If you are 65 years old this calendar year, and are an owner of your primary residence, and make less than $93,200, you have until March 1st to apply for the Enhanced STAR exemption. Seniors who are applying for the exemption will need to show proof of income.
STAR is the New York State School Tax Relief program that provides an exemption from school property taxes for owner-occupied, primary residences. The Enhanced STAR exemption provides an increased benefit for those 65 years of age or older with qualifying incomes. For the 2023 STAR exemption application, you’ll need to refer to your 2021 income tax forms.
The STAR benefit only applies to school district taxes. It does not apply to to county, town, or city taxes, except in the cities of Buffalo, New York, Rochester, Syracuse and Yonkers.
Eligible senior citizens can apply to their local assessor’s office by March 1, which is the deadline in most municipalities.
Already receive the Enhanced STAR exemption? You might qualify for the Senior Citizens Exemption!
School districts and local governments in New York State can opt to grant a reduction on the amount of property taxes paid by qualifying senior citizens. This is accomplished by reducing the taxable assessment of the senior’s home by as much as 50%.
For the 50% exemption, the law allows each county, city, town, village, or school district to set the maximum income limit at any figure between $3,000 - $50,000.
There are three sliding scale options a municipality can opt to adopt instead:
In order to be eligible, an age-eligible owner must own the property for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the date of filing for the senior citizens exemption unless you received the exemption for your previous residence.
You cannot receive the senior citizens exemption if the income of the owner or the combined income of all the owners (including a spouse) exceeds the maximum income limit set by the locality.
Each of the owners of the property must be 65 years of age or over, unless the owners are married, or the owners are siblings (having at least one common parent) and at least one of the owners is 65.
If any senior citizens have children living in the home and attending public school, they are generally ineligible for the senior citizen exemption.
For more information go to https://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/property/star/ivp.htm
