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Homeowners still have to pay property taxes despite hurricane or flood damage
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) – Even though hurricane Florence and the flooding that followed destroyed or damaged lots of homes across the Cape Fear, homeowners must still pay their 2018 property tax invoice or face penalties.
Property taxes are due September 1 every year and you have a 4-month grace period to pay before penalties are added.
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If you sustained damage during the recent hurricane, you are still responsible for paying the full amount of your 2018 property tax bill.
“There will not be an adjustment for 2018, the bill is still due,” said New Hanover County Tax Administrator Allison Snell. “We do offer payment plans to help assist homeowners get through this time.”
What many homeowners may not realize is that the bill they currently have is for the assessed tax value of their home as of January 1, 2018.
So, even though you may have sustained damage in September, you’re still responsible for paying your full tax bill and these rules are the same regardless of the NC county in which you reside.
If paying the bill at one time isn’t possible, you can also make prepayments throughout the year.
“When we send out our bills, we break the one lump sum payment down into four equal parts to, hopefully, make it more manageable,” Snell said. “If you see that you need something a little more, please contact us, please come see us we can set up an extended payment plan to help you get your property taxes paid.”
If you sustained property damage this year from Hurricane Florence, you can go online at tax.nhcgov.com. There is tab on the home screen labeled “Hurricane Damage.” The form asks for a brief description and you can upload up to three pictures. Property appraisers will then go to your location to assess the damage. If the damage is not fixed by the end of 2018, you would likely qualify for an adjustment to your property tax assessment next year.
To pay your property taxes, you can call the New Hanover Tax Collector office or go online at tax.nhcgov.com.