
San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister has issued a reminder that there are only three weeks left to pay before penalties pile up. June 30 marks the cutoff date, after which a default status will slap on an additional $33 redemption fee, along with penalties of 1.5% each month, totaling an onerous 18% per annum, as reported by the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office.
According to the treasure-trove of tax info, property taxes come due in two major blows: one in December and the second installment knocks on the door in April. Latecomers to these financial fiestas have already absorbed a 10% penalty, plus a $10 surcharge if their second installment was tardy, an affront to any budget. As McAllister detailed, the "hefty" fines can be dodged if payments are logged by the fast-approaching deadline. Taxpayers are directed to the county's website, sdttc.com, where payments flow without a hitch, particularly when using the e-Check option, which bears no extra cost.
The stakes are laid bare with the tally of unpaid taxes peaking at $138,465,186.89 million, a figure overshadowed by the remarkable 98.48% collection rate thus far achieved by the county. "For that small percentage of bills that are not yet paid, we want to remind homeowners that there is still time to avoid additional penalties," McAllister concluded in a nod to the enduring opportunity for delinquents to make good on their civic dues, per the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office.
The metronome of penalties is not the singular motivation to clear the tax bill. McAllister underscored a state law that puts properties defaulting for five years on the chopping block for a tax sale. Looking towards the future, he champions the sdttc.com's free e-check payment system as a beacon for hassle-free transactions. For those who prefer a voice to guide them through their tax-paying odyssey, a customer service number stands ready: 1-877-829-4732. Amidst reminders of the site's steadfast security, ease of use, and the softer footprint it leaves on the environment, taxpayers have all the more reason to migrate their payments to the digital realm.