Signup open for tax relief programs in Bradley County, Tenn.

Friday, January 1, 1904

Arkansas-Ole Miss Live Blog

CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- It is time again for elderly and disabled residents to sign up for property tax-relief and tax-freeze programs, Bradley County Trustee Mike Smith said this week.

Applications for both programs will be accepted through April 5, 2012.

The tax-relief program is offered by Tennessee to allow elderly and disabled residents with a combined income of less than $26,830 to receive a discount ranging from $112 to $137 of their tax bill. Veterans classified as permanently or totally disabled also can apply.

The tax-freeze program is a local program approved by the Bradley County Commission in 2007 that will freeze the property taxes of applicants, age 65 and older, at the amount owed when the applicant initially is approved. To qualify for the freeze, the income of the applicant and his or her spouse cannot exceed $29,540.

Applicants must apply annually to retain the frozen amount.

"I want to remind the property owners that qualified for the tax-freeze program last year of the requirement to reapply for the program annually," Smith said.

Those who think they qualify for either program should contact the trustee's office, he said.

To apply, bring all 2010 income information for all owners listed on the deed, including the applicant's spouse, as well as some form of identification such as a Medicare card or a valid driver's license, said Whitney White, coordinator of the two programs.

A copy of a 2010 tax return, if filed, also is required.

The trustee's office also needs a copy of the title or bill of sale for an applicant living in a mobile home; and if the applicant's property is in a trust, the state requires a copy of that document, too.

The trustee's office is in Room 104 of the Bradley County Courthouse and can be reached at 423-728-7247 or 423-728-7248.