ASHEVILLE — Property taxpayers hoping to take advantage of a federal deduction are forming long lines at Buncombe County's tax office Thursday, but it may not be for any good reason: They likely won't benefit from prepaying their bills.

The Internal Revenue Service issued an advisory Wednesday that said the taxpayer generally is allowed a deduction for prepaying their property taxes if the bill is paid this year and the assessment was made prior to 2018.

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That's not the case in Buncombe County, where officials won't generate next year's tax bills until mid-August.

The county said Thursday morning that its tax office was seeing long lines due to the prepayments, and encouraged residents to consult their accountants and tax professionals.

Any payment would be based on estimates, officials said.

"The Buncombe County Tax Office wants you to know that you may prepay your 2018 property taxes," the county said in a statement. "However, it is likely that it will not qualify as deductible under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts Law that was recently enacted since the county does not generate official 2018 tax bills until mid-August."

Mickey Dale, vice president of taxation services at Johnson Price Sprinkle in Asheville, said his accounting firm received notice from the county this week in anticipation of the prepayments.

Dale cited this week's notice from the IRS.

"Since the 2018 taxes have not been assessed yet, I don't think people can pay them and get a deduction," he said.