Washington, D.C., property owners can prepay their 2018 property taxes to avoid the limit on how much can be deducted under the tax reform legislation passed by Congress Wednesday, officials said.
Mayor Muriel Bowser, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Chief Financial Officer Jeff DeWitt made the announcement Wednesday afternoon.
Under the new law, taxpayers who itemize their income tax filings are limited to a $10,000 deduction of the combined local income or sales taxes and real property taxes.
“Because of how hastily this tax reform legislation was created and passed, even its authors cannot fully explain all of the many ways it will hurt millions of hardworking Americans. One thing we do know, however, is that by limiting income and property tax deductions to $10,000, it will indeed raise taxes,” Bowser said in a statement.
“D.C. residents, who already pay the highest federal taxes per capita in the nation, without representation, should consult their tax adviser because prepaying their 2018 property taxes could help avoid being double taxed, at least for next year," Norton said in the statement. "If so, we count this as our first step against this tax bill. The next step will be holding Republicans accountable for their Christmas gift to corporations at the expense of hard-working Americans in the District and across the nation.”
Do not attempt to submit the payment by mail or it may not be recorded in 2017.
Payments can be made in two ways, according to D.C. government:
- The District Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) website (www.taxpayerservicecenter.com) provides the opportunity to pay by electronic check (e-check). To make a payment, follow the “Prepay your 2018 Real Property Tax here” link at the top of the website. The payment MUST be made before midnight December 31, 2017. To make a payment, the following information will need to be provided: the property address (or lot and square numbers), the bank routing number, and the bank account number.
- Wells Fargo will accept payment by check or credit card at any District branch office. Payment MUST be received by close of business on Saturday, December 30, and property owners must bring a 2017 real property tax invoice to the bank so that the bank can process the payment. Note: Some Wells Fargo branches are not open on Saturdays.
