Pittsboro, NC – Chatham County Tax Administrator Kep Kepley reminds Chatham residents that payment of 2016 property taxes is due by January 5, 2017 or interest will start to accrue. Residents can also expect to receive their 2017 personal property tax listing forms in early January.
Any Chatham County property owner not receiving their 2017 personal property tax listing forms by Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017 should contract the Tax Department immediately at 919-542-8250. “The form will only include personal property, not real estate property.” Kepley said.
Personal property includes property other than real estate and registered motor vehicles with tags. Examples of personal property are boats, aircraft, equipment, jet skis, mobile homes (not taxed as real estate), and trailers.. For businesses it includes personal property used to produce income, such as equipment.
Kepley said that taxpayers are encouraged to review their personal property information online at http://ustaxdata.com/nc/
For businesses, owners should contact the Tax Department at (919) 542-8250 to request a business listing extension form, but it must be done no later than January 31, 2017. Taxscribe is no longer available to list. Business extensions may be granted through March 15, 2017.
Listing forms are only mailed to personal property owners. If property owners have made any changes to their real estate, please contact the Tax Department to list the change.
Unpaid 2016 Property Taxes: Tax bills mailed in 2016 for real and personal property are due by 5 pm on January 5, 2017. Interest will accrue on all unpaid balances starting January 6, 2017.
Once tax bills become delinquent, the Tax Department can begin collection procedures for late bills through such methods as garnishing wages (removing taxes from paychecks), attaching bank funds form bank accounts and income tax refunds, attaching rental income, placing levies on personal property and foreclosing on property.
Also, unpaid real estate property taxes will be advertised in the newspaper at an additional cost to the taxpayer. The taxes owed will be advertised in the current owner’s name.
Contact Tax Collections at (919) 542-8260 if you have any questions regarding the payment of your taxes.
Property Tax Relief for the Elderly and Permanently Disabled: Under North Carolina law, the elderly and permanently disabled may apply for property tax relief if their annual income is no more than $29,500. For those who qualify, a portion of the appraised value of their permanent residences may be exempt from property tax.
The exempted portion is either $25,000 or 50% of the appraised value of the home, whichever is greater. For example, if a qualifying person owns a $60,000 house, only $30,000 of the house will be subject to taxation.
To qualify for relief, a property owner must have a total income $29,500 or less in the preceding year (income amount includes both spouses), must be age 65 or older or must be totally and permanently disabled. New applications for this tax relief must be filed no later than June 1, 2017.
Those who received the exemption last year and still meet the requirements do not have to reapply for the exemption unless their place of residence, ownership status or income has changed. Property owners who no longer meet the requirements of the exemption must notify the Tax Department. Persons receiving the exemption are by North Carolina law required to have a periodic compliance review conducted by the Tax Department.
If you are responsible for listing the property of someone who is deceased and who had qualified for the exemption last year, you must notify the Tax Department.
Property Tax Exemptions: Under state law, real estate and personal property used for certain religious, educational, or other purposes may qualify for a property tax exemption. Owners of property currently receiving the exemption do not have to reapply for the exemption, unless:
* The use of property has changed;
* The owner has purchased additional property; or
* Improvements have been made to or removed from the property
The deadline to apply for this exemption is January 31, 2017.
Land Use Deferments: Under state law, land actively used for commercial agriculture, forestry, or horticulture production may be eligible for reduced-rate taxation. Contact the Tax Department for more information on “land use deferments.” The deadline to apply is January 31, 2016.
Other Questions: For more information about any of the items listed above, or your taxes in general, please contact the Chatham County Tax Department at 919-542-8250 or 919-542-