxes, receive same day credit, and a receipt from the online payment that can either be printed or emailed.

The owner of record as of January 1, 2016 is responsible for paying the unsecured property tax even if the unsecured property has been sold or otherwise disposed of after Jan. 1, 2016 as these taxes are not prorated by time of ownership. The new owner is not responsible for paying the 1% tax on the personal property purchased until January 1, 2017.

An important change this year is that unsecured property tax bills are no longer issued for businesses and boats or aircraft whose assessed value is less than $3,000 (estimated $30 in property taxes). In prior years, the Treasurer did not issue any property tax bill that was less than $20. View your FY 2016-17 unsecured tax statement at ocgov.com/octaxbill for current or delinquent unsecured property taxes and check out the new unsecured property tax search feature by business name.

Payments by eCheck, which allows a taxpayer to pay using their bank account online without a service fee, represents over 20% all property tax payments received in FY 2015-2016. The number of mailed payments has been decreasing and currently represents less than 45% of all property tax payments.

The Treasurer billed over $203 million in unsecured property taxes for FY 2016-17. Unsecured property tax bills were sent to approximately 88,000 businesses, 25,000 boat owners, and 775 aircraft owners. The number of the unsecured property bills has decreased 9% from the prior fiscal year primarily due to not issuing unsecured property tax bills for assessed values below $3,000.

/S/ Shari L. Freidenrich
Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector