Property tax deadline looms

Property tax payments are due Wednesday.

Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector Shari Freidenrich gave taxpayers a heads-up Thursday that the second installment of property taxes is due April 10.

Payments received after that date, unless postmarked before the deadline, will be slapped with a late penalty of 10% of the amount owed.

Taxpayers have the option of registering their email address to receive a reminder one day before the final payment date. An email will also be sent when the 2013-14 tax bills are available online.

“Last year, we received over 50% of property tax payments electronically and taxpayer payments online by eCheck are the fastest-growing payment method,” Freidenrich wrote. “This secure online payment option using your bank account is free to the taxpayer and is the most cost-effective way for us to process property tax payments.”

The website allows payments until midnight Wednesday, and users have the opportunity to include their email address, to which their payment receipt can be sent.

Previous year’s tax bills are also accessible online.

Freidenrich reminds residents using a bank or payment site that “County of Orange” must be marked as the payee, and the parcel number must be copied accurately from the tax bill.

— Rhea Mahbubani

Twitter: @RMahbubani