Q: What address do I mail my payment to?
Please mail your payment to:
Columbia Association
℅ Truist
PO Box 79998
Baltimore, MD 21279
Please include your parcel/account number on your check or address.
Q: Why do I have to pay an annual charge?
CA is a nonprofit community services corporation created to enhance the quality of life here in Columbia, providing services and amenities for the benefit of everyone in our community. The annual charge has been part of the CA financial structure since Columbia was established. If your property is protected by CA covenants, your deed requires you to pay an annual charge.
Your annual charge allows CA to manage and maintain all of the programs and facilities we enjoy in Columbia, including nearly 3,600 acres of open space, 95 miles of pathways, lakes, ponds, tot lots and athletic courts, not to mention free entertainment, wellness programming and multicultural events throughout the year. This is all part of providing the high quality of life that has seen Columbia frequently ranked among the top places to live in America.
Q: How much is the annual charge, and how is it assessed?
CA’s annual charge has two components: a property assessment provided by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation and a rate set by the CA Board. The rate, unchanged since 2004, is 68 cents for every $100 of 50% of your state-assessed property valuation (almost 10% below the maximum of 75 cents). Invoices for the coming year are mailed by July 1. The billing period runs July 1 through June 30th, annually.
What that means is that if your home is assessed by the state at $400,000, CA’s annual charge would be incurred on $200,000 in assessed value for a total of $1,360.
Q: What is the annual charge cap?
We follow the same methodology as Howard County and the state in applying a cap to increases in property value. The cap is not applied to property the first year following a purchase. Instead, the state’s phase-in value is used that year to calculate the annual charge, and that value may be higher than the previous owner’s last value.
Sometimes property values can rise rapidly, and when that happens so can state property tax bills and CA annual charge assessments. That’s why the state and CA have caps in place.
The annual charge cap has remained at 3.5% since 2016.
In previous years, the state has increased property assessments in Columbia significantly — in some cases by 45 to 50%. State law requires that year-to-year charges based on property assessments can increase by no more than 10%.
It still takes quite a few years to catch up to a significant increase in your property value. The assessed value cannot increase by more than the cap unless there are significant improvements made to the property and/or the ownership of the property changes during a given year.
Under CA’s current annual charge cap, a home that went up in value from $400,000 to $440,000 — a 10% increase — would be assessed for CA’s annual charge at $207,000 instead of $220,000. That means the annual charge payment would be $1,408 that year instead of $1,496.
Any change in that cap is intended to help CA pay for planned capital improvements to the amenities and facilities enjoyed by Columbia’s residents, guests and other stakeholders. A number of these features were built decades ago early on in Columbia to attract people to our wonderful community. Now, improvements and renovations are needed to help Columbia remain a community of choice.
Q: Can I pay my annual charge online?
Annual charge online payment by e-check (bank draft), Discover, Mastercard or American Express is available through the Govolution Velocity Payment System. For more information, click here link opens in a new window.
Q: How do I know how much to pay and when?
Refer to your CA bill to ensure that you pay on time and to input your payment information. Payment of your CA annual charge bill is due within 30 days of invoice date. Interest will accrue at the rate of 0.50% per month (6% per year) until this bill is paid in full.
Q: How do I know if my lender is going to pay the annual charge for me?
Many lenders (but not all) will escrow and pay your annual charge the same way they pay your property taxes and insurance. Check your escrow account details to determine whether your lender is paying your annual charge on your behalf.
Q: We sold our property. Why are we still receiving the annual charge invoice?
CA receives ownership information monthly from the State Department of Assessments and Taxation, and it takes a period of time for the state to record property transfers. Once your deed is recorded and the state ownership information changes, we update our records.
Q: Why do I have to provide a copy of my Howard County tax bill to show my senior/ homeowner’s/veteran’s tax credit? I provided it last year.
Just as you have to reapply for the Howard County tax credit each year, you must also submit that new tax credit amount to CA so that we can recalculate your annual charge. The information on the Howard County tax bill is used to calculate your CA-adjusted invoice amount.
Q: Why is my neighbor’s fee less than mine?
CA’s annual charge is based on values provided to us by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation. Several factors are involved, including the size of the home and the timing of its purchase. In the first year following a purchase, your fee is based on the state’s phase-in value. A neighbor who has been in their home for several years will have a different beginning phase-in value, which could result in a lower bill.
Q: Why am I paying a membership fee if my annual charge pays for the upkeep of fitness facilities, tennis courts and so on?
The income provided by the annual charge, while significant, covers only slightly more than half of the cost of the services provided by CA. Therefore, offerings like pool and fitness club memberships require the payment of dues and fees. Since CA resident members pay both membership dues and the annual charge, their dues are significantly lower than those paid by non-residents.
This approach creates a strong community balance. Those who use CA facilities and programs support the greatest portion of those costs, while the expense of maintaining and operating universal amenities are shared by all residents.
Q: How do I reach CA’s Annual Charge office?
Email AnnualCharge@ColumbiaAssociation.org or call the Annual Charge general voicemail line at 410-715-3137; messages are returned in the order they are received.