NJ Full Property Tax Exemption – “Real World Examples” Where An Experienced Lawyer Might be Helpful

Your town may not be treating you properly and as they have one or more lawyers advising them, you might want to consider doing the same. Even if it costs you a few dollars, up front, why be at a possible disadvantage. It could be a few hundred dollars a year or thousands. As a wise old friend taught me years ago, don’t be:  penny-wise and pound foolish, to borrow a British expression.

Here are a couple of cases that we’ve handled recently:
(from the son) I hope all is well with you. It’s been some time since we last saw each other. How have you been? We have a veterans situation regarding my dad. He is 100% disabled vet due to Agent Orange exposure. Army 1st Lt. and winner of the Bronze Star among other awards. He is looking for direction and help … Knowing your background and passion, I immediately thought of you. Here is the topic in a very succinct, sterile synopsis:

Situation: 100% permanently disabled veteran due to Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam Eligible for full property tax exemption in NJ (N.J.S.A. 54:4-3.30 et seq.) [The NJ town] advised client of property tax exemption in March 2023 Issue: [Town] increased sewer fee … for all households in [] 2023, but charged client and other VA tax-exempt households $715/year.  Client questions legality of discriminatory ordinance and authority to combine property tax with sewer revenue Key Points: Client’s sewer service is not unusual or special, and there’s no justification for the $490 difference in fees Two NJ tax assessors agree that the ordinance is incorrect Client has written to the [] town council and received an unfavorable response from the borough attorney

(from the Vietnam Veteran)
Hi Tom,

 Thanks for the follow-up.  I have spent untold hours on this case and I am determined to follow this through.  With the help of others I have contacted I am confident that I have collected enough information to legally support my position.  The problem is that the annual fee that they are looking to charge me and the other disabled veterans is $.  I have paid the borough $[] for the last 2 years which is the fee for the other 2200 residents.  Unfortunately it is hard to justify the cost of legal defense unless there was some return from the borough.

 I have told the town that my plan was make to this a public issue which has gotten their attention.  I am scheduled to meet with the mayor, the town administrator and one of the councilmen on Tuesday.  They claim they will propose a way to make this favorable to the disabled veterans – we’ll see.

 I have a long list of health issues that resulted in my 100% and permanently disabled rating.  One is PSTD which this situation has aggravated.

 Next Scenario in Another Municipality:

The local Bar Association asked us this question but we can’t represent Veterans pro-bono these days as so many of our clients.

Bar Association:

I hope you’ve been enjoying summer. I wanted to check in with you, as I wasn’t too sure who to ask about a case I recently received through our Military Legal Assistance Program. For background, the applicant served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has a 100% service-connected disability. We also assisted him with a divorce in 2015. However, the volunteer who accepted his case has since retired.

The applicant, based in Warren County, moved into his home in [] Township sometime in March 2023. Some time thereafter, he applied for property tax exemption pursuant N.J.S.A. 54:4-3.32. He subsequently received a letter from the tax assessor dated May 20, 2024 confirming his property is “exempt from all real estate taxes.” (He had tried to apply for tax exemption status before he purchased the home, but he was not receiving responses from those who he inquired with and did not want to further delay the purchase.) However, when he was finally able to speak with someone at the tax office, they told him they would only refund him for the past quarter, and not from the time he moved into the home.

Our applicant is unsure how to proceed, as he (1) was only unable to file due to the unavailability of a representative from the tax office and (2) these funds would have been helpful to him and his family due to current price inflations.

If you or anyone you know may be able to help here, please let me know. This isn’t our typical case area, and I am very low on volunteers in the applicant’s county of residence.

My response to the local Bar Association was that, as our firm is comprised of veterans and mostly what we do is provide trusted staff on issues that we have experienced ourselves, we work with many who have limited funds.  We are very fair and generous with those who are injured and are usually still serving but difficult for us to survive as a business when those with 100% VA Compensation, expect a free lawyer.

We can help but we are a business which survived some lean years since we opened over 10 years ago.  Our rates are reasonable and we simply work efficiently and depend on volume.

As I explained to the local Bar Association:  If the veteran can’t find another attorney, I suggest that he should consider paying for an attorney.

If he is 100% VA “disabled,” then he or she is receiving over $4,000.00 or so a month tax free.  Usually many veterans are still able to work.  And some veterans receive SSDI (Social Security Disability) and even a military pension, too.

We know since we assisted securing these benefits for our clients.

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Tax abatement:  This is an extremely valuable benefit.  We can help you learn how you can benefit. If your municipality is incorrectly interpreting its responsibilities, we may need to initiate a lawsuit to secure your rights.