We are pleased to announce that we have completed development of additional features for the Tax Collect Internet Kiosk that introduce the ability for you to upload PDF copies of each individual tax bill, as well as to provide email notifications to taxpayers. So at this point we’re looking for a few guinea pigs early adopters that would like to implement the new functionality on the upcoming first issue property tax warrant. In return, we’ll give you a bit of a deal and allow you to become the envy of all your spiteful neighbors.  Keep reading for more details on the features and requirements for implementation.

The new features are seamlessly integrated into or built on top of the existing Tax Kiosk processes with which you are already familiar:

• Enables you to provide printable and downloadable PDFs for all types of bills, regardless of whether the taxpayer has elected to opt-in for paperless delivery.
• Taxpayers can access copies of their original bills, long after they have paid. (Translation: Taxpayer: “I need a copy of my original tax bill from eight months ago.” You: “That information can now be found online.”)

• For a sample page illustrating the “View PDF” button with a PDF tax bill you can go HERE. (Note that you’ll need to search for someone in the town — just use and of the “Smiths”.)
• Taxpayers who opt-in for paperless delivery will receive at least one, but up to three, emails alerting them that their bill is available online.

• The first email is sent by the Tax Kiosk once you’ve uploaded new bills to your Tax Kiosk.
• A second email is sent automatically by the Tax Kiosk 15 days prior to the due date if the outstanding balance is not zero.
• A third/final email is sent three days prior to the due date if the outstanding balance is not zero.
• You can use our default email text, which includes the notices required by RSA 76:11-a, or you can provide your own.
• All emails can include an optional town header image.

• The Tax Kiosk will notify you by email each time emails are sent, indicating how many taxpayer emails were sent.
• The Tax Kiosk will email you reminders several days prior to upcoming emailing dates so you can make sure to update your information online with all of your latest transactions.
• Each time you import owner and address changes from Assessing, your Tax Collect program will provide you with reports of paperless taxpayers who may be affected by ownership changes, similar to the reports for Additional Mailtos and Mortgagees.  You can then decide which paperless invoices need to once again revert to traditional printed delivery for parcels on which a previous owner may have elected to receive paperless delivery.
• At this point we expect for you to be able to maintain original PDF invoices on the Kiosk for at least two, and perhaps three or four, years, depending on your number of bills each year.
• The Paperless/PDF features enable you to provide a greater level of service and responsiveness, with less effort, to increasingly demanding taxpayers.

The following requirements are necessary in order for you to be eligible to add the new features:

• At this point you must have the ability to accept online payments (regardless of your payment processor).  We’ve incorporated the ability for taxpayers to opt-in for future paperless delivery as part of the cart/payment process.  In the future, we will likely add the ability for tax collectors who do not accept online payments to provide the same service.
• You must synchronize with the Tax Kiosk, using the expanded Get Assessing Owners function, before printing bills in order for your system to verify the latest settings for paperless taxpayers so it knows not to print a paper tax bill.
• Subsequent notices, such as notices of impending liens and deeds, will still be delivered, regardless of the taxpayer’s paperless status, the old fashioned way.
• There will be a relatively nominal annual cost for the additional functionality, based on the number of tax bills you generate, to cover the additional storage that will be required.

Let us know if you’re interested, either in stepping up to get a bit of a deal as an early adopter or in receiving detailed price information for adding these features to your Tax Kiosk the next time around.

Speak to you soon.