Page 8 - Stuart Exposure - July '24

Page 8, Stuart Exposure

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Martin County Is Counting The January 1 date of assessment greatly affects new We used our tornado plan for the first time this month
On YOU, VOTE Aug. 20! homebuyers. The reason is that the property tax estimate at our Hobe Sound office when a tornado hit the area.
The tornado struck while we were open with customers
shown on real estate listing sites are misused to calculate
the closing costs and the tax escrow portion of mortgage in the office. Staff calmly followed the plan and kept
In the state of Florida payments. both the staff and customers safe.
voters have the option to When a buyer purchases a home after January 1, Education and being prepared with a plan makes a difference!
decide how they are going they will receive a first-year tax bill that is based on
to cast their vote … by mail, the previous owners’ exemptions and Save Our Homes
by voting early, or by voting benefits. This can lead to a significant discrepancy in the
at their assigned precinct escrow payment and not necessarily what the new buyer
on Election Day. Here is may expect to pay in taxes the following year, which will
some important information be based on market sales prices.
regarding these three ways The Property Tax Estimator, New Homebuyer Timeline
to vote to help you decide by handout, and the New Homebuyer educational video are
what method you are going resources available to educate and assist new homebuyers
to choose to cast your votes when estimating their own property taxes before they
for the upcoming Aug. 20 election: make the purchase, so they may prepare for the financial
• The Martin County Elections Office located at 135 S.E. impact.
Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Stuart and the Elisabeth Lahti
Library located in Indiantown Saturday, Aug. 10 through Martin County Tax Collector
Saturday, Aug. 17 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. These dates do
include Sunday, Aug. 11. Public Safety
• Vote-by-mail ballots can be requested through Thursday,
Aug. 8, 2024. We Care About The People
• When voting in-person voters should remember to bring We Serve
photo and signature identification when voting early or when We have an emergency
voting at their assigned precinct on Election Day. management team at
• Secure Ballot Intake Stations (drop boxes) will be the Martin County Tax
available during early voting at both locations for voters to Collector ’s office to
hand deliver their voted mail ballot. maintain safe standards Pictured here next to Ruth Pietruszewski, Martin County
As your Supervisor of Elections, it is my goal to provide in any kind of crisis. We Tax Collector, is George, a long-term and quintessential
the best possible voting experience! have a plan for hurricanes, member of our emergency management team. George has
Vicki Davis, tornadoes, fire drills, taken the SKYWARN classes to further his knowledge of
Martin County Supervisor of Elections active shooters and more. weather events, allowing educated decisions to be made
Staff can find these plans when facing a weather event, such as whether we should
quickly on their desktop computer monitors or posters close operations, how soon we should lock down, and how
hanging on the walls of the office, which contain step- long we should stay closed, taking into account the safety of
by-step instructions. our constituents and staff.

Martin County Property

Appraiser’s Office

There Is More Significance To “January 1”
Than Celebrating New Year’s Day!

By Jenny Fields, CFA,
Martin County Property
Appraiser, 3473 S.E.
Willoughby Blvd., Suite No.
101, Stuart, FL 34994
(772) 288-5608
www.pa.martin.fl.us
When it comes to ad
valorem property taxes in Are You Ready Hurricane?
Florida, everything revolves
around a date of assessment of
January 1. When you receive For The Next Storm?
your tax bill in November, those taxes are based on a snapshot
of your property valuation which took place eleven months
prior on January 1. As a result, the property appraiser studies No Air Conditioning?
the previous year’s real estate market activities and transactions No Refrigeration?
to establish the current year values.
Florida law goes on to say that the taxability of newly FREE
constructed improvements is determined based on whether 10% OFF
they were substantially complete as of January 1. For 7 Year Warranty
example, if you are putting in a new swimming pool that is on Select Air Cooled Of A Service Call*
not complete until February 2024, then the tax bill you receive Standby Generators*
in November 2024 would not reflect the additional taxes for $ 350 $ 1,000
your pool because the pool wasn’t done by January 1, 2024.
The value of the pool would be added the following One-Time OFF
year and the additional taxes would be reflected on your Maintenance* Install*
November 2025 tax bill. *Must show coupons. Call for details.
The eligibility of all property tax exemptions is also
determined based on whether you qualify on or before January 561.774.7714
1. To qualify for the Homestead Exemption, you would have
to own the home and make it your primary residence as of 2271 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd.
January 1 of the tax year that you apply. Likewise, if you West Palm Beach, FL 33409
apply for the Limited Income Senior Exemption, which has
an age requirement of 65 years old, you will have to be age
65 on or before January 1 of the year you apply.
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