Nov. 20, 2018
St. Charles County, Missouri – On Nov. 21, the first of over 300,000 real estate and personal property tax bills for 2018 will be mailed by the St. Charles County Collector of Revenue. Bills currently are available to view online at StCharlesMoCollector.org.
For convenience, real estate and personal property tax bills are combined into one bill in one envelope. Taxpayers should note, however, that they still could receive real estate and personal property tax bills in separate envelopes if there are different names and addresses on their personal property assessment forms and real estate deeds. To prevent this in the future, residents should make sure the name and address on their 2019 personal property assessment forms and real estate deeds match. The 2019 personal property assessment forms will be mailed by the Assessor at the end of January.
Ways to Pay
Tax payments are due by Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. McBride urges taxpayers to plan ahead.
“I encourage citizens not to wait until the last minute to pay by phone or online,” says McBride. “Technical difficulties with phones, the website, or a bank’s online payment website do not extend the statutory deadline to pay without late payment penalties and interest.”
Following are ways to pay:
- In person: From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the St. Charles County Administration Building, 201 N. Second Street, St. Charles, first floor, at the payment windows or in the drop box in the lobby. Additionally, there is a drop box located on N. Second Street in front of the County’s Administration Building.
Payments by check, money order, cashier’s check and cash are accepted in person; check, money order, and cashier’s check payments can be submitted through the drop boxes. Please note that credit/debit card and eCheck payments must be submitted by phone through the tax payment line, or online.
- By mail: Send to Michelle D. McBride, Collector of Revenue, 201 N. Second St., Room 134, St. Charles, MO 63301. Please do not send cash payments by mail. Mailed payments are accepted as of the postmark date. The last day to get a postmark is Dec. 31, 2018. If there is no postmark, payment will be accepted on the date that the Collector of Revenue’s office receives the envelope.
- By phone: Call the toll-free tax payment line at 1-855-227-7840 and follow the prompts. Please note: This is a new payment line phone number. Taxpayers need the bill number, located on the statement, to use this system. Again, technical difficulties do not extend the deadline to pay without late payment interest and penalty.
- Online: Visit StCharlesMoCollector.org. Online payments made on this site are posted based on the online payment transaction date/time. Taxpayers using their own financial institution’s online bill pay system should initiate payment at least five working days prior to Dec. 31, 2018, to ensure it will be received by the Collector of Revenue on time. Again, technical difficulties on any online payment website do not extend the statutory deadline to pay without late payment interest and penalty.
Project CARE
Taxpayers will notice an item on their bill for Project CARE – an opportunity to help the community by donating $1, $5, or $10 to support local nonprofit agencies. Project CARE (Community Assistance Relief Effort) was established through an effort led by County Council Member Joe Cronin, District 1. Administered by McBride and the County’s Community Assistance Board (CAB), the project helps support local nonprofit agencies that serve homeless and indigent residents and receive support from the County’s Community Assistance Fund. Organizations that have received funds include Bridgeway, Crider Center, Crisis Nursery, Sts. Joachim and Ann Care Service, and Volunteers in Medicine. Donations are tax deductible.
Making a donation is easy – taxpayers just need to check the $1, $5 or $10 donation box on the tax bill statement, include the amount in the tax payment check, and mail both to the Collector of Revenue’s office. Donations also can be made when paying tax bills in person. Please note: A donation box must be clearly checked on the tax bill for any funds over the bill amount to go to Project CARE. For more information, visit sccmo.org/ProjectCARE.
Additional Tax Bill and Deadline Information
- For a better understanding of the distribution of tax dollars, there is a list of political subdivisions that receive taxes on the tax bill. The bills detail the allocation of taxes to these entities, including the state, schools, cities, fire districts, library, ambulance and emergency communications. Each of the entities that receive a portion of the tax bill sets its own tax levy, known as the tax rate. The Collector of Revenue is given the tax rates to collect and is responsible for distributing the taxes collected to the political subdivisions.
- The following political subdivisions had tax rate increases for 2018:
- All school districts in St. Charles County
- Cities of St. Charles, O’Fallon, New Melle and Augusta
- St. Charles County Ambulance District
- Wentzville, Augusta, Orchard Farm and Rivers Pointe Fire Protection Districts
Additionally, the City of O’Fallon Sewer Fee increased from $7.50 for 2017 to $29 for 2018.
To compare 2017 and 2018 tax rates, click on “Tax Rates” at sccmo.org/Collector.
- If paying the tax bill in full is a financial burden, taxpayers have the option to make a partial payment before Dec. 31 to reduce the overall amount of statutory late payment interest and penalties. Throughout the year, the Collector of Revenue also accepts advance payments for future bills. For more information about partial and advance payments, visit sccmo.org/PartialAdvancePayments.
- Assets listed on personal property tax bills should include everything owned on Jan. 1, 2018, regardless of length of residency or ownership. If items listed are incorrect, contact the Assessor’s office at 636-949-7420 or email persprop@sccmo.org.
- Revised statements are issued by the Collector’s Office when changes are made to tax accounts after the original billing. These changes may be initiated by the taxpayer, the Assessor, the state tax commission or a Special Assessment District. If an expected revised bill does not arrive by Dec. 15, 2018, please look for the new amount due online at StCharlesMoCollector.org or call the Collector’s Office at 636-949-7470.
- All real estate owners should receive a real estate tax bill(s). In addition to the owner of the real estate parcel(s) receiving bill(s), taxing services and mortgage companies receive an Electronic Bill File from the Collector of Revenue for use in paying from escrow accounts. Payment of the full tax amount is the responsibility of the current owner of the real estate (personally or from their escrow account).
- Payments for 2018 taxes received on or after Jan. 1, 2019, need to include late payment penalties and interest, which are listed on the bill.
- Failure to receive a bill does not relieve the taxpayer of any tax liability imposed by state law. Taxpayers who have not received a bill by Dec. 15, or have other tax questions, can contact the Collector of Revenue at 636-949-7470.
-end-
Contact: Mary Enger, Communications Director, 636-949-1856, or 636-443-1008, menger@sccmo.org