Boone County News Release
For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Brian McCollum, Boone County Collector of Revenue
Phone: (573) 886-4285
Boone County Property Tax Statements Have Been Mailed
December 1, 2015
Approximately 132,000 property tax statements totaling more than $175 million for 2015 have been mailed to Boone County taxpayers.
Brian McCollum, Boone County Collector of Revenue, recommends that taxpayers open and inspect their statements as soon as possible; and, contact the collector's office right away if there is a problem. "The sooner a taxpayer contacts us, the quicker we can identify any problems and serve the taxpayer more effectively", McCollum said.
25,200 of the statements mailed are marked "INFORMATIONAL" and are going to owners of real estate who depend on their mortgage companies to pay their taxes. The mortgage companies notify the collector's office that they intend to pay the taxes from the owner's escrow account. The informational statements give Boone County property owners the opportunity to verify that the mortgage company listed on the tax statement is in fact the company holding their taxes in escrow. If the mortgage company is not supposed to be paying a specific bill, the owner has a copy of the bill and can go ahead and pay the taxes or contact the correct mortgage company.
Taxes are assessed on all real estate in the county, and on personal property declared in the county as of January 1, 2015. The tax statements are due and payable upon receipt. Under state law, late penalties and fees will begin to accrue on unpaid taxes on January 1, 2016.
Taxpayers are reminded to contact the collector's office if they have not received their tax statements. Failure to receive a bill does not relieve the obligation to pay the taxes due, and any applicable late charges that may apply.
There are several methods to make your payment. Pay by mail to the Boone County Collector of Revenue, 801 E. Walnut Room 118, Columbia MO 65201. However, remember to have a U.S. Postal Service postmark no later than December 31, 2015 - an office postage meter date does not qualify as a U.S.P.S. postmark. The postmark determines the timeliness of payment. Do not mail cash, and remember to sign your check.
Taxpayers can pay in person at the collector's office, located on the first floor of the Roger B. Wilson Boone County Government Center, corner of 9th and Ash Streets in downtown Columbia. The office hours are 8AM to 5PM, Monday through Friday. Payments can also be placed in the 24-hour drop box located near the 9th Street entrance of the government center anytime before midnight on December 31.
If paying taxes using an individual's financial institution's online bill payment system, the collector's office recommends scheduling your payment reach the office by December 20, 2015. Also, taxpayer's will need to reference the account number listed on their tax statement.
Lastly, payments can be made with a credit card or e-check online at the collector's webpage https://www.showmeboone.com/collector/; or, pay by phone at 1-877-690-3729, have your bill number handy and use jurisdiction code 3517. Additional processing fees will apply to payments made online or over the phone. The county does not charge or retain any of these fees.
The collector encourages vehicle owners planning to renew license plates in January, 2016, to pay their property taxes by mail in early December. If waiting until late-December to pay, taxpayers should pay in person at the collector's office so they may obtain the receipt needed to present to the Department of Revenue. "We make every effort to process the tax payments as efficiently as possible. However, due to the volume of payments received near the end of the year - there may be a slight delay in the time it takes us to process a received payment and mail out the receipt", McCollum said.
Boone County taxpayers can contact the collector's office at 573-886-4285 for more information or questions.
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