Joe:
Just got 2 tax bills from Wicomico County this week. They now have an option of paying electronically online, with either a credit card, or ACH e-check from a checking account.
On the county website, they brag that you can earn rewards on your credit cards, enjoy convenience, etc.
They mention that there are nominal convenience fees involved, BUT the disclosure of how much those fees are absent UNTIL you actually start the payment process and select the payment method.This is unacceptable. The fees should be disclosed further upfront to save me time from going through the hassle of wading through the various web pages only to find these terms displayed:When you select “Pay by Credit Card” or “Pay by eCheck”, you will be redirected to the Official Payments Corporation website. OPC, the payment service provider, charges 2.75% of the payment amount or a $3.95 minimum convenience fee for Credit Card transactions and a $3.00 convenience fee per eCheck payment transaction less than or equal to $10,000.00 or $15.00 convenience fee per eCheck payment transaction greater than $10,000.00.
I don't have a problem with them charging 2.75% for credit card transactions. I DO have a problem with the e-check convenience fee of $3.00 to $15.00 however. ACH and e-check transactions are usually free when dealing with others, such as utility companies, bill-payment services, etc. Even paying taxes to the IRS and Comptroller's office using ACH from a checking account carries no service charges or convenience fees!
So it looks like I will be mailing those checks in again this year ...
-Daddio
9 comments:
Commenting further on this issue:
You would think that the tax-collection office would prefer taxpayers to use ACH/e-checks to pay their taxes instead of sending in paper checks.
Consider that receiving paper checks requires someone to open the envelope, manually process the paperwork, and make a trip to the bank to deposit those checks.
ACH/e-check transactions eliminate much of this manual labor, and the money shows up in the county coffers quicker! And they want us to pay extra when we are saving them time and money in processing costs??!?
All excellent points. And, why doesn't the government provide fee disclosure prior to use? You would think the 'government' would be more transparent. O, forgot, run by a democrat. Sorry! The fee disclosures are 'sealed'.
45-cent stamp for me.
If they can charge us a convenience fee why can't we charge them an inconvenience fee.
Thanks for the heads up and saving me time. What it really means is that a 3rd entity is actually handling the transaction--one who you will be giving your credit card or checking account information to.
So, it appears you want to PAY for the privilege of paying your bill while giving someone else your information.
In this day and age, the less people who have access to your credit/banking information the better.
I'm definitely mailing mine. Got mine today--OUCH!
Somebody told me that Fruitland changed the water bill rates, has anyone heard any details on it?
I'm not rich by any means, but a 2.75% fee would be over $50 on my county taxes. Way too much cost for that kind of convenience.
Amen 12:20.
And come first of the year look for all companies that accept credit cards to have a 2.5-3% added charge on your bills to use credit....not to mention a federal property transaction tax, ( which I'm sure the state, county and city will also want some of that action) Internet transaction fees.......and these are just the start!
Post a Comment