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.
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.
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.
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,
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
Tax Rates 2010 - 2020
- Tax Rate Table (excel file - click link to download)
- Tax Rate Table with Bar Chart (excel file - click link to download)
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.
- Senior Freeze (Property Tax Reimbursement Program)
- Check the Status (Amount) of Your Senior Freeze Payment (Property Tax Reimbursement)
- Homestead Benefit Program
- Check the Status (Amount) of Your Homestead Benefit
- Property Tax Deduction/Credit
- Tax Treatment of New Jersey Property Tax Benefit Payments
- Out-of-State Residents – Request for a letter of Property Tax Relief Ineligibility
- Other Property Tax Benefits
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.
New Jersey Property Taxpayer Bill of Rights
The Property Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights ensures that:
- All property taxpayers are accorded the basic rights of fair and equitable treatment under the State Constitution and laws of New Jersey;
- All property taxpayers receive the information and assistance they need to understand and meet their property tax responsibilities.
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
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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