REAL ESTATE TAX
PAYMENT INFORMATION
Official Payments enables consumers to pay
participating Federal, State and Local government taxes and fees by credit or debit card via the
Internet or over the telephone. The
payment process is simple and secure.
Visit www.officialpayments.com
or dial 1-800-2PAY-TAXSM (1-800-272-9829).
American Express®, Discover®, MasterCard®,
and VISA® cards are accepted.
The COUNTY OF NORTHAMPTON residents
can pay the following tax by credit or debit card:
CURRENT NORTHAMPTON
COUNTY REAL ESTATE TAX. Please
note that the
Paying taxes by credit or debit card allows consumers to take advantage of card rewards, payment flexibility, convenience, and safety. A nominal fee (3%) is charged by Official Payments based on the transaction amount. The consumer is notified of this fee before their payment is made.
Q.
Why is there a convenience fee and why am I paying for this?
A.
Official Payments charges a convenience fee for processing the payment
transaction. The fee is not charged
by or paid to the
You will be informed of all charges and
fees before you authorize the payment. You may calculate the exact fee
online at https://www.officialpayments.com/pc_feec.jsp.
When a consumer uses the service, two
line items will appear on their card bill. One is for the tax owed
to the County of Northampton
and the other is for the convenience fee charged by
Official Payments.
Q. Who is Official
Payments?
A. Official Payments is the leading provider of electronic payment
options for federal, state and local government agencies. Official Payments makes it
possible for citizens to pay their government taxes, using their credit or
debit cards, via the Internet (www.officialpayments.com) or the telephone
(toll-free, 1-800-2PAY-TAX). Official
Payments processes tax payments for the IRS, 26 state governments plus the
Q.
How safe is Official Payments’ system?
A.
The system has been tested and proven. The IRS and more than 2,200 state
and local governments have chosen Official Payments as an
electronic service provider for their constituents. The information
gathered is private and will not be forwarded to anyone.
Q.
What is the advantage of using Official Payments?
A. The service makes paying government taxes more convenient in many
ways:
1. Faster payment via phone or Internet—no writing and mailing checks
2. Flexibility to pay credit card balances over time
3. Rewards for your government payments from card issuers that carry such
programs
4. Comfort of knowing your payment has been made through a trusted, secure
service provider, Official Payments, authorized by the IRS to collect
government obligations since 1999.
Q. What cards does
Official Payments accept?
A. American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa cards are accepted,
including credit and ATM pin-less debit cards
with a Visa or MasterCard
logo. However, not all cards are accepted for all payment types. The cards that
are accepted will be identified when you make your payment.
Q.
Will I receive a confirmation of my card payment?
A. Yes. You will be provided a confirmation number at the end of
the payment transaction. This confirmation number and your card statement
will provide confirmation of your card payment to the
Please refer to your
Q.
How can I be sure that my payment was processed correctly?
A. You can verify your Internet payment online at www.officialpayments.com/pc_paym.jsp
if you have provided your e-mail
address to us. You will need your confirmation number and the last 4
digits of your card. You may also call 1-888-357-8394.
You will need your payment amount to process your telephone inquiry.
Q.
Who do I call if my payment doesn’t appear on my card statement?
A. Call Official Payments Customer Service toll-free at
1-800-487-4567. Press 1 for English or 2 for Spanish and choose option 4.
Q.
Why should I elect to use this system?
A. In paying government taxes with a credit card, consumers gain
control of the payment. Consumers can pay their tax over time, on their
own schedule. Paying by credit card may provide consumers with use of
their money for an additional 30 to 60 days, depending upon the credit
card billing cycle.
Example: A small business owner has a total tax bill of $5,000. He has $1,000 in
the bank on April 15, but expects $6,000
cash inflow on April 30. The small business owner can apply for a
short-term loan of $5,000 and begin immediately
paying interest, or he can call Official Payments at 1-800-2PAY-TAX or
visit www.officialpayments.com to pay by credit card and pay his bill 1-2 months later. For a nominal
convenience fee, the owner was able to avoid the hassle of applying for and paying interest on a short-term loan, devoting more time to his
business and earning card rewards.
Q.
How do I earn reward points?
A. Depending on the nature of the card reward program, consumers can
earn points, miles or money back for the payments they make. The value of
the reward can exceed the cost of any convenience fee incurred. For
specific information on your card’s reward program, contact your card
issuer directly using the number listed on the back of your card.
Official Payments Customer Service Link
Official Payments Safety & Security