liberty township
 
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Liberty Township Tax Department

Tax Assessor Hours

The Tax Assessor office hours are MONDAY afternoons from 4:00 to 6:00 pm and the FIRST THURSDAY from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. The tax Assessor, Penny Holenstein, Penny may be reached by email at taxassessor@libertytownship.org or by phone at 908.637.4579, ext. 13


Tax Assessor
Penny Holenstein Ext. 13
taxassessor@libertytownship.org

Hours:

  • MONDAY afternoons from 4:00 to 6:00 pm
  • FIRST THURSDAY from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

Tax Collector
Cindy Eckert Ext. 15
taxcollector@libertytownship.org

Hours:

  • Wednesdays, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
  • Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Tax Rates 2017 - 2024


New Jersey Announces ANCHOR Property Tax Relief Program

New Jersey announced a new Property Tax Relief Program which replaces the previous Homestead Benefit program and has expanded eligibility for property tax relief for Tax Year 2019. The Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters (ANCHOR) Property Tax Relief Program will benefit a large number of homeowners and tenants.

This program provides property tax relief to New Jersey residents who owned or rented their principal residence (main home) on October 1, 2019, and met the income limits. If you meet the requirements, you may be eligible for a benefit payment. 

You should file electronically - either online or by phone (1-877-658-2972), unless you are required to file a paper application. Visit the NJ Division of Taxation's Instructions on How to File to find information on What You Need to File and Filing a Paper Application under the "Filing Information for Homeowners" tab.

The filing deadline for the ANCHOR Application - Tax Year 2019 - is December 30, 2022.

You will find detailed information for both homeowners and tenants below, as well as additional resources to help determine your eligibility.

Homeowners

You are eligible if you met these requirements:

  • You were a New Jersey resident; and
  • You owned and occupied a home in New Jersey that was your principal residence (main home) on October 1, 2019; and
  • 2019 property taxes were paid on that home; and
  • Your 2019 New Jersey gross income was $250,000 or less.

If you were not a homeowner on October 1, 2019, you are not eligible for a homeowner benefit, even if you owned a home for part of the year.

You are considered a homeowner if, on October 1, 2019, you:

  • Owned a house,
  • Owned a condominium and paid property taxes on your unit;
  • Were a resident shareholder of a cooperative housing complex;
  • Were a resident of a continuing care retirement community and your continuing care contract requires you to pay the proportionate share of property taxes attributable to your unit.

You do not qualify if your residence was completely exempt from paying property taxes or you made P.I.L.O.T. (Payments-in-Lieu-of-Tax) payments.

Find additional information for homeowners here

ANCHOR Tenant

You are considered a tenant if, on October 1, 2019, you:

  • You were a New Jersey resident; and
  • Your 2019 New Jersey gross income was not more than $150,000; and
  • Rented an apartment, condominium, or house;
  • Rented or owned a mobile home located in a mobile home park.

You do not qualify if you lived in tax-exempt, subsidized, or campus housing.

Find additional information for tenants here.

Additional resources from nj.gov include Check the Status of your 2019 ANCHOR Benefit and ANCHOR Program Frequently Asked Questions

We encourage you to learn more on our website where we refer to all the information from the NJ Division of Taxation including details on how to file, additional eligible properties, ineligible properties, and more for both Homeowners and Tenants: NJ Announces ANCHOR Property Tax Relief Benefit for Tax Year 2019.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions regarding your eligibility, the application process, or to discuss a topic further.

Sincerely,

The Nisivoccia Team


Farmland Assessment Application

Please email the Tax Assessor with any questions at taxassessor@libertytownship.org

Overview with all the forms from the State:
https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/lpt/lpt-farmland.shtml

Application link: https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/pdf/other_forms/lpt/FA1.pdf

Gross Sales form: https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/pdf/other_forms/lpt/fa1-gs.pdf


Tax Information & Pay Your Taxes Online

https://wipp.edmundsassoc.com/Wipp/?wippid=2114


Property Tax Relief Program

https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/relief.shtml

All property tax relief program information provided here is based on current law and is subject to change.


