[TheDude]

I was wondering what people think of me getting a lawyer who works in TV.

As a 100% disabled veteran T&P I need to be sure I do not pay property tax with my mortgage company. I was thinking for a price a lawyer could help me.

I need someone who can speak for me and is a professional and who can be sure I do not pay this and have my best interests. It's a lot of money that I should not pay.

Can anyone point me in the right direction. PM me if you can; or post here... but I will need some legal help with this.

[MikeV]

When I moved here I went tot the tax office and told them I was a disabled Vet. they asked if I was 100% which would make me exempt from paying property taxes. I am not 100% so I got a portion of my taxes waived. I would start there.

[Challenger]

Originally Posted by TheDude

I was wondering what people think of me getting a lawyer who works in TV.

As a 100% disabled veteran T&P I need to be sure I do not pay property tax with my mortgage company. I was thinking for a price a lawyer could help me.

I need someone who can speak for me and is a professional and who can be sure I do not pay this and have my best interests. It's a lot of money that I should not pay.

Can anyone point me in the right direction. PM me if you can; or post here... but I will need some legal help with this.

I would check with one of the many Veterans orgs in this area. The Legion on 466 has thousands of members and I think that if this exemption is available for people with your level of disability, there would probably be many of their members who were receiving it. I would not spend money for an attorney yet. You may find someone to help "pro bono"

[daveczo]

Try the Veteran Services office at the Sumter County government offices on 466A and Powell Road. They will get you correct info. My wife is 100% VA disabled and we pay only non-advolurm portion of taxes. Florida vet care rocks!

[Rapscallion St Croix]

Get a lawyer if you like wasting money, otherwise..............

Establish residency by Filing a declaration of domicile

File that with the county clerk.

After that, all you need to do is fill out this form and take to County Tax office along with your VA Letter.

The above assumes that you already have registered to vote, obtained a Florida drivers licence and registered your vehicles here.

Your mortgage company is still going to require you pay tax money into escrow, but will refund and adjust monthly payment after they receive the tax bill.

[John_W]

You get a letter every year from the VA with the amount of disability. Mine is 40%, take that letter to the tax office at the Gold Dome. You probably know where that is, it's where you get your driver's license. If not, it's next to the Winn Dixie Shopping Center on 466A and Powell Rd. Enter the building, to your left is the library, turn right go down the hall and at the end is a waiting area for driver's license. The last office on the left just before the waiting area, there is a window straight ahead and a small office to the left. Go to the small office to the left and a very attractive woman will take your letter and go directly onto the Sumter Tax Website and enter your disability. Also if you make less than $25,000 a year in taxable income, disability is not taxable, you can get a discount, but in your case you won't need it if your 100% disabled, because you'll pay no tax, but you will have to pay the bond.

[TheDude]

Hi. Some of you brought up my concerns.

I do not pay taxes because of the injury (non-taxable) and SSD (below tax limits). I did go to the county office and I did complete all my paperwork. It was in the same office area as the VA representative.

My problem is getting the mortgage company to not include taxes in my mortgage payments. Currently they do. What I don't understand is as one poster said that they well refund and adjust my monthly payments after they receive the tax bill.

So, I what I am reading into this is that I pay mortgage (which includes taxes and insurance) and at the end of the year the mortgage lender is going to receive a tax bill and since it will be zero then they are going to refund me money. There is my problem. When do they receive the tax bill; is it the end of 2017. If so, then I will be paying every month for the whole 2017 year.

I'm confused so that is why I was wondering about getting a professional (and I thought that would be a lawyer but it could be an accountant I guess).

Left on my own, I could miss something. I am very laid back and live in the moment. With that said, I quickly forget the past (and to do things I need to do I would guess) so I have to get things done as I think about them, or as in something like bills, I just pay so far in advance that when I remember to do it again, then I am covered.

I question everything in my head also so if I ask many questions, it isn't that I don't validate what is written... it is just I don't completely get it. Getting it is my goal.

Again, thanks everyone who has replied.

[John_W]

A lot of this stuff can be handled with a phone call to the 800 number listed on your mortgage for customer service. I had a mortgage in Maryland and my taxes were reduced from $2800 to $600, I simply called my mortgage company and they dropped my monthly payment from $1100 to $800 and since my equity in the home was about half, the bill came right to me from then on.

You didn't say if your property here is a new home? If so, your first tax bill will be for vacant land, your mortgage company should know that and this year's payments should be low. You didn't say if you're financed with The Villages Mortgage Co, if so, they should be well aware of your situation and the taxes for Sumter County. Is your Mortgage a VA loan? If so, they should be well aware of the deduction given veterans in Florida. A phone call can handle it all.

Your tax bill will come late October or early November, is it set up go to your mortgage company or come to you? I don't think you really need to get a lawyer, if you have a phone and you're free all day, I would be making calls. If you make no calls at all, the scenario you outlined is probably what will happen. You'll pay all year and they'll pay the bill next November and you'll receive a refund and the payments will be adjusted in 2018. You could make the phone calls or pay a lawyer $500 and let him make the phone calls.

[rjm1cc]

No. Go to you county tax office and apply for the homestead exemption. At the same time their are maybe another 50 exemptions you might qualify for. They should help you with the paper work and explained the exemption. Take your papers with you that show you are disabled and that you own your home, You may have to prove you are not getting exemptions on property in another state by claiming you are a resident of that state. A copy of your FL drivers license, settlement sheet for selling your old home etc should work. If you do not get the exemption then go to the county Veterans office. Their job is to help you. By this time you should have the exemption. If not then go for the attorney.

I think you will find it very easy to work with your county tax office, especially if you are in Marion County.

[Kirsten Lee]

So your issue is how to get your bank to lower your tax escrow payment? As someone who does loan servicing at a small community bank, I can tell you that once a year your escrow account must be analyzed based on the taxes and insurance due. Call your mortgage company and find out if they will adjust your payment based on no property taxes being due, BUT if they won't change it don't worry about it. It will adjust in the next 12 months. First your loan was approved based on you being able to make the payment including escrow, which means you can afford it. Let's say your taxes are $2400 and you are a very wise investor and can get a 10% return on money. For the first month's $200 payment, you are losing $2 and over a year the total would be $156. I do not think you can pay a lawyer less than $156 to deal with this.