During Monday’s Government House press briefing, Lieutenant Governor Tregenaza Roach reminded residents that the annual property tax deadline was looming.
Property tax bills issued in June “will become delinquent after August 30, 2024,” Lt. Gov. Roach warned. “This coming Friday is the last day to pay your property tax bill without incurring interest and penalty charges.”
For those who have yet to pay their assessments, Mr. Roach reminded that payments are accepted online. Tax clearance certificates may be requested via the same portal, he noted. Property owners who did not receive a tax bill should contact the Office of the Tax Assessor to notify the team, while those who wish to challenge their bill can either request an informal review from the Office of the Tax Assessor, or file a formal appeal with the board of Tax Review. The informal option, Lt. Gov. Roach said, must be initiated within 45 days of the issuance of the tax bill.
After August 30, unpaid assessments are deemed delinquent, and the Office of the Tax Assessor will commence collections activity, which could ultimately result in the delinquent property being sold at auction.
Apart from collecting taxes owed by residents, the government also wants to give money back to those to whom it belongs. Mr. Roach disclosed that the territory’s Unclaimed Property Fund now stood at over $22 million, “some of which may belong to you.” He urged residents to visit the online database to see if there are “bank accounts, stocks, bonds, uncashed checks, wages, life insurance benefits and safe deposit box contents” in their names.
As the lieutenant governor explained, these items are deemed abandoned once a certain length of time elapses after no activity. Each year, financial institutions are required to examine their systems and flag accounts that have become abandoned, which are then tracked in the territory-wide database. The Division of Banking, Insurance and Financial Regulations has also installed physical kiosks on St. Croix and St. Thomas for ease of access as well.
