SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — Tax bills are about to look different for thousands of homeowners in Scranton and across Lackawanna County this year. Officials say they’re already seeing some confusion among taxpayers.

After a reassessment process that began in 2022, Lackawanna County is now incorporating updated property values into 2026 real estate tax bills. It’s the county’s first reassessment in decades and is intended to reflect current property values more accurately.

Officials anticipate a mixed impact, with roughly one-third of property owners seeing an increase, one-third seeing a decrease, and another third seeing little or no change.

For Scranton residents, there will also be a noticeable change in how tax bills are delivered.

This year, taxpayers will receive two separate bills, one for Lackawanna County real estate taxes, and another for Scranton city, school district taxes, and the refuse fee.

Scranton Tax Collector Cathy Wechler says her office is preparing for an increase in questions as residents adjust to the new format.

“We have been receiving a number of calls this year, and I imagine when the bills go out in the next week or two, our calls will increase dramatically because people will have a lot of questions with the different tax bills,” said Wechler.

Another update this year is a new quarterly payment option for the Lackawanna County portion of the tax bill, giving property owners more flexibility.

“The county has decided to offer the taxpayers the opportunity to pay quarterly so that they could spread their payments out throughout the year. Instead of one full payment, they still have the option to pay one complete payment, but they can pay quarterly throughout the year,” said Wechler.

Installment coupons will be included on the county bill, with clearly marked due dates. Officials say taxpayers still have the option to pay in full if they prefer.

Officials also emphasize that questions about assessed values should be directed to the Lackawanna County Assessment Office, while billing and payment questions can be handled by the Single Tax Office.

Tax bills are expected to arrive in mid-February, with the discount period running through April 15th.