BARNEGAT TOWNSHIP

OFFICE OF THE TAX / UTILITY COLLECTOR

  • Tax Collector – Crystal Brinson, CTC
  • 609-698-0080 Ext. 140 or 142
  • Fax: 609-698-8746

The Tax Collector is responsible for the yearly billing and quarterly collection of the tax levy within guidelines mandated by the State of New Jersey. 

Please note that our office does not send out statements of taxes paid for the prior year.  You must use your receipts, cancelled checks or mortgage statement along with your tax bill for income tax purposes.  If you purchased or sold your property during the year, you would also have to utilize your closing papers for any pro-rated amounts. 

Property Tax Bills – Property tax bills are mailed our ONCE a year, usually in Mid-July and cover four quarterly payments.  The bill mailed in July includes the 3rd and 4th quarters of the current year and the preliminary 1st and 2nd quarters of the next year.                                                                           Payments are due quarterly:  February 1st, May 1st, August 1st and November 1st, with a 10 day grace period, the maximum allowed by State Law.  If the 10th day falls on a weekend or a Township Holiday, the grace period is extended to the Township’s next business day. 

Late Payments for Taxes – Interest on late payments is charged according to State Laws over which the Township has NO control.  If your payment is received in our office after the grace period has ended, your payment will be subject to interest charges.  Interest is calculated back to the original due date at an annual rate of 8% on amounts up to $1500 and 18% on amounts over $1500 and continues to accrue until the account is brought current.  Envelope postmark is not accepted.

New Homeowners – Tax bills are not always transferred at closing, however, it is ultimately the homeowner’s responsibility to obtain this information.

Homeowners paying taxes through a mortgage – If you have made arrangements for your mortgage company to pay your taxes, they are required to send us a “tax authorization” notice indicating that they should receive your original tax bill.  You will then receive a duplicate (advice copy) of the tax bill.

Added Assessment Bills – If improvements are made to your house, it may generate an “Added Assessment” bill in October after the regular bill has been mailed.  This bill is payable in addition to the regular tax bill.  If your mortgage company is paying your taxes, the Added Assessment bill will be mailed to them, however, not all mortgage companies will pay the Added Assessment.  It is ultimately the homeowner’s responsibility to find out if the mortgage company will pay or if the homeowner must submit payment on his own.

Rebates and Deductions – The State of New Jersey has instituted several rebate programs regarding property taxes.  For information on the Property Tax Rebate program (PTR or “tax freeze”) you may call 1-800-882-6597 or  state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/relief.shtml For information on Homestead Rebate, you may call 1-888-238-1233.  You may also qualify for a $250 senior citizen deduction or a $250 veteran’s deduction.  For information on these discounts, please call the Tax Assessor’s office at 609-698-0080 Ext. 146.

Water and Sewer Fees – The Tax Collector is also responsible for the billing and collecting of Water/Sewer bills.  Water/Sewer Meters are read quarterly by the Township’s Water/Sewer department.  Payments are due quarterly:  January 15th, April 15th, July 15th and October 15th.    Please see below chart which shows quarterly billing dates and how bills are calculated.

                                                       WATER-SEWER BILLING CHART

 

IMPORTANT MESSAGE: COVID-19 RATEPAYER RELIEF MEASURES

This notice announces relief measures for residential ratepayers experiencing economic hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Please review this message in its entirety.  For more information please go to our website or contact our office as noted above.

INSTALLMENT PLAN AVAILABILITY

BE ADVISED that State law requires residential customers to be offered an installment plan for any water and sewer arrearages accruing between March 9, 2020 and March 15, 2022.  To maintain the installment plan, a residential customer must make timely payments on all current charges.  Sewer liens that were sold before January 1, 2022 cannot be included in the installment plan. 

LATE FEES, CHARGES AND PENALTIES

BE ADVISED that P.L. 2021, c. 317 prohibits local governments from charging residential customers interest, fees, or charges for late payment of water and sewer charges accruing between March 9, 2020 and March 15, 2022 until after March 15, 2022 at which time interest and penalties may begin to accrue.  This prohibition does not apply to sewer liens that were sold before January 1, 2022.  Late interest, fees or charges may be enforced against arrearages accruing before March 9, 2020 and after March 15, 2022.

 

BILL ASSISTANCE AND ARREARAGE FORGIVENESS PROGRAMS

The application period for the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ Low Income Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) is now open.  This federally funded program will provide financial assistance to low-income households to reduce the balances on their residential water and sewer bills.  LIHWAP will provide benefits directly to water and sewer service providers on behalf of residential customers.  The assistance can be used, in order of priority, to:

  • restore services where services have been terminated and pay reconnection fees and other charges accrued due to a disconnection;
  • avoid service disruption for those residential customers who are in danger of disconnection (i.e., received shut off notices or have past due balances) and to help them afford bill payment going forward; and
  • support those household customers who are current in their bills but might be in danger of falling behind in the near future

Priority will also be given to families with elderly or disabled household members and/or with children under the age of five, no matter which category they fall into.

  

To be eligible for LIHWAP assistance, applicants must be water/sewer bill holders who are responsible for paying their water and sewer bills directly to the water/sewer provider.  Also, applicants’ total gross household income must be at or below 60% of the state median Income ($6,439 a month for a family of four).  The LIHWAP frequently asked questions webpage, available at https://njdca-housing.dynamics365portals.us/lihwapfaq has additional information about maximum income limits and other items. 

 

Participants in the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) are automatically eligible for LIHWAP assistance so long as they are water/sewer bill holders.

 

People can apply online through the DCAid application portal at https://njdca-housing.dynamics365portals.us/en-US/dcaid-services/.

 

Those without computer or internet access can call 1-800-510-3102 to be directed to one of the community action agencies to assist them with starting, completing, and submitting an application online

 

Late Payments for Water/Sewer – There is also a 10 grace period on Water/Sewer Bills, however, if a payment is received after the grace period has expired, Interest is charged at the same rate as taxes – 8% on amounts up to $1500 and 18% on amounts over $1500.  If the 10th day falls on a weekend or a Township Holiday, the grace period is extended to the Township’s next business day.  Accounts with delinquencies of 60 days or more are subject to service being Shut-off.

Credit Card payments will still be accepted in Office for Water/Sewer Only.

Tax and Water Sewer payments must be submitted on separate checks

FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE PAYMENTS CAN BE PUT IN DROP BOX
IN FRONT OF TOWN HALL DAY OR NIGHT.

Authorization Agreement for ACH Direct Withdrawls

Credit Cards will not be accepted for properties subject to Tax Sale.

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