News
Passport Fee To Increase April 2
When applying for a U.S. Passport in person, an execution fee is charged by the accepting agency. The current fee imposed is $25 per application, but that fee is set to increase by $10 in April.
Effective April 2nd, the execution fee will be $35.00 per application, payable in cash only. Applications received prior to April 2nd will be assessed the $25 amount.
Income Tax Exemption for Veterans
$3,000 Exemption for Veterans
You are eligible for a $3,000 exemption on your Income Tax return if you are a military veteran who was honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States on or any time before the last day of the tax year. Your spouse (or civil union partner) is also eligible for an exemption if he/she is a veteran who was honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances and you are filing a joint return. This exemption is in addition to any other exemptions you are entitled to claim and is available on both the resident and nonresident returns. You cannot claim this exemption for a domestic partner or for your dependents.
Claiming the Exemption
- When completing your tax return, you must fill in the oval (resident return) or check the box (nonresident return) to indicate that you are claiming this exemption. Otherwise, the exemption(s) will be disallowed.
- You must provide a copy of Form DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, with your return the first time you claim the exemption(s).
Providing Documentation
You must provide a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214, the first time you claim the exemption. We can only accept the member 4 copy of DD-214. This form does not need to be provided each year. The United States National Archives and Records Administration can assist with obtaining a copy of your DD-214.
You can certify for the exemption by sending a copy of your DD-214 and Veteran Exemption Submission Form to the Division before you file, which may help process your return faster. To certify:
- Use our secure document upload feature to submit your DD-214 and Veteran Exemption Submission Form. Enter the notice code VET and select PO Box 440; or
- Mail a copy of your DD-214 and Veteran Exemption Submission Form to: The New Jersey Division of Taxation, Veteran Exemption, PO Box 440, Trenton, NJ 08646-0440; or
- Fax your DD-214 and Veteran Exemption Submission Form to 609-633-8427.
Note: We can only accept the member 4 copy of DD-214.
If you do not certify before you file for the exemption, you will need to submit a copy of your DD-214 when you file using:
- A Paper Return. Enclose a copy of your DD-214 with your return;
- NJ Fill’nFile. Upload your DD-214, along with all of your other documentation, into the repository;
- Other Electronic Filing Methods. If you file your return using NJ WebFile, third-party software (such as TurboTax), or you have a tax professional who electronically submits your return, you can send a copy of your DD-214 and Veteran Exemption Submission Form using one of the three certification methods listed above.
More information from New Jersey Division of Taxation.
Clerk’s Office — closings or delays
Winter weather may cause the County Clerk’s Office to open late or, in rare instances, close for the day. Please check the county homepage for posting of delayed openings or closings due to inclement weather.
Clerk’s Office email address recently spoofed
If you or someone you know recently received an email claiming to be from the Sussex County Clerk’s Office, requesting that certain documents be executed, please delete it. Our email address was spoofed. We strongly recommend you NOT open any attachment or click on any links in the email, as the email undoubtedly contains some kind of malware/malicious content, e.g., phishing, spyware, etc. BEWARE!
In Effect May 1 – Recording Cover Page required on all land recordings
Please read the following Information Regarding Changes to the New Jersey County Clerks’ Recording Law:
Effective May 1, 2017 all land recordings in New Jersey must be accompanied by a cover sheet issued by the county in which the document is being recorded. The new cover sheet contains mandatory indexing fields which are to be completed by the submitter.
The cover sheet is part of the submitted land record.
The recording cover sheet will be included in the calculation of recording fees for documents with booking and paging fees ONLY. There is no additional fee when recording flat fee instruments.
Failure to submit a cover sheet with any land recording* (including flat fee instrument types) will result in a $20.00 indexing charge per N.J.S.A 46:26A-5.
Click this link for Sussex County’s Recording Cover Page . The form is a fillable PDF. It is important to note that the cover sheet is specific to the county where the document is being recorded.
Please contact the Sussex County Clerk’s Office at 973-579-0900 if you need further information regarding the submission of the recording cover sheet or any other questions regarding these recording changes. Thank you.
*Note: The following document types are exempt from the cover sheet requirement: Military Discharges, Maps, and Trade Name Certificates.
Jeffrey M. Parrott Sussex County Clerk
Veterans: Kosa Veteran Support Center Now Open
Now Open
The Kosa Veteran Support Center, Inc.
48 Wyker Rd. Franklin, NJ
What the Center does:
- Provides a safe place for veterans to access support and resources
- Provides veterans a safe place to talk with one another and build community
- Gives veterans a place to advocate for other veterans’ needs and work in partnership with Catholic Family & Community Services to meet those needs
- Gives veterans a place to bring their needs, whatever they may be
- Counseling services – a trained clinician will provide services to veterans and their families. Counseling can be provided for individuals, couples and/or families, or in groups by calling 973-827-4702 to schedule an appointment
The Kosa Veterans Support Center is currently open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Do you have a heart for helping your fellow veterans? Can you paint? Are you able to do handyman work?
We are looking for volunteers to man the Center, help other veterans who may need assistance with their living quarters as well as provide other various supports and/or resources. Any assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated!
We are excited to be able to help our fellow veterans in need, but we can’t do it without you!
Veterans: Notice about Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
Please see the attached letter for those who may have served at Camp Lejeune.
Recorder’s Document Reference Manual
The Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey makes available the Recorders Document Reference Manual.
The manual includes:
- Recording requirements for over 165 documents recorded with County Clerks / Registers throughout the State of New Jersey
- Realty Transfer Tax calculations
- Recording fees
- Explanation of acknowledgments
- Glossary of terms
… and much more information for recordation.
The manual proves a valuable guide for …
- Law firms
- Title Companies
- Mortgage Companies
- Financial Institutions
- Government Agencies
The manual is available as a printed, bound manual or on CD ROM.
Foreclosure
How Homeowners Can Protect Themselves
When homeowners are contacted about foreclosure options by a third party, homeowners should:
- Contact their lender. They may be able to work a re-payment plan (forbearance agreement) that is within a homeowners budget;
- Seek legal advice through a trusted attorney, not one appointed by the company or individual soliciting them.
- Never sign away ownership of the home by a quitclaim deed or otherwise without consulting a trusted attorney;
- Be especially suspicious of offers to lease back the home, in order to buy it back over time. These offers may sound good but often make it impossible to re-purchase the home;
- Never make mortgage payments to anyone other than the lender;
- Never listen to anyone other than the lender regarding the mortgage payments or due dates;
- Beware of any home-sales contract in which the homeowner is not formally released from liability for their mortgage;
- Do not sign any document with bank lines or spaces; information could be added later without your knowledge and consent.
- Call the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General , Division of Consumer Affairs, and Office of Consumer Protection at 1-800 242-5846 (calls within New Jersey) email: AskConsumerAffairs@lps.state.nj.us.
- Call the Department of Banking and Insurance toll-free hot line (1-800-446-7467) for guidance, direction and schedules or locations of foreclosure seminars.
- For brochures on Foreclosure Scams visit http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/News/Consumer%20Briefs/foreclosure-scams%E2%80%93how-to-avoid-them.pdf and http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/News/Consumer%20Briefs/surplus-funds-scam.pdf
Is Foreclosure Mediation Right for You?
Foreclosure mediation provides homeowners who are dealing with the threat of foreclosure to receive help from housing counselors, attorneys, and a neutral mediator to resolve their loan delinquency matters. The program is free for qualified homeowners.
Visit http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/superior/foreclosure.htm for more information or call toll free at 1-888-9989-5277.