Wednesday, Aug. 31 is the last day to pay your Guilford County property taxes and receive the county’s discount of one-half of one percent on your county tax bill.

It’s not the most generous discount in the world, but to those who own a lot of property, it can be a real incentive to pay by the deadline.  And even for people who may only save 20 bucks or so – it’s still a little less money that you have to hand over to Guilford County Tax Director Ben Chavis.

If you can’t pay your taxes right now, don’t start worrying yet. The Guilford County Tax Department isn’t going to come after you for your 2022 taxes for months – but if you pay after the end of August, you’ll miss out on that enticing discount.

The Tax Department’s website sums it up nicely: “Real estate and personal property listed for taxation during January are billed in July and may be paid on or before August 31 to receive a 1/2 percent discount. Taxes must be paid on or before January 5th to avoid interest and enforced collection.”

Technically, Property taxes in Guilford County – and the rest of the state – are “due” by midnight on August 31 each year. However, most property owners consider their tax bills to be due in early January.  That’s when those who haven’t paid start to get hit with interest and penalties.

Assistant Guilford County Tax Director Jim Roland said that the one-half percent discount does help inspire a lot of the county taxpayers to get their money in by the end of August.  Roland said his department sees a rush of payments before August 31, and then a lull – with the payments coming in heavy again in December and early January, after which taxpayers get penalized.

He said banks and other large mortgage holders generally pay before the end of August – though he added that they often do so right before that last day to get the discount.

“They hold onto that money as long as they can,” he said.

Once again: The deadline for paying and not being charged interest is Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023.

 

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