Tax Collector

finance

Click here to update your mailing address for your property with the Tax Assessor's Office and the Tax Collector's Office.

The Tax Assessor's office is responsible for records of ownership. All name and address changes for tax records must be made through their office. Property ownership changes are also made by the Tax Assessor when the Ocean County Clerk's office forwards new deed information. The Tax Collector's office receives all ownership information from the Tax Assessor's records.
Click here to visit the Tax Assessor's section of the website.

Your tax bill is based on the assessed value of your property. You pay taxes for every $100.00 in assessed value. The 2010 tax rate for Lakewood Township is 2.308 for every $100.00 of assessed value. To figure out the taxes on a piece of property with a total assessment of $233,778.08 (the average assessment for a residential property in Lakewood Township in 2011) you would divide $233,788.08 by 100 ($2,337.88) and multiply that figure by the tax rate, 2.308 in 2010, the 2011 rate has not yet been struck ($2,337.88 x 2.308 = $5,395.83). In 2010, 16.50% of your taxes were forwarded to Ocean County, 50.13% was forwarded to the school district, 2.47% went to the Fire District and 29.72% was used to fund Lakewood Township. 1.18% of the budget was funded with State Aid. The elected officials of Lakewood Township only have control over the municipal budget and do not have total control over all of the budgets that can cause your tax rate to go up or down. If you feel that the assessed value of your property is not accurate you may file an appeal with the Tax Assessor's office; the Tax Assessor is responsible for determining the assessed value of all property in Lakewood Township. The amount of your tax of your tax bill is controlled by the assessed value of the property and the tax rates for each government unit.

The reason the tax rate is not known at the beginning of each calendar year is because each unit must establish their budget so we know how much to collect. The Board of Chosen Freeholders is responsible for the Ocean County budget, the Mayor and Township Committee determine the municipal budget and the Lakewood Township Board of Education develops the school district budget. Registered voters are responsible for voting on the school district budget in April each year. The earliest that the total tax rate is known in any municipality is usually some time in June. Municipalities that apply for state aid have to wait until after the state budget is adopted, by June 30, to strike a tax rate.

The Tax Collector is required by state law to hold a tax sale each year for the prior year's unpaid municipal charges. Municipal charges includes, but is not limited to, water, sewer, maintenance liens and taxes. Your property is not sold at the tax sale; a lien is placed on it. The lienholder pays the debt owed to the municipality by the assessed owner of the property in return for a guaranteed interest rate on the amount paid when the lien is redeemed. The tax sale certificate that is issued is the detailed receipt of what the lienholder purchased at the tax sale; most lienholders record their liens at the Ocean County Clerk's Office to insure redemption of the lien if the property is sold. Clear title cannot be issued for a property with recorded liens on it. At the tax sale most liens are sold to a third party, on occasion there is not a third party interested in purchasing the lien and the lien is struck off to the municipality. If a lien is held by Lakewood Township we may begin foreclosure proceedings six months from the date of the tax sale if the lien has not been redeemed. If a lien is purchased by a third party they have a right to begin foreclosure proceedings two years from the date of the tax sale. The lienholder also has the right to pay any municipal charges that are billed to the property, once they are delinquent, and add them to the lien balance. Liens must be redeemed in full with guaranteed funds.

Assessed owners of property are ultimately responsible for their municipal charges even if you are escrowing for taxes through your mortgage company. New Jersey state law is quite clear; you do not need to be in receipt of a bill to be responsible for paying it.

All funds for tax relief are provided by the State of New Jersey. You receive applications for each program, other than deductions and exemptions, from the State of New Jersey. The applications for Senior Freeze, Disabled Person and Veterans Deductions through the Tax Assessor’s Office. You also get the application for Totally Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption through the Tax Assessor. For more information on Tax Relief Programs, visit https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/relief.shtml Property Tax Reimbursement (aka Tax Freeze) - 800-882-6597 Homestead Rebate - 888-238-1233 Property Tax Deductions and Exemptions - 732-364-2500 x5276

Taxes are paid quarterly; the first two quarters add up to half of what was billed on the property the prior year and the third and fourth quarter are based on the actual tax rate. If taxes go up, the third and fourth quarter are generally larger than first and second quarter; if taxes go down, the third and fourth quarters are smaller than the first and second. Tax bills are mailed once a year, during the summer, and contain four coupons. Taxes are due February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1. Lakewood Township has a 10 day grace period, the due date is still the 1st, but if we receive your payment by the 10th no interest will be charged. If your payment is received after the 10th you will be charged interest based on the number of days between the 1st and the day your payment is received. Postmark is not used to count the days; we are required by law to count from the day that your payment is received in our office. Your cancelled check is your receipt for payment of taxes. If you want to have your bill stamped paid you must bring it with you to the office, or mail it to us with your check payment and a self addressed stamped envelope. Your cancelled check is your receipt and you will be required to provide a copy of it if there is a payment discrepancy.

Interest is charged on delinquent balances. State law allows for interest to be charged at a rate of 8% on the first $1,500.00 of delinquency and 18% on every dollar over $1,500.00. Once your delinquency has exceeded $1,500.00 you will pay 18% interest on any remaining delinquency until your account is current. That means that if your tax bill for the first and second quarter is $800.00 and you make a payment on June 1 of $800.00 your account is still considered delinquent and will continue to accrue 18% interest daily until you pay the remaining balance. Your account is considered current if you have paid all prior bills before the next quarter is due, in this example, August 1.

You will be charged a 6% year end penalty if your open and past due principal and interest charges as of December 31 total more than $10,000.00. The 6% year end penalty will be added to the total principal and interest due on December 31 and that total balance will accrue interest at a rate of 18% from January 1 until is it paid.