General FAQ's

Q.  When I receive my current year tax bill, when is the last day that I can pay without penalty and interest?

January 31st

Q. Where can I pay my property taxes?

You can pay by cash or check or credit card.

Payments by check only should be mailed or delivered by hand to:

Ms. Chris L Quisenberry RTA

Wilbarger County Tax Assessor-Collector

1700 Wilbarger Room 17

Vernon, TX   76384

Please enclose the copy of your tax statement with your payment.

Q. Why do I make checks payable to Chris L Quisenberry?

The County Tax Assessor-Collector is an office created by the Texas Constitution. Under the Constitution’s provisions, the Assessor-Collector is personally liable for the funds collected and deposited in separate bank accounts under her control. The Assessor-Collector is relieved of this responsibility and liability when she deposits the funds with the County Treasurer.

Q. Can I pay my property taxes online?

Not at this time.

Q. Can I pay my current taxes before paying my delinquent taxes?

Yes. Please be sure to indicate on your check that the money is to be applied to your current year taxes.

Q.  Can I make monthly payments on my current taxes?

Yes. Call our office for more details.

Q.  Can I make monthly payments on my delinquent taxes?

Yes, but payment arrangements will have to be made.

Q.  Why do I have to pay penalty and interest when I never received a bill?

As a property owner, it is your responsibility to make sure that you receive a bill and that it is paid on time. The statements are mailed and the taxes are due at the same time each year. If you have not received a bill by the middle of December, you should call and request that another one be mailed to you. You are also able to call and get an amount due over the phone as early as October. It is not necessary to have a statement to make payment as long as you have your account number and know the correct amount.

Q.  Can a refund be mailed directly to me?

If the refund is due to the granting of an exemption (i.e. homestead or disabled veteran), the refund check will be mailed directly to the name and address on the tax roll, if there is no name change on the account.

Q.The mortgage company paid my current taxes. I failed to claim the homestead. How do I get a refund?

First, apply to Wilbarger CAD for the exemption you may obtain the form directly from Wilbarger CAD by calling 940.553.1857. If there is no name change on the account, the refund will be issued automatically to the name and address on the tax roll. If there is a name change, our system will not automatically issue a refund. You must apply for the refund.

 Q. I received a bill for personal property taxes, but I do not own any real estate; I just lease it for my business. Why am I receiving a bill on property I do not own? Should the property owner be paying this?

All businesses are taxed on their personal property, such as furniture, fixtures, machinery, equipment, inventory and vehicles. Most likely, the bill that you received is for your business personal property and not for the real estate itself. The real estate is taxed separately and the tax statement sent to the property owner.

Appraised Value Questions

Q. How did you arrive at the appraised value of my property?

Placing a taxable value on real property and personal property is a function of the Wilbarger County Appraisal District, not the Tax Office. Please call the Wilbarger County Appraisal District at940.553.1857, or go to their web site at http://www.wilbargerappraisal.org

Q. How can I protest my appraised value?

All protests must be directed to the Wilbarger County Appraisal District. This office can send a protest form to you, or you may obtain the form directly from CAD by calling940.553.1857. The deadline for filing written protests for homestead properties is April 30th or 30 days after the date the appraisal district sends a notice of appraised value, whichever is later.

Q. The Wilbarger County Appraisal District reduced my value. When will I receive another statement?

You will receive a new tax bill after this office receives the adjusted taxable value from Wilbarger CAD.

Q. I sold part of my acreage. How can I pay my taxes on what I actually own?

This will require what is referred to as a “split-out,” which is performed by the Wilbarger County Appraisal District.

Q. I own several adjoining lots and the homestead was assigned to the wrong lot. How do I get it corrected?

The Wilbarger County Appraisal District will have to make the correction. You will receive a corrected statement after Wilbarger CAD certifies the correction to the Wilbarger County Tax Office. The correction process may take several weeks, so do not wait to pay your tax bill!

 Tax Sale Questions

Q. Can the delinquent tax attorneys sell my property for unpaid taxes?

It is possible that property can be sold for delinquent taxes. A lawsuit for tax lien foreclosure can be filed and a judgment subsequently granted by the court. The attorneys, with the approval of the Wilbarger County Tax Office, can then proceed with tax sale procedures.

Q. What is the procedure for purchasing property with delinquent taxes?

Property can be bought for delinquent taxes only after a lawsuit for tax lien foreclosure has been filed, and later a judgment has been granted by the court to sell the property. You will need to contact the law firm that administers delinquent tax sales on behalf of Wilbarger County. The law firm is McCreary, Veselka, Bragg & Allen, PC. Their telephone number is 1-800-369-9000.