NJ Homeowner's Guide to Property Taxes

Property taxes are top of mind for many New Jersey homeowners. The state has the highest property taxes in the nation, with an average property tax bill of more than $8,400, and recent federal tax law changes limited the annual deduction for state and local taxes to $10,000. Moreover, homeowners have questions about where their tax dollars actually go and how taxes are broken down in their taxing districts.

All of these factors led the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJCPA) to team up with New Jersey Realtors® and the Association of Municipal Assessors of NJ to offer Garden State residents this comprehensive guide to understanding property taxes. The guide answers everyday questions homeowners have about how their home’s value is assessed, how their tax bill is created and where tax dollars get allocated.

We hope this guide will serve as a useful source of information for New Jersey homeowners.


Other Property Tax Benefits

Annual Property Tax Deduction for Senior Citizens, Disabled Persons: Annual deduction of up to $250 from property taxes for homeowners 65 or older or disabled who meet certain income and residency requirements. This benefit is administered by the local municipality.

Annual Deduction for Veterans: Annual deduction of up to $250 from property taxes due for qualified war veterans or a veterans who served in peacekeeping missions and operations. This deduction also is available to a surviving spouse/civil union/domestic partner who has not remarried. This benefit is administered by the local municipality.

Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans: Full exemption from property taxes on a principal residence for certain totally and permanently disabled war veterans and veterans who served in peacekeeping missions and operations. This exemption also is available to a surviving spouse/civil union/domestic partner who has not remarried. This benefit is administered by the local municipality.

View claim forms ...


New Jersey Property Taxpayer Bill of Rights

The Property Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights ensures that:

  1. All property taxpayers are accorded the basic rights of fair and equitable treatment under the State Constitution and laws of New Jersey;
  2. All property taxpayers receive the information and assistance they need to understand and meet their property tax responsibilities.

Learn more ...


NJ Property Tax Appeals

NJ Property Tax Appeal deadline for filing is 1 April.
Please review brochure linked below:

http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/pdf/lpt/ptappeal.pdf

Taxpayers may either review the SR1A book available from the Municipal Tax Assessor or the front office or do an internet search at NJACTB.org. Attached is a set of instructions from the Tax Assessor for someone to use if they chose to go on-line.  If a homeowner is using this for appeal research they are going to need to determine which homes are most comparable to theirs and then make the comparisons for the County Tax Board.


Tax Maps

View Municipal Tax Maps


Tax Overview:

Tax Due Dates:

  • First Quarter February 1st
  • Second Quarter May 1st
  • Third Quarter August 1st
  • Fourth Quarter November 1st

Make checks payable to: Liberty Township Tax Collector

Grace period: 10 days (to the 10th of the month due)

Interest rate: 8% on the first $1500.00 and 18% on all delinquencies thereafter.

There is a 6% Year End Penalty on all balances (including interest) over $10,000.00 as of 12/31.

Taxes are billed once a year by the end of June after all budgets are approved.

The added assessment bills are sent in October. Added assessment bills are for improvements made after October 1st of the pretax year and before September 30th of the current year.

After hours tax deposit box located at front entrance to the Municipal Building. (Brass mail slot to the right of front door, taxes fall into a locked box inside the building.)

Special Forms: Senior Citizen and Veterans deduction forms are available at the tax collector's office.

Please Note: A reserve for uncollected taxes is included in each year's budget.. If taxes are delinquent as of December 30th of the tax year, the reserve for uncollected taxes is increased, which in turn increases the tax rate. For this reason we urge everyone to try to pay his or her taxes by the due date.


Information:

Veteran and Surviving Spouse of Veteran Deductions -

Amount: $250.00 in 2003 and thereafter

Please check the application form for a complete list of qualifications.

