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.
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.
As of 2024, the federal homestead exemption is $27,900 for an individual and $55,800 for married couples filing jointly. In contrast, New York's exemption amounts are: $179,950 for the counties of Kings, Queens, New York, Bronx, Richmond, Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, Westchester, and Putnam.
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.
A homestead is a dwelling that a person uses as their primary residence, whether it is a single-family home, farm home, condo, or mobile home. Your vacation home, condo, or apartment, where you spend weekends or other shorter periods, would not qualify as a homestead.
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.
While the specifics can vary by state, generally, homestead exemptions are only available for an individual or family's primary residence. This means you cannot claim homestead exemptions in multiple states.
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. The exemption amount is doubled for married couples, which can be as much as $300,000 for a couple in Suffolk County, for example.