Residents and property owners know that when January and July come around each year it is time to face the obligation of paying local taxes.

To ease the burden of having to physically appear at the Tax Collector’s Office at Newtown Municipal Center, alternative online and telephone payment methods have been created.

Those owing taxes can visit newtown-ct.gov. Once there, click on Town Departments (within the blue listings along the left side of the page), and then click on Tax Collector. The next page that comes up will have an option to Pay Taxes Online.

Taxes can also be paid by calling 866-873-9160.

The Town accepts MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover cards. Personal checks can also be used.

Those opting to use the new options should note that user fees are charged for these transactions. All user fees are created and collected by the vendor (Point and Pay), and not by the Town of Newtown.

For credit card payment, the user fee is 2.5 percent of the payment, with a minimum charge of $2. For debit card payment, user fee is $3.95.

For electronic checks, user fee is $2 for a payment up to $10,000, and $10 for payment that exceeds $10,000.

The service is safe, reliable, and in accordance with all state and government regulations.

For additional information, the Tax Collector’s Office can be reached by calling 203-270-4320 or sending an e-mail to Tax Collector Carol Mahoney, at carol.mahoney@newtown-ct.gov.

Residents can still pay their tax bills in person. The Tax Collector’s Office, within the municipal center at 3 Primrose Street, is open Monday through Friday, from 8 am until 4:30 pm.