1. Must have served in the United States Armed Forces in time of war or conflict.

  • Operation Iraqi Freedom
    March 19, 2003 - Ongoing
  • Operation Enduring Freedom
    September 11, 2001 - Ongoing
  • Joint Endeavor/Joint Guard - Mission-Bosnia & Herzegovina
    November 20, 1995 - June 20, 1998
  • Restore Hope - Mission Somalia
    December 5, 1992 - March 31, 1994
  • Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm Mission
    August 2, 1990 - February 28, 1991
  • Panama Peacekeeping Mission
    December 20 1989 - January 31, 1990
  • Lebanon Peacekeeping Mission
    September 26, 1982 - December 1, 1987
  • Grenada Peacekeeping Mission
    October 23, 1983 - November 21, 1983
  • Vietnam Conflict
    December 31, 1960 - May 7, 1975
  • Lebanon Crisis of 1958
    July 1, 1958 - November 1, 1958
  • Korean Conflict
    June 23, 1950 - January 31, 1946
  • World War II
    September 16, 1940 - December 31, 1946
  • World War I
    April 6, 1917 - November 11, 1918

Peacekeeping missions require a minimum of 14 days service in the actual combat zone except where service-incurred injury or disability occurs in the combat zone, then actual time served, though less than 14 days, is sufficient for purposes of property tax exemption or deduction. The 14 day requirement for Bosnia and Herzegovina may be met by service in one or both operations for 14 days continuously or in aggregate. For Bosnia and Herzegovina combat zone also includes the airspace above those nations.

2. Proof of residency: You must have been owner of record of the property as of October 1st of the pre-tax year to be eligible for 2004, you must have owned property as of October 1, 2003.

3. Honorably Discharged

4. Cannot be receiving the veterans deduction on any other property.

5. If you are a surviving Spouse:

  • Qualify all of the above in addition to the following:
  • You cannot have remarried
  • The deceased veteran or service person was a citizen and resident of New Jersey at the time of death.
  • You must be owner of the property as of October 1st of the pre-tax year.

Information -

Senior Citizen, Surviving Spouse or Disabled Person:

Application forms list complete qualifications.

Amount: $250.00

Senior Citizen:

  • Residency: You must have been owner of record of the property as of October 1 of the pre-tax year, an example: to be eligible for 2003, you must have owned the property as of October 1, 2002.
  • 65 years of age or older. Proof of age is required.
  • Annual income cannot exceed $10,000. after a permitted exclusion of Social Security Benefits, or Federal Government Retirement/Disability Pension, or State, County, Municipal Government Pension.

Surviving Spouse:

  • Residency: You must have been owner of record of the property as of October 1 of the pre-tax year, example: to be eligible for 2003, you must have owned the property as of October 1, 2002.
  • Annual income cannot exceed $10,000 after a permitted exclusion of Social Security Benefits, or Federal Government Retirement/Disability Pension, or State, County, Municipal Government Pension.
  • 55 years of age or older. Proof of age is required.
  • Deceased spouse must have been receiving a Senior Citizen or Disable Person deduction at time of death.
  • You cannot have remarried.

Disabled Person:

  • You must be permanently and totally disabled and unable to work as of December 31 of the pre-tax year. A physician's or Social Security Disability or New Jersey Commission for Blind Certificate must be provided.
  • Residency: You must have been owner of record of the property as of October 1 of the pre-tax year, example: to be eligible for 2003, you must have owned the property as of October 1, 2002.
  • Your annual income cannot exceed $10,000. after a permitted exclusion of Social Security Benefits, or Federal Government Retirement/Disability Pension, or State, County, Municipal Government Pension.

Yearly, a PD5 form is sent to all Seniors, Surviving Spouses and Disabled Persons. The form verifies income and residency. It must be completed, signed and returned by March 1 each year to continue eligibility.


New Jersey's Property Tax Relief Hotlines:

Property Tax Reimbursement

  • 1-800-882-6597
  • Form PTR-1 (or PTR-2 if reimbursement was received the previous year).

Homestead Rebate Info hotline

  • 1-800-323-4400 (within NJ) or
  • 609-826-4400 (anywhere)
  • Form HR-1040 (and Form NJ-1040, if required)

NJ SAVER Rebate Hotline

  • 1-877-658-2972 (except during filing season, May - June)
  • File online at the Division of Taxation Website:

Liberty Township Tax Office does not have any of the above forms.
Have questions? Contact New Jersey Division of Taxation, Taxpayer Services Branch, PO Box 900, Trenton, NJ 08695-0900.

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