Published: December 26, 2008 03:48 pm      

Assessor’s tour in the works

The new year will again start for Garvin County’s assessor with yet another whirlwind tour of stops in the area.

Evelyn Bradley will be visiting with folks at area senior citizens centers starting early next month.

It’s an annual trek Bradley always looks forward to because she can catch up with some old friends.

“There are not a lot of questions about property assessment,” Bradley said.

“I do enjoy seeing everybody and listening to their stories. I call them life stores because it’s usually about what’s going on in their lives and their memories,” she said. “I talk to several veterans who tell me stories about World War II.

“It’s also a good time to see what’s going on in the county; to get the pulse of the county.”

Most of Bradley’s stops will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the respective senior centers.

The first will be in Wynnewood on Tuesday, Jan. 6.

Next up will be in Paoli on Jan. 8 with the time there 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The remaining schedule is Jan. 13 in Maysville, Jan. 15 in Elmore City, Jan. 22 in Lindsay and Jan. 28-29 in Stratford.

Bradley is also reminding a select few of the start of applications for new homesteads and double homesteads on Jan. 2.

According to Bradley, a total household income of $20,000 or less may qualify a resident for the double homestead classification.

For those 65 and over the income amount for the “senior freeze” has been increased to $43,400.

The filing deadline is March 15, 2009.

A law will also help veterans who are 100 percent disabled. Those who qualify will pay no property taxes on their homestead property. A qualifying letter is needed.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) determines the median household income numbers for each county.

All sources of income must be reported, including salaries, pensions, annuities, Social Security payments, unemployment benefits, veteran’s disability compensation, public assistance, alimony, child support, worker’s compensation, capital gains and loss of time insurance payments.

Residents receiving this benefit will be on the honor system. It will be up to those residents to notify the assessor’s office if their income goes over the income amount.

A personal property assessment must also be made on all business inventory, business equipment and farm machinery and equipment.

The deadline to refile for a farm sales tax exempt number is June 30, 2009.

Those with questions should contact the assessor’s office in the county courthouse or call 405-238-2409.