Henderson County property taxes are due January 31 — late as of February 1

Mark January 31. That's the deadline to pay your Henderson County property taxes without penalty. Come February 1 the bill is delinquent, and penalty and interest begin stacking onto it month by month. What starts small in February grows quickly through the spring.

And the tax office is clear on this: not receiving your bill is not an excuse. Move, change a mortgage company, or have a statement go astray, and the penalty and interest still apply on February 1. If you haven't seen a bill by the holidays, it's on you to go look it up rather than wait for paper.

Paying is the easy part. The Henderson County Tax Assessor-Collector at 125 N. Prairieville Street in Athens lets you view and pay online, or you can mail it or come in. Just remember which office does what: the appraisal district off Enterprise Street sets your value and exemptions, and this office only takes the money. A wrong value gets fixed at the appraisal district, not at the payment window.