Tax collections are up slightly from last year. Howard County Collector Jinger Felten said her office is tasked with collected $11,976,402.02, more than $67,000 more than last year’s total of $11,908,956.88.

Felten has mailed the 2024 Howard County Real Estate and Personal Property tax statements along with any delinquent tax due. Anyone who has bought, sold, or owns real estate or personal property that was or was not included on the tax statement should notify the collector’s office at (660) 248-2195, or the assessor’s office at (660) 248-3400 at the earliest convenience. Failure to receive a tax statement does not relieve the taxpayer of the obligation to pay. Any delinquent tax must be paid prior to the current tax year. Taxes must be postmarked by December 31, 2024, or they will be returned for penalty and interest.  Tax statements must be returned along with the correct amount due for proper identification when paying in the office, via Dropbox, or by mail.

The collector and assessor now have a Dropbox on the north side of the courthouse, located by the collector’s office where taxpayers may drop off payments and assessments. Do not place cash deposits inside the Dropbox.

The collector will again offer the Preauthorized Debit for prepayments for 2025 based on the amount of real estate and/or personal property paid in 2024. Those interested should stop by the collector’s office to register for 2025.

Online Payments can be made using this website: https://payments.msbpay.navient.com/howardcounty_collector.

The collector states she has been charged with $11,976,402.02 for the current 2024 tax year. Real estate taxes total $6,717,765.31, personal property taxes total $3,346,410.20, railroad and utility state and local assessed taxes add up to $1,797,625.11, and Howard County special levee and drainage district taxes total $114,601.40.   

The courthouse will be closed in observance of Veterans Day on November 11, and November 28 and 29 for Thanksgiving. During Christmas, the collector’s office will close at noon on December 24 and will be closed all day on December 25. The office will also be closed on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2025. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and open during noon hour.