CROWN POINT | Lake Auditor Peggy Katona said Monday she will give homeowners until the end of January to file paperwork needed to retain their property tax credits.
Katona said she is extending — by a month — the Dec. 31 deadline the state set for residents to complete the pink one-page forms that have been sent to homeowners the last three years.
She said there were reports of homeowners attempting to enter the Lake County Government Center in Crown Point Monday morning to fill out the forms. The center is closed until Wednesday.
The state is requiring owners to provide their name, address, Social Security number, driver's license or state-issued identification card number, passport or work visa and sign the form, certifying they are eligible for the reduction of the property's assessed value by as much as $45,000 in addition to a supplemental deduction.
The survey is required to create a statewide database that will ensure no one is receiving more than the single credit the law allows for a person's primary residence. Vacation homes and rental properties are ineligible for the credit.
Katona and Porter County officials said in November that 38,000 homeowners had yet to file their forms. The state has demanded that counties crack down on those who fail to fill out the form and verify their homestead eligibility. They face a significant tax increase if the homestead credit is removed.
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