Your usage is delinquent: access vs. assess

H/t to my West Coast correspondent for sending this little tidbit.

Okay, here’s the deal: If someone is late making a payment, you may assess (M-W: “to subject to a tax, charge, or levy”) a fine.

If you are uncertain about whether you have the correct word, you may need to access (M-W: “to get at”) your dictionary.