2011 DeKalb County property tax notices are expected to be mailed out within a few days and once you get your card you may pay your taxes without penalty through February 29th, 2012, according to Trustee Sean Driver.
“We received our notices on Thursday, October 6 and we are working on those right now in the Trustees office. We haven’t mailed them out yet. It takes us a little while to work them before we can get them into the mail. We are uploaded to our computer system and are receipting right now so if you don’t want to wait on the card and want to get them out of the way and pay them, we are loaded and receipting everyday. Once we work those cards, its going to be another week. Today is Friday, October 14 so we are looking at another week before we begin mailing those cards,” said Driver.
“We do have something new this year for individuals who can’t get it (payments) postmarked for mailing by the end of December and want to get those in for 2011 to count off on their income taxes. We have a night box right there as you enter the door on the left hand side of the main entrance. You can drop your taxes (payment) in the night box. 2012 is a leap year and we do have an extra day up until February 29 (to get taxes paid on time). A lot of people take advantage of that extra day to pay their taxes,” said Driver.
The county offered discounts last year for early payment of property taxes, but Driver said no discounts are being offered this year. “We, as the Trustees Office, did present it to the county commission but it did not pass. That’s okay, we’ll try it again another year,” he said.
DeKalb County property owners may pay their taxes by debit or credit card either in the Trustee’s office or at www.tennesseetrustee.com. ” Through Business Information Systems, we are set up at www.tennesseetrustee.com and you can pay your taxes on-line. Of course there is a fee through Business Information Systems of 2.75% that is charged to your card, whether it be debit or credit card. If you want to do an e-check, its only 1 ½%. This is a handling fee through Business Information Systems at the www.tennesseetrustee.com website. There are approximately 65 trustees out of the 95 counties that are using this system. It is very user friendly and it does help the individual,” said Driver.
Seniors, be sure to check with the trustee’s office on the state property tax relief program. The income limit is $26,830 for single or combined household incomes.
Trustee Driver said Tennessee’s tax relief program is state-funded and provides a rebate of credit for all or a portion of the property taxes on residential property owned and occupied by low-income elderly, low-income disabled, and disabled veteran homeowners and their surviving spouses. “There is always an income limit affiliated with the Tax Relief program and for 2011 the income limit is $26,830. That is the same income limit as for the 2010 tax year so there’s not been an increase in the income limit. When you come in to apply for the tax relief on your property tax, the state requires you to bring in the 2010 income. Of course you are applying for 2011 tax relief but the state requires the 2010 annual income and for this year if you qualify and you are under that limit and you own that property this year you will get $101 off your property taxes from the state of Tennessee. Those individuals I have had on tax relief in the past from the 2010 year and prior, I was able to get another $50 off from the county along with the $101 off from the state. Again the $50 off from the county is for those individuals who have already been on tax relief”, said Driver.
“What you need to bring to us if you want to try to apply for tax relief is proof of your 2010 income and it must be under $26,830,” said Driver. ” We will also need a copy of your drivers license and your social security number. This not only includes you as an applicant, but all owners on your deed and or those who are living with you. They will also need to bring in their drivers licenses and their social security numbers,” he said.
Amendments now require that the income of an applicant’s spouse be counted regardless of whether the spouse has an ownership interest in the property, according to Driver. Also, it does not matter whether the spouse actually resides on the property or whether it is the spouse’s legal residence. So long as the applicant is married, the applicant’s spouse is treated, for income purposes only, just like a co-owner of the property. “Something new this year for the tax relief program, those individuals that are on the deed with more than one owner, not just as a sole owner, we do need all signatures this year for those individuals that have been on tax relief, said Driver. We need all signatures. That’s something new this year. That’s handed down from Social Security. We will need all signatures. In the past we only needed just the one applicant’s signature so that’s a change for us this year. So we’re going to mail out letters with your tax relief cards and forms describing what I’ve been talking about here. We want you to pay attention to those letters especially if you have already been on tax relief. If you need more information, don’t hesitate to either stop by or you can call us at 615-597-5176. The deadline to apply for this (tax relief) is 35 days after the last day of taxes which is February 29, 2012 or April 5. Again, April 5 will be the last day that you can apply for tax relief,” he said.
Property Tax Relief Eligibility requirements for Elderly Homeowners are as follows:
Must be 65 or older on or before December 31st, 2011
Must provide evidence of age (i.e. driver’s license, birth certificate, marriage license)
Must own and use the property on which you are applying as your primary residence
Qualified applicants will receive property tax relief on the first $25,000 of their property’s market value.
According to the deed of the property, Must have records of the combined 2010 income of all owners of the property not exceeding $26,830. Income (i.e. social security, SSI pension, etc)
Eligibility requirements for Disabled Homeowners are as follows:
Must have been totally and permanently disabled as rated by the Social Security Administration or any other qualified agency on or before December 31st, 2011
Must provide evidence of age (i.e. driver’s license, birth certificate, marriage license)
Must own and use the property on which you are applying as your primary residence
Must have records of the combined 2010 income of all owners of the property not exceeding $26,830
Eligibility requirements for Disabled Veteran Homeowners and/or widow or widower:
Must own and use the property on which you are applying as your primary residence.
Your disability must meet one of the following categories:
A service-connected disability that resulted in (1) Paraplegia, (2) Permanent paralysis of both legs and lower part of the body resulting from traumatic injury or disease to the spinal cord or brain, (3) Loss or loss of use of, two or more limbs, and (4) Legal blindness.
A total and permanent disability rating from a service-connected disability
A 100% total and permanent disability rating from being a prisoner of war.
The Veteran’s Administration Office determines eligibility from the applicant’s information in the Trustee’s Office forwarded to the State of Tennessee.
If you meet these requirements you may apply in the Trustee’s Office as soon as you receive your property tax bill. The deadline to apply is 35 days after February 29th, 2012 or April 5th, 2012.
If you have any additional questions concerning the tax relief program, come by the Trustee’s office located in the new complex on South Congress Boulevard (Highway 56 south) or call 597-5176. “A lot of people are still trying to find us. When you drive out on Highway 56 south, like your going toward McMinnville, we are where the old Smithville Food Center, Fred’s, and Pizza Inn shopping center used to be. We’re across the road from Food Lion and Liberty State Bank. We’re on the same parcel of land where Ace Hardware is at and our address is 732 South Congress Boulevard. We’re on the south end of the building actually where Pizza Inn and Fred’s used to be. Four of us have moved out there from the courthouse, including the county court clerk, the register of deeds, the trustee’s office, and the property assessor. We have been there over a month and business is going well. I also want to thank the public and voters for allowing me to serve them for another year as your trustee,” said Driver.
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