Late Payment
For late payments, the following interest and penalty will be added to the balance.
- Interest accrues at 0.54% per calendar month or any part thereof (6.5% annually) on any amount remaining after the due date.
- A penalty of 5% will be added if any portion of your tax bill that remains unpaid 120 days after the due date; an additional 5% on the remaining balance will be added after every 120 days, not to exceed 20%.
Payment
Outstanding Balances
The Newton County Tax Commissioner’s office accepts partial payments once bills have been mailed. Taxpayers are welcome to make as many payments as they need to pay off their balance; however, penalties and interest will continue to accrue on your outstanding balance. Any account with an outstanding balance will be subject to a lien; therefore, we encourage you to pay your outstanding balance fully as quickly as possible.
Liens
A lien, also known as a Fi.Fa., is defined as “a claim, encumbrance, or charge on a taxpayer’s property to obtain payment of overdue taxes” (Georgia Department of Revenue).
Prior to the issuance of a Fi.Fa., property owners will receive a 30-day notice of intent. This letter serves as a warning of a possible Fi.Fa. and will allow property owners to pay the account in full within 30 days.
Fi.Fa.s are recorded on the General Execution Docket of the Superior Court Clerk and remain in effect for seven years. A Fi.Fa. may appear on credit reports and adversely affect your credit ratings.
Cancel a Fi.Fa.
Paying your outstanding taxes along with applicable fees, penalties, and interest will serve to cancel the Fi.Fa.
Tax Sales
When a tax sale is scheduled, it will be advertised in the Covington News and announced on The Newton County Office of the Tax Commissioner website.
