Mecklenburg County residents and businesses that own boats,
manufactured homes (mobile homes), farm tractors, airplanes,
machinery, equipment, furniture, fixtures, supplies and any other
income-producing personal property and unregistered motor vehicles as
of January 1, 2010, are reminded that they must list these items with
the Mecklenburg County Assessor's Office soon.
Tax listings may be made by mail, or at the Assessor's Office, Bob
Walton Plaza, 700 E. Stonewall St., Suite 103, between 8 a.m. and 5
p.m. The tax listing process will begin Friday, January 4, 2010, and
end on Monday, February 1, 2010. All tax listings made by mail and
postmarked by midnight February 1, 2010, will be accepted without
penalty. Listings received after that date will be assessed a 10
percent penalty.
For those who qualify, several tax-relief programs are available:
Low Income Homestead Exclusion: North Carolina excludes from property
taxes $25,000 or 50 percent (whichever is greater) of the assessed
value for specific real property or manufactured homes occupied by
owners as their permanent residence who meet the following
qualifications as of January 1 preceding the taxable year for which
the benefit is claimed. To qualify, homeowners must be:
1) At least 65 years old or totally and permanently disabled;
2) Report income for the preceding calendar year not more than
$27,100 (income is defined as all money received from every source
other than gifts or inheritances from a spouse, lineal ancestor or
lineal descendant. For married applicants residing with their
spouses, the income of both spouses must be included, whether or not
the property is in both names);
3) Listed on the title as of January 1 as legal owner;
4) A resident of North Carolina.
Circuit Breaker Property Tax Deferment (payment postponement): This
plan limits property taxes to a percentage of the owner's income. For
an owner whose income does not exceed the annual income eligibility
limit for the Low Income Household Exclusion explained above, owners'
taxes are limited to 4 percent of their income.* For owners whose
annual income exceeds the limit by not more than 150 percent, taxes
will be limited to 5 percent of their income. The taxes exceeding the
applicable percentage of the owner's income will then become deferred
(postponed) along with interest. To qualify, applicants must meet the
following requirements:
1) They must be least 65 years old or totally and permanently
disabled;
2) Have an income for the preceding calendar year of not more
than $40,650;* (150 percent of Low Income Homestead Exclusion);
3) Be the legal owner listed on the title as of January 1 for the
past five years;
4) Must be a resident of North Carolina;
5) ALL owners of the property must apply and elect to defer the
applicable portion of their taxes;
6) Application is required ANNUALLY.
Totally and Permanently Disabled Veterans: North Carolina excludes
from property taxes the first $45,000 of assessed value for specific
real property or manufactured homes that are occupied by the owner as
their permanent residence. To qualify, applicants must meet the
following requirements:
1) Must be honorably discharged veterans who have 100 percent
total and permanent disability that is service connected;
2) Must have Veteran's Disability Certification (NCDVA-9) and be
able to provide a DD214 or DD215 form;
3) An applicant can be the unmarried and never remarried spouse
of a qualifying deceased veteran;
4) An applicant can be a qualifying veteran with specially
adapted housing per 38 U.S.C. 2101.
NOTE: Disability pensions are not service-connected.
* Income is defined as all money received from every source other
than gifts or inheritances from a spouse, lineal ancestor or lineal
descendant. For married applicants residing with their spouses, the
income of both spouses must be included, whether or not the property
is in both names.
You may obtain an application by calling CharMeck 311. The deadline to
apply for these exclusion programs is June 1, 2010.
For more information, visit the Mecklenburg County Tax Assessor's
Office Web site at http://bit.ly/1ZHyFi.
