2014 tax listing period begins
By Steve Herring
Published in News on December 24, 2013 1:46 PM
Wayne County Tax Administrator David Ward remembers how years ago tax listers were sent out across the county and into municipalities annually so that residents could list personal property -- everything from jewelry to clothing to furniture.
That process was abandoned decades ago, but each January county residents are still required to list certain items.
All real estate in the county is permanently listed and is automatically charged to the owner of record on Jan. 1. That means no form has to be listed on real estate, unless it has changed or the owner's address has changed since the previous Jan. 1.
"The regular listing period is the month of January -- Jan. 1 through Jan. 31," Ward said. "Anything that should be listed during that time, if it is not listed would be considered late. There is a late-listing penalty for not listing. That penalty is actually, once the bill is calculated, 10 percent of the total amount due.
"If you have made any improvements or changes to your real estate for whatever reason -- if you made an addition, added a building, you've remodeled, whatever, torn something down -- anything that you did like that during 2013, you are required to report it to us for 2014. You are supposed to do that in January."
The county mails out the tax-listing forms to people who listed personal property last year such as mobile homes, boats, motors, airplanes, jet skis and "things like that," Assistant Tax Administrator Alan Lumpkin said.
The forms are mailed in late December. People who are expecting a form, but do not receive one by the first of January should contact the tax office at 919-731-1461.
"If you purchased something like a mobile home this year, you have to come in this first year, get established," he said. "Once you list it the first year, we will send you a listing for each year hereafter."
Anyone residing in the county on Jan. 1, whether temporarily or not, is required to make a return.
In lieu of filing a return, all business firms must file the required business listing form from which the return will be completed.
All business listing forms must be sent directly to the tax department. All business firms with property in the county on Jan. 1 must make a return regardless of the residence of the owner, or of the home office.
People may come into the tax office where staff will be available to assist with the listing. People who received a form are asked to bring it with them.
The tax office is located on the first floor of the Wayne County Courthouse Annex. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.