State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > Nebraska > Chapter77 > 77-3514

77-3514. Homestead; exemption; certification of status; notice; failure to certify; penalty; lien.A claimant who is the owner of a homestead which has been granted an exemption under sections 77-3507 to 77-3509, except subdivision (1)(b)(i) of section 77-3508, shall certify to the county assessor on or before June 30 of each year that a change in the homestead exemption status has occurred or that no change in the homestead exemption status has occurred. The county board of the county in which the homestead is located may, by majority vote, extend the deadline for certification by a claimant to on or before July 20. An extension shall not be granted to an applicant who received an extension in the immediately preceding year. In addition, a claimant may make such certification late pursuant to section 77-3514.01 if he or she includes documentation of a medical condition which impaired the claimant's ability to certify in a timely manner. The county assessor shall mail a notice on or before April 1 to claimants who are the owners of a homestead which has been granted an exemption under sections 77-3507 to 77-3509, except subdivision (1)(b)(i) of section 77-3508, in the preceding year unless the claimant has already filed the certification for the current year or the county assessor has reason to believe there has been a change of circumstances so that the claimant no longer qualifies. The notice shall include the claimant's name, the certification deadlines for the current year, a list of documents that must be filed with the certification, and the county assessor's office address and telephone number. For purposes of this section, change in the homestead exemption status shall include any change in the name of the owner, ownership, residence, occupancy, marital status, veteran status, or rating by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or any other change that would affect the qualification for or type of exemption granted, except income checked by the Tax Commissioner under section 77-3517. The certificate shall require the attachment of an income statement as prescribed by the Tax Commissioner fully accounting for all household income. The certification and the information contained on any attachments to the certification shall be confidential and available to tax officials only. In addition, a claimant who is the owner of a homestead which has been granted an exemption under sections 77-3507 to 77-3509 may notify the county assessor by August 15 of each year of any change in the homestead exemption status occurring in the preceding portion of the calendar year as a result of a transfer of the homestead exemption pursuant to sections 77-3509.01 and 77-3509.02. If by his or her failure to give such notice any property owner permits the allowance of the homestead exemption for any year, or in the year of application in the case of transfers pursuant to sections 77-3509.01 and 77-3509.02, after the homestead exemption status of such property has changed, an amount equal to the amount of the taxes lawfully due but not paid by reason of such unlawful and improper allowance of homestead exemption, together with penalty and interest on such total sum as provided by statute on delinquent ad valorem taxes, shall be due and shall upon entry of the amount thereof on the books of the county treasurer be a lien on such property while unpaid. Such lien may be enforced in the manner provided for liens for other delinquent taxes. Any person who has permitted the improper and unlawful allowance of such homestead exemption on his or her property shall, as an additional penalty, also forfeit his or her right to a homestead exemption on any property in this state for the two succeeding years. SourceLaws 1979, LB 65, § 14; Laws 1983, LB 494, § 4; Laws 1983, LB 195, § 7; Laws 1983, LB 396, § 4; Laws 1984, LB 809, § 10; Laws 1985, Second Spec. Sess., LB 6, § 6; Laws 1987, LB 376A, § 11; Laws 1988, LB 834, § 3; Laws 1988, LB 1105, § 5; Laws 1991, LB 2, § 18; Laws 1991, LB 773, § 23; Laws 1994, LB 902, § 39; Laws 1995, LB 133, § 3; Laws 1995, LB 135, § 2; Laws 1996, LB 1039, § 7; Laws 1997, LB 397, § 29; Laws 2005, LB 54, § 20; Laws 2007, LB145, § 3; Laws 2009, LB94, § 5.Effective Date: May 27, 2009