Tax time can be a trying time for any citizen. Whether it is April 15 or June 15, citizens always have questions and the City of Richmond Finance Department is here to help.

In 2008, the City mailed 61,204 real estate bills with a due date of June 16, 2008 (the normal deadline is June 15 but that date fell on a Sunday this year).

1,450 taxpayers (or 2.3%) contacted the City regarding tax relief. Only 22 of those 1,450 calls (1.5%) expressed a concern or complaint.

Here is a synopsis of the concerns and complaints expressed by taxpayers:

• Tax Relief Applicants who were granted 100% Tax Relief did not receive a bill because no statement is issued when no payment is due. We explained this to callers and upon request, we can issue a manual statement reflecting zero amount due.

• Taxpayers who have been granted Tax Relief annually receive a re-certification form that has to be turned in to Finance by March 31, 2008. The purpose of a re-certification form is to verify that previously submitted income information is either the same or needs to be updated.

• Taxpayers who need to submit a re-certification form should not confuse that due date (March 31) with the due date for Tax Relief Applicants who are first-time applicants for Tax Relief. For first time applicants, the deadline is June 15.

• Some taxpayers stated they never received their re-certification forms. In these cases, we verified the address of record through the Assessor’s Office. If the address of record was correct and the taxpayer missed the March 31 date to submit the re-certification form, that taxpayer became ineligible for tax relief for the current tax year.

• This year the City has received approximately ten complaints about applicants missing the deadline.

• Some taxpayers stated that they returned their re-certification form, but we do not have record of receiving it. All Tax Relief forms are date stamped when received. Taxpayers in this situation are asked to provide documentation to support their case.

• A citizen's documentation allows us to research and track this situation.  Based on our findings, we make adjustments to the tax bill. We have talked with about 10 taxpayers in this category also. These taxpayers have been unable to provide documentation to support their claim.

• Tax Relief applicants who submit the Tax Relief applications for the first time were required to pay the Real Estate taxes as of June 15. Submitting the tax relief application does not grant/approve Tax Relief. Each application must be reviewed to determine applicant qualification and the amount of relief.

• If the applicant does qualify and is approved, a refund is issued based on the percentage of relief granted and is usually mailed within two weeks.

The City of Richmond is committed to superior service to our citizens. The Department of Finance maintains a list of important dates to remember on its web site as well as a FAQ page where you can find more information.

Although we have received relatively few complaints or problems, we will provide citizens with new deadline reminders next year to make sure the process is clearly understood.