News Release
January 8, 2008 - Homestead
Exemption Applications Again Available
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Senior citizens who didn’t
apply for the homestead exemption last year – and the tax
savings it means on bills now being mailed to property owners
– will now get another chance to sign up.
Starting today, county auditors throughout Ohio will again be
accepting applications for the homestead exemption through
June 2, 2008.
“Last year nearly 97 percent of the estimated eligible
Ohioans took advantage of the homestead tax cut, and are
already seeing the benefits of the tax break on their bills
this year," Ohio Governor Ted Strickland said. “I encourage
anyone eligible for the homestead tax exemption to sign up in
2008.”
Seniors who are already signed up do not need to reapply; the
new enrollment period is designed primarily for individuals
who were not previously eligible for the newly-expanded
homestead exemption.
But, for senior citizens and permanently and totally disabled
Ohioans who were eligible last year and missed the Oct. 1
deadline to sign up, the new enrollment period presents
another opportunity to claim the exemption for the 2007 tax
year.
Homestead applications for the 2008 tax year (bills payable
in 2009) are now available from the Ohio Department of
Taxation or from county auditors. The new applications
include a box, “Late application for prior year,” that
taxpayers may check if they also wish to claim the exemption
for the 2007 tax year.
Taxpayers may check the box as long they are seeking the
exemption for a home they have owned and lived in since Jan.
1, 2007.
“County auditors worked hard to get homeowners signed up. But
we know that a few seniors, for whatever reason, missed the
deadline,” Tax Commissioner Richard A. Levin said. “This is
another chance for senior citizens to apply for meaningful
tax relief. We don’t want anyone left out here.”
Completed applications should be submitted to the local
county auditor.
How taxpayers receive the credit for late homestead exemption
applications for 2007 will depend on when the applications
are received and approved. Taxpayers may receive a corrected
first half tax bill that includes the homestead savings, have
the entire tax savings applied to the second half bill, or
receive a refund in the form of a check later this year.
The expansion of the homestead exemption was a key component
of the two-year state budget bill proposed by Governor Ted
Strickland and enacted by the Ohio General Assembly. The
legislation generally allows all senior citizens and
permanently and totally disabled Ohioans, regardless of
income, to exempt $25,000 of the market value of the home
they owned and lived in on January 1 from property taxes.
The exact amount of savings from the exemption will vary from
community to community based on local tax rates. On average
across Ohio, homeowners enrolled for the homestead exemption
are expected to save about $400 this year.
The homestead exemption form, DTE-105A, is available at
tax.ohio.gov or directly at the following URL:
tax.ohio.gov/documents/forms/real_property/DTE_105A.pdf
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Contact information for county auditors is at:
Directory of Auditors.
Additonal information concerning the homestead exemption is
at:
homestead_exemption_information