Property tax notices en route via snail mail

The end of the year is fast approaching. Along with added spending that normally takes place, sheriff’s departments of the Tri-parish region have issued reminders regarding ad valorem property tax notices and due dates.

For Lafourche Parish property owners, reassessment is being calculated and tax notices are expected to be mailed by the last week of November.

As with other taxing bodies, the Lafourche Sheriff’s Office said tax payments are due by Dec. 31. If payments are delinquent by Feb. 1, 2013 a 10 percent collection fee will apply as will a charge of 1 percent interest for every month taxes are overdue.

Lafourche Parish taxpayers may make arrangements to pay taxes in installments with a deadline for full payment of April 1, 2013. An initial partial payment would be due Feb. 1, 2013. Property connected to unpaid taxes will be auctioned for the tax amount on June 1, 2013.

In St. Mary Parish, tax notices were mailed on Nov. 1. With a Dec. 31 deadline, the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office said 1 percent interest would accrue beginning Jan. 1, 2013. An additional 1 percent interest and 10 percent collection fee will be added to delinquent taxes on Feb. 1, 2013.

During March and April 2013, and additional 1 percent interest per month will be applied to unpaid taxes with certified notices and tax sale advertisements being posted.

A tax title sale of property will be scheduled to take place during May 2013.

The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office Tax Department is still waiting for state approval on tax notices, which are expected to be mailed to taxpayers on Nov. 22 and 23.

The tax payment deadline is Dec. 31, with 1 percent interest charged for late payments beginning in January 2013. Each month taxes are not paid an additional 1 percent is added to the delinquency charge.

In March 2013, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office will mail certified letters to delinquent taxpayers. The tax department will conduct its sale on property seized due to unpaid tax amounts during the second week of June 2013.

Property tax payments may be made by mailing a checks or money orders along with the payment coupons to the sheriff’s offices of parishes where the taxed property is located.

In Terrebonne Parish the mailing address for tax payments is P.O. Drawer 1670, Houma, La. 70361-1670.

The Lafourche Parish tax office will receive payments at 200 Canal Blvd., Thibodaux, La. 70301.

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office Tax Collection Department address is P.O. Box 610, Patterson, LA 70392.

Taxpayers who do not receive tax notice by the Nov. 30 should contact their corresponding sheriff’s office tax divisions. In Terrebonne Parish, call (985) 857-0230; Lafourche Parish, call (985) 449-2255; and in St. Mary Parish, call either (337) 828-6979 or (985) 384-1622 to request tax notices.

For taxes in escrowed, payees should forward a copy of property the tax notices to their mortgage holders.