Homeowners can apply for STAR

All eligible homeowners can apply for STAR, the School Tax Relief program, prior to the March 1 deadline.

Homeowners who received the basic STAR exemption for the 2002-03 school year and who have not moved do not need to reapply. However, homeowners who have never applied for STAR or have moved their primary residence recently should contact their local assessor's office to obtain an application.

The Enhanced STAR exemption is available for senior homeowners who are 65 years of age and older, and with incomes of $60,000 or less. Seniors who qualify are eligible to receive a $50,000 exemption from their primary residence. Seniors with an annual income exceeding $60,000 are eligible for the basic STAR exemption.

Assemblymember Bill Reilich (134th District) reminded senior homeowners of the recent changes to the Enhanced STAR exemption. The 2002-03 New York state budget included a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) on the income eligibility for the exemption. The new STAR COLA increases the $60,000 STAR income ceiling for seniors receiving the Enhanced STAR benefit in proportion to increases in the Consumer Price Index. This COLA adjustment will begin for STAR applications filed for the 2003-04 school year, and will ensure that modest increases in Social Security or other retirement income do not make seniors, who receive the Enhanced STAR benefit, ineligible in future years.

Also beginning this year, homeowners who receive the enhanced exemption will be granted the option of not having to refile every year. Those who choose to participate can check a box on their STAR application which will allow the Department of Taxation and Finance to verify their income eligibility. Currently, senior citizens receiving the Enhanced STAR exemption are required to reapply each year in order to confirm that their income is under the $60,000 threshold. The change will alleviate the burden of having to reapply every year, and will help ensure that all senior homeowners who qualify get the STAR exemption they are eligible for.

For questions regarding the Enhanced STAR exemption or the newly enacted changes, contact your local assessor's office or Reilich's district office at 585-225-4190.