The deadline for seniors in most municipalities to apply for greater property tax savings through the Enhanced STAR property tax exemption is March 1. Basic STAR exemption recipients who turn 65 this year and meet the eligibility requirements should apply to their assessor for the enhanced exemption.
To be eligible to upgrade from the Basic STAR property tax exemption to the 2024 Enhanced STAR property tax exemption:
- the property must be the primary residence of at least one age-eligible owner;
- all owners of the property must be at least age 65 as of December of the year of the exemption, except where the property is jointly owned by only a married couple or only siblings, in which case only one owner needs to meet the age requirement; and
- the combined incomes of all owners (residents and non-residents)—and any owner’s spouse who resides at the property—must have been equal to or below $98,700 in 2022.
Seniors who receive the STAR credit as a check or direct deposit from New York State instead of the STAR exemption don’t need to apply or take any other action. The tax department will automatically upgrade qualified seniors to Enhanced STAR if they qualify.In 2023, 562,000 seniors received more than $815 million in savings from the Enhanced STAR property tax exemption so be sure to check to see if you are qualified to take advantage of this valuable benefit.
