Question: WHY HAVEN'T I RECEIVED MY STATEMENT YET?
Answer: If a mortgage company pays your taxes, the statement is forwarded to them at their request. If the mortgage company does not request your tax statement you will receive one by default as the tax payer of record. If a mortgage company does not pay your taxes and you have not received a statement by March 31, a copy may be obtained by calling the Assessor-Treasurer's Office at (253) 798-6111 or Toll Free within Washington State at 1-800-992-2456 . It is also advisable to confirm your mailing address in the event you find it necessary to request a statement.
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Question: I'VE SOLD MY PROPERTY BUT RECEIVED A TAX STATEMENT. WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH THE STATEMENT?
Answer: The tax statement may either be forwarded on to the purchaser or returned to the Assessor-Treasurer's Office. If you choose to return the statement please note the purchaser's name and address for our records. Any statements returned to the office with no forwarding address will be researched for a correct address and/or taxpayer name and remailed accordingly.
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Question: MAY I USE MY CREDIT CARD TO PAY MY TAXES, OR MAY I PAY MY TAXES ELECTRONICALLY?
Answer: We've Added Two New Credit Cards!
Use your Credit Cards To Pay Your Property Taxes!
To pay your Property Taxes with your Visa, Mastercard, Discover card, American Express Card or by E-Check payment, simply log onto the Assessor-Treasurer's website at www.piercecountywa.org/atr.
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Question: I MAILED MY PROPERTY TAX STATEMENT OVER TWO WEEKS AGO. WHEN WILL MY PAYMENT BE REFLECTED ON YOUR WEBSITE?
Answer: All mailed property tax statements are processed by the Pierce County Budget and Finance Department. Payments are reflected on the website immediately upon posting to your account. However, longer processing times can be expected during the months of April/May and October/November. If you have questions, please contact Budget and Finance at (253) 798-7554. Please have your parcel number available.
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Question: I SENT MY PAYMENT IN BUT YOUR WEBSITE SAYS IT HAS NOT BEEN CREDITED. HOW DO I KNOW IF I OWE INTEREST AND PENALTIES ON MY PROPERTY TAX. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Answer: Until your payment is posted, the website will continue to automatically update your account with accruing interest and penalty charges.
If the postmark on your property tax payment envelope indicates your payment was mailed before the statutory deadline, interest and penalties will be waived.
If your payment was mailed after the statutory due date and does not include the correct interest and penalty charges, it will be returned to you. By law, we cannot accept payments that do not reflect the total amount due and owing, including accured interest and penalties
To ensure that your payment is postmarked with the correct date, payments should be sent certified mail return receipt requested. This requires a signature and provides you with a proof of mailing date. If your payment is sent by regular mail, there is no way to verify receipt until it is posted to your account.
All mailed property tax statements are processed by the Pierce County Budget and Finance Department. If you have questions, please contact Budget and Finance at (253) 798-7554. Please have your parcel number available.
LOST PAYMENTS: If you think you think your payment is lost and it is after the due date, please monitor the Assessor-Treasurer's website through the following month. If your payment still has not posted by the end of May for the first half taxes or the end of November for the second half taxes, contact Budget and Finance at (253) 798-7554. Please have your parcel number available.
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Question: I WON'T BE ABLE TO PAY MY FIRST HALF TAX IN APRIL. WHAT WILL HAPPEN?
Answer: Beginning May 1, interest at 1% per month will be charged against the full year tax owing. In addition to the interest, on June 1, a 3% penalty will be charged against the full year tax owing and on December 1, another 8% penalty will be charged against the full year tax. Although interest continues to accrue as long as the tax remains delinquent, the penalty will not rise above a total of 11% (3% after June 1 and an additional 8% after December 1). (RCW 84.56.020) These interest and penalty amounts apply to both Real and Personal Property, however the full year Personal Property amounts plus interest and/or penalties and collection costs must be paid if the first-half payment is not paid by April 30. You may still pay the first half payment of a Real Property tax plus interest and penalties up through the October 31, second-half tax payment deadline. Exact amounts due may be obtained by calling the Assessor-Treasurer's Office at (253) 798-6111 .
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Question: HOW DO I PAY BY MAIL?
Answer: All checks must be made out to Pierce County and mailed to:
Pierce County Budget & Finance
P.O. Box 11621
Tacoma, WA 98411-6621
All mailed property tax payments are processed by the Pierce County Budget & Finance Department. If you have questions about your mailed property tax payment, contact Budget & Finance at (253) 798-7554. Please have your parcel number available.
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Question: I HAVE HAD SOME HARDSHIPS LATELY. CAN AN EXTENSION BE GRANTED FOR MORE TIME TO PAY MY TAXES?
Answer: All counties are governed by the laws of the State of Washington. Deadlines are set by the Revised Code of Washington. Extensions cannot be granted due to hardship or any other extenuating circumstance.
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Question: MY MORTGAGE COMPANY SHOULD PAY MY TAXES AND THEY HAVEN'T. WHAT SHOULD I DO? (More Information available at Steps to Take When Your Mortgage Company No Longer Pays Your Taxes)
Answer: It is always the responsibility of the taxpayer to ensure that taxes are paid in a timely manner. You may call (ATLAS) or visit the Assessor-Treasurer's website (www.piercecountywa.org/atr) to be sure the taxes are current. If you have made arrangements with a mortgage company to pay taxes for you and if the mortgage company requests your tax statement, the Assessor-Treasurer's office will send it to them as a courtesy, but the responsibility for payment is always yours.
