Penalties

• One thing to keep in mind when you're deciding what to pay for and what to put off is the penalty for paying late. In California, you are immediately hit with a 10 percent penalty if you do not pay your property tax by the delinquency date. The first half of your annual tax is due November 10, but you won't incur the penalty until after December 10th -- the delinquency date. The second half is due February 1, but you won't be delinquent until after April 10.
  
  

Redemption Period

• Unlike a mortgage, which your lender might begin foreclosure procedures against you after just a few missed payments, by state law the county tax assessor in California can't sell your house at auction to collect the property tax for five years after the first missed payment. Also, each time you catch up with the payments, the clock starts ticking anew.
  
  

Other Bills to Pay First

• While you can lose your home due to unpaid property tax in California, it still may not be the first bill you want to pay with resources that don't fully cover your cost of living. Food, mortgage, and medical might be a good mantra to keep you going through difficult times. If you can keep those payments current, you will be able to keep going, with a roof over your head, in good health and fully fed.
  
  

Check for Exemptions

• California does provide many classes of taxpayers with a partial tax exemption. Homeowners get a $7,000 reduction of taxable value when they live in the property they own. Disabled veterans or their surviving spouses are entitled to an exemption of $100,000 in taxable value from their principal residence. Up until 2009, California had a property tax postponement program for senior citizens as well as a property tax reimbursement program for elderly and disabled homeowners who also met minimum income thresholds. Unfortunately these programs were discontinued in early 2009 because of the state's budget problems.
  
  

File an Appeal

• California property is usually only reappraised upon sale. Thereafter, the assessed value is raised up to 2 percent per year. However, given that some California properties have declined in value substantially since 2007, if you bought your home after 2005 or 2006, you may be entitled to a reduction in assessed value. You may file an appeal with the county tax assessor before September 15 or November 30, depending on the county in which the property is located.