As part of the 2023 Chairman Initiatives, “Building a Stronger Union County,” the Union County Board of County Commissioners, are pleased to announce that a series of three informational sessions will be held for residents who wish to file a property tax appeal. The new, first-of-its-kind program is designed assist in navigating the appeal process without incurring unnecessary attorney fees, as part of Union County’s commitment to support long-term housing security.
“Taking care of our residents is something that our Commissioner Board strives to do and we believe that everyone can use assistance, especially when living costs are on the rise,” said Union County Commissioner Chairman Sergio Granados. “These workshops, that include both information and filing assistance, will help ensure that people can access information on their property and possibly reduce their property taxes by appealing, all while Union County is covering the costs of the filing fee for those qualifying seniors and veterans who attend. Together, we continue to prioritize our efforts to strengthen the programs and services offered to our residents, while maintaining our strong financial footing – because we know that every dollar counts.”
The sessions will be conducted by staff attorneys with the Union County Office of the County Counsel. Attendees will learn how to file an appeal without an attorney; get assistance in completing the appeals application; and get help navigating online resources to obtain recent sales comparisons.
The sessions are free but registration is required in advance at www.ucnj.org/taworkshop. Please call Union County at 908-527-4182, if any additional assistance with registration is needed.
Any eligible Union County property owners can attend any of the following sessions:
- Elizabeth: Saturday, March 4 at the Elizabeth Public Library, 11 South Broad Street, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
- Roselle: Thursday, March 9 at Union County’s Warinanco Sports Center, 1 Park Drive in Warinanco Park, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
- Plainfield: Tuesday, March 14 at the Plainfield Public Library, 800 Park Avenue, 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM.
- View Flyer in Spanish
Seniors and Veterans eligibility for a property tax waiver is based on the following qualifications:
- Must be a Union County resident
- Must be 62 years old or older, or a U.S. veteran honorably discharged from the military
- Must be the property owner of record with annual household income not greater than $65,000
- The tax assessed value of the home must not be greater than $399,000.
Union County will cover the filing fee for qualifying seniors and veterans who attend an information session. The fee is $5.00 for homes assessed up to $150,000 and $25.000 for homes assessed up to $399,000.
Registration below.
Online Registration
The informational seminars are open to all property owners in Union County but to qualify for the fee waiver, you must be a qualified senior or veterans and meet the eligibility requirements.
Documents Required for your Tax Appeal
1 – Documents for Senior Citizens and Veterans
For owners over 62 years of age: Please bring proof of age with a valid identification (Birth Certificate, Driver’s License) and Proof of income (2022 W2 or 2023 Tax return)
For owners who are U.S Veterans Please bring your DD-214 form (DD-214 must state honorably discharged)
2 – Assessment Postcard
You are required to bring your Notice of Assessment Postcard for your property. This was recently mailed to you by your town on a 4X6 grey and white postcard. Please visit http://ucnj.org/taxation-board/ for how to retrieve this if you did not receive one. Once on the website please select property record search, enter your information, select more info and then assessment postcard at top left of page.
We can also help during the event from our laptops we will have setup.
3 – Three Comparable Properties
The homeowner will need to come up with at least three but not more than five comparable sales to validate your opinion of the current market value of your home. Residents can contact a local realtor for assistance or comps can be accessed on Trulia and Zillow. Your local tax assessor and tax board also have sales information you can look up at their respective offices. The sales should have occurred from between 7/1/2021 – 10/1/2022 to be accepted.
The sales should be from within your same municipality. You should select comparables that are similar in style (colonial, ranch, split-level, etc.) size (square footage measured from exterior) and physical condition. Distress sales such as foreclosures for example will not be considered as comparable. Once complete, your appeal form must be physically delivered to 271 N. Broad Street 3rd Fl. Elizabeth, NJ 07207 by no later than 4pm on April 3rd, 2023. We will have laptops setup at this event to assist with researching comparables, however due to conflict of interest restraints, we cannot select comparables for you.