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Question: MY MORTGAGE COMPANY RECEIVED MY STATEMENT. HOW DO I GET A COPY OF MY TAX DISTRIBUTION?
Answer: An informational statement may be obtained by contacting the Assessor-Treasurer's Office at (253)798-6111.
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Question: : I JUST BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY, BUT YOU HAVE SENT ME A TAX STATEMENT THAT INCLUDES SEVERAL YEARS PAST DUE TAXES. ISN'T THE PREVIOUS OWNER RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DELINQUENT TAXES?
Answer: No. Taxes follow the property, not the taxpayer. The county does not foreclose on people, only parcels. It is your responsibility to ascertain the condition of taxes before you purchase the property.
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Question: : WHY ARE YOU NOTIFYING ME NOW THAT MY TAXES HAVE BEEN DELINQUENT FOR SEVERAL YEARS?
Answer: The office sends out a tax statement to the last known address of the taxpayer each February. If the statement is returned because of an incorrect address, we then research all available resources to try to find the current address. The statement lists current and delinquent taxes owing. If you have not received a tax statement, just call the office at (253) 798-6111 to request one or to ask for the amount due. It is the taxpayer's responsibility to provide address change information.
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Question: SHOULD I HAVE A PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX STATEMENT?
Answer: Personal property taxes pertain to the business, leasehold improvements, boathouses, billboards and any assets associated with them. For example, the furniture, computers, machinery, etc. belonging to a business are taxable as personal property. The same assets used for non-business related purposes in an individual's residence are not taxed. For more information, please contact the Assessor-Treasurer's Office, Personal Property Department at (253)798-7103 or (253)798-7130 .
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Question: WHY IS THERE A LATE FILE PENALTY ON MY TAX BILL?
Answer: The Late File Penalty is assessed if the previous year?s Personal Property Affidavit was filed after the April 30th due date or not filed at all.
The penalty is calculated at 5% of the tax amount due for each additional month, or fraction thereof, that the Personal Property Affidavit was received after April 30th to a maximum of 25%. (RCW 84.40.130)
Example: 2005 Affidavit received in August (4 months late)
2006 Tax Amount Due: $1,000.00
Late File Penalty: 20%
2006 Total Amount Due: $1,200.00
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Question: HOW DO I CHANGE MY NAME AND/OR ADDRESS?
Answer: An address change can be accomplished over the phone, (253) 798-6111 ; by mail, Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer's Office, 2401 So 35th St Rm 142, Tacoma, WA 98409 ; by email, or in person at the above listed address. Any request to change a name must be accompanied by a recorded legal document such as an excise tax affidavit, divorce decree, or probate document exhibiting the change.
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Question: HOW ARE MY TAXES CALCULATED?
Answer: The two factors used in the calculation of taxes are the assessed value of the property and the levy rate for that area. Levy rates are represented in dollars per thousand, so to calculate the tax amount multiply the assessed value by the levy rate and divide by 1,000.
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Question: WHAT IS A FIRE BENEFIT CHARGE (FBC)?
Answer: This is a separate charge from the fire district for fire protection services and is based on the square footage of your building. FBC is voted on by the taxpayers in the district.
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Question: WHAT IS NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL?
Answer: The noxious weed charge is an assessment to fund the Noxious Weed Control Board. Their function is to educate the public about controlling noxious weeds. It is illegal for noxious weeds to be allowed to grow. If the property owner does not control the noxious weeds, the Board may have the weeds destroyed and then place a lien on the property for expenses incurred. The Noxious Weed Control Board may be reached at (253)798-7263.
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Question: WHAT IS A LAKE WEED CHARGE?
Answer: This is a bill for the costs of removing weeds from lakes in Pierce County. The cost is divided among the people in that district. Additional questions should be directed to the appropriate Lake Weed Commissioner for your lake.
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Question: HOW DO I FIND OUT ABOUT THE SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT FEE?
Answer: The Surface Water Management Office may be contacted at (253) 798-4020.
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Question: HOW CAN HOMES THAT ARE VALUED THE SAME PAY DIFFERENT TAX AMOUNTS?
Answer: Taxes can vary greatly depending on the levy rate in the area in which that property is located. There are over 100 different levy rates within Pierce County ranging from approximately $9.00 to $19.00 per thousand dollars of assessed value.
Example:
Take two homes valued at $100,000 each and apply a hypothetical levy rate of $9 and $19 per thousand dollars of value to each home. The resulting tax amounts are very different.
100,000 X .001=100 X $9 LEVY RATE = $900
100,000 X .001=100 X $19 LEVY RATE = $1,900
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Question: THIS IS A WORTHLESS PIECE OF LAND AND I DO NOT WANT IT. WILL MY CREDIT SUFFER IF I JUST LET IT GO TO A FORECLOSURE SALE?
Answer: Delinquent tax information is not reported to any credit bureau. Your name will appear in the foreclosure advertisement of delinquent taxes in the Legal Notices column of two local newspapers.
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2401 South 35th Street Room 142
Tacoma, WA 98409
Hours: 8:30 - 4:30
Customer Service Hotline (253) 798-6111
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