Taxpayer Assistance Program (TAP)

TAP helps Arlington taxpayers meet their real estate and vehicle personal property tax obligations by offering them the opportunity to apply for a short-term loan to cover their tax bill. Due to the COVID pandemic, we are keeping you safe with a contact-free TAP experience.

• In a partnership with the Treasurer, John Marshall Bank offers taxpayers short-term loans without a credit check. Proceeds from the loan are paid directly to the Treasurer to satisfy your County tax bill.
• You must complete the TAP application over the phone with a Treasurer’s Office staff member.
• Any delinquent taxes or charges that you owe the County must be paid in full before your TAP application will be considered or included in the TAP loan if permitted by the Treasurer.
• You pay the bank an up-front Origination Fee of 10 percent of the amount to be financed. This fee is less than the late-penalty payment that the Treasurer would, by law, impose upon you for a late tax payment.
• The bank pays the Treasurer the entire tax amount.
• You repay John Marshall Bank in 6 to 10 monthly installments.
• If you make on-time payments, you won’t incur any other loan fees or interest.
• You can have only one TAP loan outstanding at a time. If you want to finance both installments of your real estate tax, you must do so in the same loan.
• All property owners must sign the application and loan documents.

Defaulting on Your TAP Loan

• The Treasurer reimburses the bank for the unpaid portion of the loan and begins collection action against you. Collection action may include seizure of your bank accounts, wages, and property.
• The Origination Fee paid to the bank is nonrefundable — if you default on your loan, you lose the fee.
• The Treasurer will impose the applicable late-payment penalty on your outstanding tax balance as well as interest at a 10 percent rate per year and fees.
• You may be charged a filing fee for each real estate parcel financed to cover the cost of filing and subsequently releasing the bank’s lien on the property.
• If you default on your loan, you will not be eligible for future TAP loans.

For more information about TAP, email our Customer Service Team or call 703-228-3090.