The exemption offers eligible homeowners the opportunity to shield up to $28,000 of the market value of their homestead (a dwelling and up to one acre of land) from property taxation. For example, if a home is valued at $100,000, the property tax will generally be billed as if the home were valued at $72,000.
If you own a home and use it as your primary place of residence, your home and up to one acre of land could qualify for homestead deductions on your property tax bill.
Homestead tax exemptions usually offer a fixed discount on taxes, such as exempting the first $50,000 of the assessed value with the remainder taxed at the normal rate. With a $50,000 homestead exemption, a home valued at $150,000 would be taxed on only $100,000 of assessed value.
Who Qualifies? Your homestead is in Michigan (whether you rent or own). You were a Michigan Resident for at least 6 months of the year you are filing in. You have Total Household Resources (THR) under a specified amount adjusted annually.
To help develop the American West and spur economic growth, Congress passed the Homestead Act of 1862, which provided 160 acres of federal land to anyone who agreed to farm the land.
Requirements of the Homestead Act Land titles could also be purchased from the government for $1.25 per acre following six months of proven residency. Additional requirements included five years of continuous residence on the land, building a home on it, farming the land and making improvements.
So finally, in 1862, the Homestead Act was passed and signed into law. The new law established a three-fold homestead acquisition process: file an application, improve the land, and file for deed of title.
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.
You must be a Michigan resident to claim this exemption. You may claim your Michigan home only if you own and occupy it as your principal residence.