More property owners will be eligible for tax relief next year.
The state Legislature passed a bill in the last session that increases the income limits for the Senior Citizen and Disabled Citizen Tax Exemption Program, according to a press release from Lewis County Assessor Dianne Dorey.
In 2016, to get a property tax exemption the combined disposable income of the household cannot exceed $40,000, which is $5,000 more than the previous limit.
The exemption is available to property owners 61 years old and older or those who have retired due to a job-related disability. The property the applicant is seeking an exemption for must be his or her principal home.
Lawmakers also changed The Property Tax Deferral Program income limit from $40,000 to $45,000. The program delays taxes for seniors and people with disabilities.
The taxes and special assessments are paid by the Washington State Department of Revenue. The deferred taxes and interest becomes a lien on the house until paid.
Residents age 60 or older who are unable to work due to a disability and surviving spouses or partners of someone who had a deferred and is at least 57 years old qualify for the program.
Interested homeowners should call the Lewis County Assessor’s Office at (360) 740-1392.
