Archive: Around Town

All senior citizens that are receiving the Enhanced Star Exemption and have not signed up for the Income Verification Program must sign up to continue to receive the Enhanced Star Exemption on the 2019 school taxes.

Included in the 2018/19 New York State Budget Bill, was a provision to require all senior citizens that receive the Enhanced STAR Exemption to participate in the Income Verification Program. In the past, this provision was optional, however New York State is now making this program mandatory.

In Tompkins County, we have signed up approximately 2,800 seniors over the years and we now have 1,750 seniors to sign up. We will be mailing a pre-filled IVP application on June 15th to all seniors who have not already signed up. We are encouraging all seniors to file the form by September 1, 2018. If they fail to do so, they will be required to fill out more forms during the normal exemption renewal process.

By signing the IVP application, the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance will determine an income for owners of the property and base their eligibility for the Enhanced STAR on that income determination.

Local assessors no longer have control over granting any STAR Exemptions (Basic or Enhanced). While the Tompkins County Department of Assessment will be more than willing to help property owners fill out the IVP application, we unfortunately will not be able to assist in all cases.

In addition to filing the IVP application, all seniors who file for the Low-Income Senior Exemption must file their renewal applications in the normal manner. In the past, if a senior citizen was eligible for the Low-Income Senior Exemption, they were automatically granted the Enhanced STAR Exemption. New York State has now unlinked these two exemptions and eligibility for the Low-Income Senior Exemption does not automatically mean one is eligible for the Enhanced STAR Exemption.

To be eligible for the 2019 Enhanced STAR Exemption, a property owner must turn 65 in 2019 and have a combined income of under $86,300. To be eligible for the 2019 Low-Income Senior, a property owner must turn 65 in 2019 and have an income under ~$37,400. We encourage all seniors that are close to one of these income limits to contact our office since the New York State's definition of 'income' is not consistent from one program to the next.

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