15 Jul Can I get back years of the Senior Freeze?

Q. I am 63 and have been receiving Social Security Disability for eight years. My husband died on June 26, 2014. He was 69. I have never filed for the Senior Freeze before because I thought my income was too high. Now I’m below the threshold. My late husband is on the deed to my house. Should I still put his information on the application? Can I get back years of the Senior Freeze?
— Senior

A. The New Jersey Division of Taxation has a good deal of information on its website pertaining to the Senior Freeze.

It offers details on how to handle your application in the “Frequently Asked Questions” section, which details application issues for “Deceased Spouse/Applicant.”

“It states that where the application has both the name of the surviving spouse and the deceased spouse, to cross out the deceased spouse’s name and print the date of death above it so that the Division of Taxation can make the necessary account corrections,” said Neil Becourtney, a certified public accountant and tax partner with CohnReznick in Eatontown. “Further, the surviving spouse is instructed to enclose a copy of the death certificate with the application to allow for checks to be made payable to the surviving spouse.”

As far as obtaining refunds attributable to prior years, Becourtney said, such filings will be denied.

He said the application is due annually by Oct. 31 following the year being filed for. For example, the 2018 Senior Freeze application must be filed no later than Oct. 31, 2019.

“However, the Division of Taxation may ultimately seek information regarding real estate taxes paid in years prior to 2018,” he said.

Indeed, you may be eligible for an earlier “base year,” which is the year your reimbursement is used to calculate the benefit.

“While late applicants likely won’t receive a payment for the year they failed to file on time, they can still try to secure that as their base year for use on future applications,” a spokesman for the Division of Taxation said. .

You should contact the Senior Freeze Hotline at (800) 882-6597 to coordinate your filing of Senior Freeze application.

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This story was originally published on July 15, 2019.

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