HOMEOWNER
EXEMPTIONS
Application
for Residential Homestead Exemption (updated 3-12-2004) (PDF File)
Transferring
School Tax Ceiling (updated 10-16-2003) (PDF File)
To
qualify for a general homestead exemption, you must own your home on January
1. Your homestead includes your house and the land used as your yard,
not to exceed 20 acres. If you are not the sole owner of your home, you
will receive only a portion of any qualified exemption, based on your
percent ownership. If you have more than one house, you can receive exemptions
only for your main or principal residence. You must live in this home
on January 1.
You
will qualify for the Over-65 Homeover exemption as soon as you turn 65,
as long as you own the home and live in it as your principal residence.
You will receive the exemption back to January 1 of that tax year. When
you receive an over-65 homestead exemption, you also receive a "tax
ceiling" for your total school taxes; that is the school taxes on
your home cannot increase as long as you own and live in that home.
When
homeowners who have been receiving the senior exemption and tax ceiling
die, these transfer to the surviving spouses, as long as they are 55 or
older at their spouse's death and live in and own the home.
