County: Seniors, the Disabled Should Check Tax Relief Eligibility

Chris D. Jackson, Chairman Pro-Tempore Lawrence County Commission

In a day and time where seniors continue to see the cost of their health care, prescription drugs and the general cost of living continue to rise, they need all the help they can get. That is why it is vital for local seniors, as well as those who are disabled, to know about two tax relief programs here in Lawrence County that may help ease their financial burden. The programs are the property tax relief program and the solid waste fee relief program.

In order to qualify for property tax relief, an individual must meet a number of income and other eligibility requirements. To qualify as elderly, the applicant must be 65 or older during the year in which you apply. So, if you are applying for the relief of your 2016 taxes, you must have turned 65 before the end of 2016. To qualify as disabled, an applicant must have been rated totally and permanently disabled by the Social Security Administration before December 31, 2016. The combined 2015 income of the applicant, the applicant’s spouse, and all other owners of the property cannot exceed $29,180 for either category.

Note that the income of the applicant’s spouse counts, regardless of whether the spouse is a co-owner on the property.That total includes but it not limited to Social Security benefits (after Medicare is deducted), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Retirement or Pension benefits, Veterans' Administration benefits, Workers’ Compensation, Salaries or Wages, Interest or Dividends. 

If you feel that you may qualify for the property tax relief program, we strongly urge you to call or visit Trustee Kiley Weathers' office. He and his experienced staff will be more than happy to assist you in determining your eligibility for these programs and enrolling you if you do indeed qualify. If you end up being eligible for the property tax relief program, the county will automatically enroll you in the solid waste fee relief program. If you are not a property owner but are interested in the solid waste fee relief, you should contact the county's Accounts and Budget Office so they can help determine your eligibility.

It is important to note, that besides senior citizens and disabled homeowners, disabled veterans and widows of disabled veterans may also be eligible for the tax relief program so long as they meet certain requirements. Their eligibility can also be determined by the Trustee's office. Applications for tax relief must be filed with the Trustee's office no later than April 5, 2017, so be sure to check your eligibility as soon as possible.