Gregory Danese, a member of the South Hunterdon Board of Education, will be at the high school May 12 to help seniors apply for the tax-saving program.
By: Linda Seida
WEST AMWELL Senior citizens are invited to South Hunterdon Regional High School May 12 when attorney Gregory Danese will discuss the state’s property tax reimbursement program, known as Senior Freeze, and help them learn if they qualify for tax savings.
Mr. Danese specializes in elder law, real estate, wills and probate. Previously, he worked for the New Jersey State Medicaid Program.
Mr. Danese is vice president of South Hunterdon’s Board of Education.
For senior citizens who need transportation, buses will be dispatched to stops in Lambertville, Stockton and West Amwell.
The event will begin at 9:15 a.m. when students will serve a continental breakfast along with juice, tea and coffee.
If senior citizens qualify for the program, they can end up saving a good bit of money on their property taxes. Getting to that point, however, can sometimes be confusing, considering the eligibility requirements and the official forms that must be filled out.
And time is running out to apply. The deadline for filing a property tax reimbursement request is June 1.
Mr. Danese will explain the program’s requirements during the breakfast gathering at South Hunterdon. For those seniors who qualify for the program, Mr. Danese also will demonstrate how to fill out the reimbursement form.
"The State of New Jersey does a great job in explaining the program in its instructions, and the form is easy to use, however, most senior citizens I have encountered still do not know what the program is or get confused with the forms," Mr. Danese said.
The program is important for seniors, Mr. Danese explained, because "if a taxpayer qualifies for the program, they are freezing their property taxes to a base year. If you qualify in 2004, you are freezing your property taxes at what you paid in 2003. As long as you qualify in subsequent years, the state will reimburse you the difference between your property taxes in 2003 and what your taxes are in that future year. That is why the program is also known as Senior Freeze."
Mr. Danese recognizes the fact sometimes everyone needs a little extra help with tax forms. He’s willing to provide it one-on-one, if necessary.
"If a senior citizen still has questions or needs further assistance after the seminar, I will arrange to have a follow-up visit with them at South," he said. "Hopefully, if the person doesn’t object, I would like to have some interested students help out. It would be a great ‘real world’ learning experience."
According to a synopsis supplied by Mr. Danese, Senior Freeze reimburses homeowners and mobile home owners who are 65 and older and disabled homeowners and mobile home owners who are receiving federal Social Security disability benefits. The reimbursement is for property tax increases paid on their principal residences.
Applicants must have lived continuously in New Jersey as either a homeowner or renter since before Jan. 1, 1994. In addition, they must have owned and lived in the home or mobile home for which reimbursement is claimed since before Jan. 1, 2001.
Applicants also must meet certain income requirements.
For a single person, the total annual income for 2003 must be less than $40,028.00. For a married couple, the total income must be less than $50,113. Income criteria must be met for both 2003 and 2004.
For this program’s criteria, income also includes sources a homeowner may not be required to report when filing their federal and state income tax returns, such as Social Security income.
The informational session at South Hunterdon is an outgrowth of Mr. Danese’s interaction with senior clients as well as his position as a member of the school district’s Board of Education.
"My law practice consists of a lot of senior citizen clients, and I have noticed that many are not aware of the Senior Freeze program," Mr. Danese said. "I suggested to (Superintendent) Lisa (Brady) that I would be willing to make a presentation to the groups; first, to make them aware of a property tax relief program and, second, as a member of the school board to show our taxpayers that the school board and administration is aware of the financial burden the property tax places on senior citizens, and we will use our position as an educational institution to not only educate South Hunterdon’s students but our adult community as well."
Also on the agenda that morning is some musical entertainment. Students will provide selections from their spring choral concert, according to Ms. Brady. The concert is scheduled for May 18 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
For information on the program or to obtain an application, call the Division of Taxation at (800) 323-4400 or visit www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/propfrez.htm.
The bus stops and pickup times are Miels Restaurant on Route 29 in Stockton at 8:45 a.m.; South Hunterdon Apartments, Perry and Main streets, Lambertville, at 9:05 a.m.; Hibernia Apartments on South Main Street in Lambertville at 8:45 a.m.; and the West Amwell firehouse on Mt. Airy Village Road at 9 a.m.