Summit County Fiscal Officer Kristen M. Scalise CPA, CFE has announced that first half 2014 real estate tax bills will be mailed starting Friday, January 16, 2015.

The closing date for payment will be Friday, February 20, 2015, with the exception of military personnel. Property taxes are deferred for military reservists who are on active duty. Applications can be obtained by calling 330-643-2641 or visit our Military Assistance tax program.

There are several convenient ways for taxpayers to make payment:

1. In person: Payments can be made in person at the Summit County Fiscal Office, Treasurers Division, 3rd floor of the Ohio Building, 175 S. Main St., Akron 44308. Our office hours are 7:30am-4:00pm, Monday through Friday.
2. By mail: Mailed payments must be U.S. postmarked by February 20, 2015 to avoid the statutory 10% penalty for late payment. A private meter is not valid for establishing the date of payment.
3. At banks who participate in the Regional Tax Collection System: A list of participating banks is included on your tax bill. Checks must be payable to the banking institution.
4. Online or by phone: Tax bills can be paid online or by phone through a secure payment service provided by Official Payments Corporation. Taxpayers will need their parcel number on-hand. A nominal service fee will be charged by Official Payments Corporation. To pay taxes online or by phone, visit our On-Line Tax Payments program.
5. At a MoneyGram location: In person cash payments can be made through MoneyGram, a payment service offered at 35,000 locations nationwide. MoneyGram provides guaranteed same-day transactions. A nominal service fee will be charged by Official Payments Corporation. To locate a MoneyGram center, visit www.OfficialPayments.com/locate or call 1-800-MoneyGram.

The Tax Installment Program (TIP) will be available again this year. Homeowners who pay their real estate taxes directly to the Fiscal Office, but cannot pay the full first half amount due, can avoid late payment penalties by enrolling in the TIP. To be eligible, all taxes and assessments must be current. The deadline to sign up is February 20, 2015, also the last day to pay first half 2014 real estate taxes. Call 330-643-2869 for more information.

The Fiscal Office continues to offer various plans to assist in the payment of delinquent taxes. Any taxpayer who is delinquent should call 330-643-2600.

We remind taxpayers that Ohio law states it is their responsibility to obtain and pay their tax bill on time. If you have not received a tax bill by the end of January, call 330-643-2588 or call our toll-free number at 1-888-388-5613. Tax bills can also be downloaded from our Property Tax & Appraisal search. Once your property record card has been located, click the link in the left side menu titled “Tax Bill (PDF)”.