Do you know that you may qualify for a reduction of your home property tax bill?
What does it take to qualify? This is information from the Idaho State Tax Commission. If you have questions contact your county assessor.
WHO QUALIFIES?
You may qualify for property tax reduction in 2013 if you:
1. Owned and lived in a house or mobile home in Idaho that was your primary residence before April 15, 2013. (You may qualify if you lived in a care facility or nursing home. Contact your county assessor for information), and
2. Had total household income for 2012 was $28,000 or less after deducting:
- Medical expenses not reimbursed by Medicare or other insurance
- Business and farm losses
3. Met one or more of the following status requirements as of January 1, 2013:
- Age 65 or older
- Widow(er) of any age
- Blind
- Fatherless or motherless child under 18 years of age
- Former prisoner of war / hostage
- Veteran with at least 10% service connected disability, or receiving VA pension for a nonservice-connected disability*
- Disabled as recognized by the Social Security Administration, Railroad Retirement Board or Federal Civil Service*
* You may qualify if your disability applicatIon is being processed or appealed.
HOW DO I APPLY?
1. Contact the your County Assessor’s Office for the application. The office is listed under County Offices in your telephone directory.
2. Complete an application (only available between January 1 and April 15). If you need help, the assessor’s staff will assist you. You must apply for your 2013 property tax reduction between January 1 and April 15, 2013. To receive this benefit, you must apply and qualify each year. It is not renewed automatically.
You must show proof of your eligibility by filing proof of income, medical expenses and that you meet one or more of the status requirements under paragraph 3 above at with your application form.
3. File the application with your assessor’s office by April 15. If you are missing some of this information, complete as much of the form as possible, sign and return it to the Assessor’s Office by the April 15 deadline. Attach a note of explanation if you have estimated any part of your income. You will be allowed a reasonable amount of time to complete the form after the filing deadline.
If your application is approved, your property tax reduction will appear on the tax notice sent to you in November, 2013.
All recipients of the property tax reduction benefit automatically receive the Homeowner’s Exemption, which reduces the taxable value of your home by 50% or $81,000, whichever is less.
WHAT DOCUMENTATION IS REQUIRED?
You must provide the Assessor’s Office with the following documents to show your income and expenses. (Bring original documents or copies if you apply in person; send copies if you mail your application.)
IF YOU FILE A TAX RETURN, PROVIDE:
- A copy of your Federal income tax return
- Documents showing income not reported on your tax return, including nontaxable income?
- Provide a copy of Federal Schedule A, if you file it with your tax return.? If you do not file federal Schedule A, provide the following:?
a. Prescription drug records from your pharmacy
b. Receipts for other medical expenses you paid in 2012 that were not reimbursed by Medicare or other insurance.
c. Social Security/Railroad Retirement 1099 forms
d. Any other documents showing income not reported on your tax return.
For more information, contact:
- Your county assessor
- Idaho State Tax Commission: in the Boise area 334-7736
- Toll free, (800) 334-7756, ext. 7736
- Hearing impaired: TDD (800) 377-3529
- tax.idaho.gov
