N.J. Admin. Code § 5:33-4.5

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 5:33-4.5 - Escrow account transactions

(a) A selling servicing organization or mortgagee and a purchasing servicing organization shall both notify the tax collector not more than 45 days after the actual date, or not less than 10 days prior to the date, the next payment of property taxes is due, whichever is earlier, of a sale, assignment, satisfaction, or transfer of a mortgage escrow account by filing an Escrow Account Transaction Notice (ME-2) or substitute. The form shall be used as follows:

1. The original of the notice prepared by the current mortgage holder or the selling servicing organization shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to the tax collector;

2. The original of the notice prepared by the new servicing organization shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to the tax collector. This shall be supplemented with the purchaser's procedure for responding to questions regarding a mortgage escrow account it manages;

3. In lieu of separate forms filed by both the seller and purchaser, the seller may forward the documentation directly to the new servicing organization for confirmation and approval. The new servicing organization shall then forward the completed form to the tax collector on behalf of both parties;

4. In the case of a property owner making final satisfaction of a mortgage, the section noted "Property Sold or Property Owner Satisfaction of Mortgage" shall be completed, and sent to the municipal tax collector;

5. In the case of a property sale, the section noted "Property Sold or Property Owner Satisfaction of Mortgage" shall be completed, and sent to the municipal tax collector; and

6. In addition, in accordance with 17:16F-17(a), copies of all initial sale, transfer, and assignment transactions shall also be sent to the borrower.

(b) A substitute form may be used in lieu of the ME-2 form. A substitute form shall not describe more than one property, and must include the following elements:

1. Property identification information;

2. Date of transaction;

3. Type of transaction;

4. Any internal loan identifying number or code;

5. For the originator or seller of a mortgage, servicing organization or property tax processor change; the name, address, internal identifying number, bank code number, contact person and phone number related to the organization(s) being changed;

6. For the recipient or buyer of a mortgage, servicing organization or property tax processor change, the name, address, internal identifying number, bank code number, contact person and phone number related to the new organization(s);

7. If the transaction is a sale or owner satisfaction of a mortgage, indication of which action and the effective date;

8. If the recipient or buyer is to receive notice of foreclosure pursuant to N.J.S.A. 54:5-104.4 8, indication of same and signature of mortgagee representative, typed name and title; and

9. Name, signature, and phone number of the individual preparing the notice, date the form was prepared, and the name of the organization submitting the notice; if the form is being sent to the recipient or buyer organization for confirmation pursuant to (a)3 above, this same information for the buying organization.

(c) To ensure that original tax bills are properly forwarded, the following procedures shall be followed:

1. In the case of a mortgage sale, the holder of the tax bill shall forward the original tax bill to the new mortgagee or property tax servicing organization.

2. In the case of a property sale, the holder of the tax bill shall forward the tax bill to the municipal tax collector. Upon receipt of a ME-1 notice, the tax collector shall forward the tax bill to the new servicer of property tax processing organization.

(d) If a donor is a mortgagor whose mortgagee servicing organization or property tax processing organization pays the property taxes on the mortgaged parcel, and the donor makes a donation to the charitable fund, the creditable portion thereof shall be reported by the tax collector to the mortgagee, servicing organization, or property tax processing organization. If a credit has been applied to the donor's property tax obligation, the tax collector shall report the credit to the mortgagee, servicing organization, or property tax processing organization and any tax payment made by the mortgagee, servicing organization, or property tax processing organization toward the credited amount shall be refunded to the mortgagee, servicing organization, or property tax processing organization by the municipality.

(e) If a mortgagor elects to have a portion of his or her mortgage escrow account paid to a local unit charitable fund in lieu of property taxes, the mortgagor shall provide the following information to the mortgagee, servicing organization, or property tax processing organization handling such payments:

1. The name of the local unit or units, and the charitable fund or funds being donated to;

2. Total contribution amount to each charitable fund; and

3. The amount of the contribution creditable toward the mortgagor's property taxes.

(f) If a mortgagor elects to have a portion of his or her mortgage escrow account paid to a local unit charitable fund in lieu of property taxes, the mortgagee, servicing organization, or property tax processing organization shall provide the charitable fund with the information required under N.J.A.C. 5:30-18.9, except for the copy of the tax bill required under N.J.A.C. 5:30-18.9(a)3v.

(g) If a mortgagor elects to have a portion of his or her mortgage escrow account donated to a local unit charitable fund in lieu of property taxes, the mortgagee, servicing organization, or property tax processing organization shall provide the following information to the tax collector:

1. Name of property owner;

2. Address of property;

3. Contact information of the mortgagee, servicing organization, or property tax processing organization;

4. Property block, lot, and qualifier;

5. The mortgagee's legal interest in the property;

6. Payment amount;

7. The identity of the charitable fund or, if payment is to be made to multiple charitable funds of the local unit, the identity of each such local unit charitable fund and the amount of payment to be made to each such charitable fund; and

8. The portion of the charitable fund donation creditable toward the property tax obligation.

N.J. Admin. Code § 5:33-4.5

Amended by 50 N.J.R. 2247(a), effective 9/21/2018

Amended by 51 N.J.R. 828(a), effective 4/30/2019