Property tax deadline approaching

SMITH COUNTY – Smith County property taxes are not due until later this month, but Tax Assessor-Collector Gary Barber is urging taxpayers to plan ahead because recent changes by the U.S. Postal Service could affect whether mailed payments are considered on time. The deadline to pay property taxes without penalty is Jan. 31.

Barber said the easiest and fastest way to pay is online by scanning the QR code on the tax statement or visiting the county’s public tax website. Payments can be made using a debit or credit card or by electronic check. “If you want to skip the long lines at the Tax Office, I highly recommend you pay online,” Barber said.

Taxpayers may also pay in person, use the Tax Office drop box outside the Cotton Belt Building, or mail their payments. However, Barber warned that changes to how postmarks are determined could result in late payments. In the past, postmarks reflected the date mail was dropped off at a mailbox or post office. Under the new policy, the postmark reflects when the envelope is first processed by an automated postal sorting machine, which may occur days after it is mailed.