Tax Collection

General Information

Tax bills are mailed in early to mid-November. The first half of taxes are due by December 20th. If taxes are not paid by the due date, interest of 11% per annum (changes per year) will be added as provided by law. If the first half is paid by December 20th, the second half will be due by May 10th of the following year. If payment for the second half is late the same interest will accrue.

Included in the mailed tax bill, you should receive an application for a request on a reminder of the second half real estate taxes. If you are paying the first half only, you may send by mail or bring into our office, this form filled out. Second half reminders will be sent between March and April.

Escrow Program

The Geary County Treasurer’s Office has a Taxpayer Escrow Program which allows taxpayers to make monthly payments towards their future tax bill. This offers the Geary County taxpayers a convenient budgeting program for payment of real estate property taxes.

All the taxpayer must do is request to participate in the program by contacting the Treasurer’s Office. When the taxpayer contacts the office, a payment plan will be worked out and the taxpayer will sign a simple agreement. Easy to use coupons are made available to help you make the monthly payments. The money will then be held in an escrow account until the taxes are due. The payments are then applied, and your final bill will have any remaining balance due and payable. You must make the final payment prior to the statutory due date to avoid any penalties.

Mortgage Company Payments

If you have an escrow account for your real estate taxes with a mortgage company, the mortgage company should receive the tax statement. If you receive the tax statement instead of the mortgage company, we ask you to forward it to the mortgage company so they can pay taxes from the escrow account. We also ask you to have your current mortgage company notify the County Treasurer's office so that we can get the correct billing information from them so you do not receive the statement for the following year. Mortgage companies are required by Federal Law to make half payments, so they will be paying taxes on or before December 20 and on or before May 10th.

Past due notices are sent to the homeowner, not to the escrow agent. If the mortgage company was responsible to pay these taxes, you must inform them that the Treasurer's Office did not receive the payment. If there are any questions, the mortgage company needs to call the County Treasurer's Office at 785-238-6021.

Real Estate Tax Collection

The first half of real estate taxes must be paid by December 20th.  If taxes are not paid by the due date, interest will accrue.  If the first half is paid by December 20th, the second half will be due by May 10th of the following year. If payment for the second half is late the same interest will accrue.

After December 20th and before May 10th, the first half payment plus interest can be paid.

If taxes are due and unpaid for three years, the property is subject to a tax foreclosure suit by the County. The property can then be sold at public auction. Anyone that has delinquent real estate taxes in the County cannot bid at these auctions.

Personal Property Tax Collection

The first half of personal property tax must be paid by December 20th. After that date, the full amount of Personal Property taxes are due, plus interest. If the first half taxes are paid by December 20th, the second half is due by May 10th. If payment for the second half is late the same interest will accrue. Full unpaid personal property taxes are sent to the Sheriff for collection in March. Second half unpaid personal property taxes are sent to the Sheriff for collection in August.

Tax on personal property is not prorated, if you own the property January 1st, the full amount is due. You must pay at least half by December 20th, if not the full amount immediately becomes due and owing. Interest and penalties begin on December 21st.