Desert Messenger

January 4, 2012

Desert Messenger is your local connection for news, events, and entertainment!

Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/51737

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 43 of 47

Page 44 ASSESSOR'S CORNER Series 5 of 10 The "PROPERTY TAX DEFERRAL" program is our topic this week. This program allows qualifying property owners to postpone payment of all or a portion of their property taxes until the sale of their property or the owner dies. To qualify for the deferral, both the property and the property owner(s) must meet specific requirements. Qualifications for the Resi- dence: To qualify the residence must meet all the following requirements: • It must be the taxpayer's primary residence. • It must not be income producing. • It may not have a full cash value that exceeds $150,000. • It must not be subject to a mortgage less than 5 years old. • All property taxes due for preceding years must be paid. Qualifications for the Property www.DesertMessenger.com Owner: To qualify for tax deferral the indi- vidual must meet all the following re- quirements: • Be at least 70 years of age. • Shall have ownership of the resi- dence. • Have lived in the current residence for 6 years, or lived in Arizona for the preceding 10 years. • May not own, or have beneficial in- terest in other real property. • In the case of a married couple, both spouses shall meet all requirements. • The total Arizona taxable income of all persons residing in the residence for the taxable year immediately pre- ceding the current year (year of the fil- ing) may not exceed $10,000. To apply for a deferral you must complete a "Claim for Deferral" form available in the Assessor's office. The form must be accompanied by docu- mentation supporting the above crite- ria. All information must be filed with the Assessor before April 1 of the tax year for which the deferral is claimed. Remember a tax deferral is not tax forgiveness. The deferral only post- pones the payment of taxes to some future date. All deferred taxes accrued interest and the costs become due and payable if the claimant dies, the own- ership of the residence is transferred, or the property is no longer the resi- dence of the claimant. If you need more information or help completing the form for the Residen- tial Tax Deferral Program, please con- tact the Assessor's office. Once you have qualified, the County Assessor DAY NIGHT SHADES REPAIRED 3 YEAR UNCONDITIONAL GUARANTEE Local Resident • FREE Estimates Larry - cell 928-273-3719 Relaxation Station Lois New Location! 709 W. MAIN ST. Desert Oasis RV Park Lois Chiles Relaxation Therapist 928-216-7069 Call today for appointment! will notify the County Treasurer. The County Treasurer then issues a "Certif- icate of Deferral" which will be record- ed with the County Recorders' Office. The property taxes are not considered delinquent and will not be included in the delinquent tax record. The Trea- surer will notify the taxpayer of the next file date. Failure to file will result in the collection of property taxes on your residence for that tax year only. The process of which the payment of deferred tax is required plus interest and costs, is due and payable if: • Within one year of the death of the claimant, without qualifying spouse; • Within 120 days of sale of residence; • Within 120 days of claimant's and spouse's change of residence, except for illness; • The residence use changes to income producing, such as rental or lease. You should carefully consider all the provisions of the property tax deferral program before completing a deferral claim. For additional information or clarification, contact our office, we'll be glad to fill you in on all the details. Contact the: La Paz County Assessor's Office, 1112 Joshua Ave, Suite 204, Parker, AZ 85344 Phone: (928) 669-6165. ATVers: have fun, be safe, respect washes by Starr Bearcat We are here to have fun and enjoy the desert, so let's be respectful of others, private property and our public lands governed by the BLM. Many folks believe that ATV/OHV can go up any wash, not realizing that most washes in town are private property. The Army Corp of Engineers was contacted and there have been conversations with the BLM, and local Police Dept. The property owner has the right to fence off, place signage for no trespassing or even place a chain across the wash. Where the Army January 4, 2012 Corp of Engineers authority comes in is when the wash is blocked to the point that it impedes the flow of water, or the course of the main channel is changed, or for a construction project in the wash. The property owner can remove sand from a wash but cannot add to the wash or modify the banks without a permit from the Army Corp of Engineers. Tread Lightly! is a nonprofit organization that promotes responsible recreation through ethics education and stewardship. The word "TREAD" reminds us to help keep Arizona beautiful while preserving access to places to ride. Visit their website for more tips. http://www.treadlightly.org Travel responsibly on roads, trails and permitted areas. Respect the rights of others, especially private landowners and other recreationists. Educate yourself on laws and equipment. Avoid sensitive areas like meadows, lakeshores, wetlands and streams unless on a designated route. Do your part to leave the area better than you found it. Besides being bad for our environment, OHV driving in riparian areas can be bad for your wallet. A large portion of the washes in town are private property; therefore driving on it without the owner's permission is trespassing, and is illegal. According to Arizona Revised Statute (ARS) 17-454, no person shall drive cross-country on public land where prohibited and private land (unless with owner permission). Another statute, ARS 28-1174 states that it is "unlawful for a person to drive an offhighway vehicle with reckless disregard for the safety of persons or property." This includes such activities as speeding up dry washes and whipping "donuts" in creek beds. For more information conact: Arizona Game and Fish Department 5000 W. Carefree Highway Phoenix, AZ 85086 (602) 942-3000 Or visit: www.azgfd.gov Specializing in RV Solar Sales & Service M & S Solar Electric SOLAR SYSTEM & INVERTER INSTALLATION / REPAIR Drive 29 miles south for HUGE savings US 95 South @ Stone Cabin Next to Randy's Hamburgers Mike & Sherry Bacon Open 6-days a week (closed Tuesday) accept credit cards! We 928-446-6514 Factory Chords!

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Desert Messenger - January 4, 2012