The Homestead Act, enacted during the Civil War in 1862, provided that any adult citizen, or intended citizen, who had never borne arms against the U.S. government could claim 160 acres of surveyed government land. Claimants were required to live on and “improve” their plot by cultivating the land.
To apply. Visit .tax.ny or call (518) 457-2036. (If you currently receive STAR, you can apply for E-STAR with the Department of Finance: .nyc/star.)
To qualify for an exemption that begins on July 1, you must be 65 or older by the following December 31. If you co-own your property with a spouse or sibling, only one of you needs to be 65 or older. For other co-ownerships such as a parent and children, all owners must be 65 or older.
If you own a home, condo, farm home, or mobile home in New York, you are eligible to protect your equity in your primary residence under the New York homestead exemption. This law is intended to protect your primary home from seizure by a court order to fulfill a debt, whether you have filed for bankruptcy or not.
Specifically, homestead laws allow individuals to declare a portion of their property as "homestead" and therefore protected from a forced sale. Under New York's homestead protection law, the amount property owners may declare exempt varies based on county location and range from $75,000 to $150,000.
Property tax benefits Cooperative and Condominium Tax Abatement. Senior Citizen Homeowners' Exemption (SCHE) ... Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) for landlords. Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) for tenants. School Tax Relief (STAR) Program. Non-profit exemptions.
The property must be your primary residence. Vacation homes, investment properties, and second homes do not qualify. You must own the property and have an equity interest in it. This includes houses, condominiums, co-ops, and mobile homes.
Exemption applications must be filed with your local assessor's office. See our Municipal Profiles for your local assessor's mailing address. Do not file any exemption applications with the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance or with the Office of Real Property Tax Services.