Jefferson County to Mail TABOR Refund Checks to Jeffco Property Taxpayers

Jefferson County taxpayers will soon receive a TABOR refund check in the mail, as required by the state's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights Amendment (TABOR).

TABOR requires governments in Colorado to refund revenue collected above the TABOR limit for a given fiscal year or seek voter approval to retain the revenue. In 2023, Jefferson County received approximately $30.5 million in revenue above the TABOR revenue limit, as a result, the county is required to give that money back to the 211,000 property taxpayers in 2024. Learn more about TABOR.

There are a variety of methods that can be used to refund the revenue to taxpayers. Examples include mailing refund checks to property taxpayers or applying a credit to the following year's property tax bill. After exploring the various options, Jefferson County determined mailing refund checks was the most direct and transparent way for each taxpayer to receive their fair share of the refund.

• All property taxpayers, including homeowners and business owners, will receive an equitable share of the $30.5 million refund.
• The average check amount will be about $145 and 93% of property taxpayers will receive a check for $200 or less.
• The median check amount is $86, which means that 50% of people will receive a check for $86 or less.

According to Treasurer Jerry DiTullio, the Jefferson County Treasurer's Office will cash any check under $200 (with a valid ID). Additionally, the Treasurer's Office asks that you do not send your checks back, please cash them. The funds cannot be used by the county.

FAQs:

• Why is there only one name on the check?
  One check per property and the check has room for only one name, which is the first name from the property Deed.
• Is this check the state TABOR refund check?
  No, this is only for residents and business with property located in Jefferson County. The state check is based on your state income tax return.
• Why is my check payable to my trust? / How can I cash it since I don't have a bank account in this name?
  Checks are made payable to whatever name was last recorded with the Jefferson County Clerk & Recorder. The Treasurer's Office can cash the check with proof of ID (if the trust is in their personal name) or documentation showing the trust name and that they are the trustee. We don't need the originals or the entire document.
• Why is the check payable to my deceased spouse/partner?
  If a death certificate has not been recorded, the deceased person's name will remain on title. The Treasurer's Office will cash the check up to $200, for anyone that has ownership to the property, with a valid ID and a copy of the death certificate. If you are not able to come into our office, please mail in a letter along with the check and a copy of the death certificate requesting that the check be made payable to you (their name must be in title already). Lastly, if someone has been appointed the executor of an estate via a Will, they can sign for the deceased as well as their signature on the back of the check and the bank should accept it.
• I paid the property taxes last year, why didn't I receive the refund check?
  The TABOR checks are made payable to whatever name the Assessor showed in title to the property as of August 15, 2024, regardless of who last paid the taxes. The check is a refund of revenue collected above the TABOR limit for the 2023 fiscal year. This revenue can come from other sources, not just property taxes.