BENTONVILLE -- Property taxes are due today and payments can be made by phone and online. Cash, checks, credit cards and e-checks are accepted. Payments also can be mailed and are considered paid on time if they are postmarked on or before today.
Late payment of property taxes does carry some penalties, said Gloria Peterson, Benton County Collector, said.
"Obviously, if they don't pay their personal property [tax] they won't be able to get their car tags until it's paid," she said. "On personal property there's a 10 percent penalty. There's also a 10 percent penalty on real estate taxes, but real estate has interest as well as the 10 percent."
The Collector's Office will publish a list of past-due taxes in December, Peterson said. If a taxpayer is included on that list, they are charged $1.50 extra if they're late on their real estate taxes and $1.75 if they're late on their personal property taxes, she said.
Property owners who fail to pay their real estate taxes for more than one year possibly can lose the property.
"After it's past due for two years it's certified to the state and all taxes have to be paid to the state Land Commissioner," Peterson said.
The Land Commissioner's Office tries to collect past due taxes once property has been certified as delinquent to the state.
The property can ultimately be sold at auction if the taxes aren't paid.
General News on 10/15/2014