Friday will not only be the deadline for property tax bills, but also the final deadline to file Homestead Verification Forms.
As of Tuesday, about 850 residents claiming a homestead credit had not turned in the verification forms, according to Steve Saulter, Monroe County auditor. When the county started trying to round up the forms in January, more than 3,100 residents hadn’t filed a form.
“If you’re optimistic, you can say we’ve got 75 percent of them,” Saulter said.
Those who had claimed a homestead credit before 2009 were asked to update identification information with the auditor’s office through pink forms, which were included with property tax bills for the past three years.
All people listed on a property deed must provide the last five digits of both their Social Security
number and their driver’s license number for identification. The information will be used to compile a statewide database that will prevent people from claiming multiple homestead credits. People without a driver’s license or Social Security number can use numbers from other specified documents.
number and their driver’s license number for identification. The information will be used to compile a statewide database that will prevent people from claiming multiple homestead credits. People without a driver’s license or Social Security number can use numbers from other specified documents.
Beginning next week, those who failed to turn in their forms will have homestead credits removed from their tax bills.
The Monroe County Auditor’s Office continued to extend deadlines for residents missing the Homestead Verification Form, initially moving the deadline from Dec. 31, 2012, to Jan. 4. The office then began calling people, posting a list online for people to check and sending final notices that set the deadline for the forms as May 1.
But after noticing people were bringing in the forms along with their property tax bills, the deadline was once again extended to May 10, when property taxes are due.
Homestead credits were in place for this year’s tax bills, but will be removed for 2014 taxes. Residents whose tax credits are removed will have their names cross-checked through the database to search for multiple homestead filings, and will be contacted if back taxes are owed.
to search for multiple homestead filings, and will be contacted if back taxes are owed.
“People will get a shock when they get their tax bills next year,” Saulter said of those who have their credits removed. “Most taxes have doubled, and some tripled.”
Treasurer hours extended
The Monroe County Treasurer’s Office will be open until 6 p.m. today and each day through the end of the week to accommodate residents paying their tax bills before Friday’s deadline.
Five stations have been set up to collect tax payments, and the office is trying to keep lines to a minimum, said Cathy Smith, Monroe County treasurer.
The department will also offer informational meetings at 5 p.m. today and Thursday in the treasurer’s office to answer any questions about tax bills.
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