Tax Statement Questions

Q. I paid off my house and my mortgage company will not be paying my taxes this year. How do I make sure that I receive my tax statement? When are the statements mailed out and when are taxes due?

As long as a statement is not requested by a mortgage company, it is automatically mailed to the homeowner. The statements are mailed out by October 15th of each year. If you have not received your statement by mid-December, it is your responsibility to notify us so that we can send out another statement. Taxes are due upon receipt, and should be paid no later than January 31st of the year following the year the tax statements are mailed.

Q. This is not my property. What shall I do with this statement?

If you know the name of the owner, please return the statement to this office with the name of the owner. If you do not know the name of the owner, return the statement with that notation.

Q. The name and address on this statement are incorrect. How can I get it changed?

The Wilbarger County Appraisal District is responsible for determining each property owner’s name and address. You can send your name and address correction Wilbarger County Appraisal District, Customer Service Division, P.O. Drawer 1519, Vernon, TX76385. If it is more convenient, you can get the form directly from Wilbarger CAD by calling 940.553.1857.

Q. What is a tax account number and what do you mean by a “legal description”?

The tax account number is assigned by the Wilbarger County Appraisal District and is used to help identify each piece of property. Normally, only one account number is assigned to each parcel. The legal description describes the property as a parcel in a larger tract (e.g., Lot 1, Block 2 in Meadow Subdivision), so it can be located on a map. If the legal description is wrong on your statement, this error should be directed to the Wilbarger County Appraisal District for proper handling. Y you may obtain them directly from Wilbarger CAD by calling940.553.1857.

Q. Can you send me a statement on my taxes for part of the year?

The Wilbarger County Tax Office does not prorate taxes; the tax bill must be paid in full.

Q. Why am I getting a delinquent tax bill on a parcel I just purchased?

The tax laws require this office to mail delinquent tax bills to the current owner of real estate, rather than to the previous owner. Because a tax lien exists against that parcel, it is in the current owner’s best interest to have knowledge of that lien. If a lawsuit were filed to foreclose the lien, the current owner (not the previous owner) risks losing the property to foreclosure.

WILBARGER COUNTY APPRAIASAL DISTRICT QUESTIONS

Q. What is the rendition penalty?

Chapter 22, Texas Tax Code, requires owners of business personal property to file a rendition describing the property with the chief appraiser by April 15 of each year and also prescribes the penalty for failure to comply.

The rendition penalty is a penalty created by the Texas Legislature on those businesses failing to file their business personal property rendition, or filing their rendition late, to the Wilbarger County Appraisal District (Wilbarger CAD).

The rendition penalty is generally equal to 10% of the amount of property taxes ultimately imposed on the property.

Q. How do I pay the rendition penalty bill I have received?

The Wilbarger County Appraisal District (Wilbarger CAD) has contracted with the Wilbarger County Tax Office to collect rendition penalties.

Q. How do I protest my penalty (or get a waiver)?

The Tax Office does not have the legal authority to waive or reduce the penalty. If you can provide evidence that you substantially complied with the rendition requirement or that your failure to comply was due to circumstances beyond your control, you can apply to the chief appraiser for a waiver. Lack of knowledge or forgetting the deadline will not be considered as a basis for a waiver.

Your application letter must be received by the appraisal district within 30 days of the date you received your bill. Send a cover letter, a detailed explanation of the reason(s) for your failure to timely file, and a completed rendition form (or supporting statement, if the penalty relates to a supporting statement).

If the chief appraiser fails to approve your request for waiver, you may protest the decision to the appraisal review board.

Q. Can I send one check for my property tax and rendition penalty?

Yes, but Wilbarger County Tax Assessor Office now collects for all taxing entities. So mail your check to Chris L Quisenberry, Wilbarger County Tax Assessor-Collector PO Box 1984 Vernon, TX 76385.

Q. When is my rendition penalty bill due?

The bill is due upon receipt.

Q.What happens if I pay after the due date?

There is no additional penalty for late payment. However, collection action will be taken.

Q. If I do not pay, what happens?

You will be subject to civil action for collection in the courts.

Q. I want to protest the rendition penalty or request a waiver. How do I do this?

Contact the Wilbarger County Appraisal District at 940.553.1857.

Q. I filed all of my rendition paper work by the deadline. How do I get the penalty removed?

Contact the Wilbarger County Appraisal District at 940.553.1857.

Q. Who does this money go to?

The penalty is divided 20% to the appraisal district and 80% to the various taxing jurisdictions.