What's happening
This bill allows properties to qualify for the enhanced STAR tax exemption if at least one owner is 65 or older.
Why it matters
Expands eligibility for enhanced STAR exemption. The bill makes it easier for households to qualify by allowing properties to receive the enhanced School Tax Relief (STAR) exemption if any one owner is 65 or older, rather than requiring all owners to meet the age threshold. This change can help multigenerational or jointly owned homes benefit from property tax relief.
Supports aging in place. By loosening the age requirement, the bill may help more seniors afford to stay in their homes, reducing financial pressure as they age and potentially preventing displacement due to rising property taxes.
May increase the number of eligible households. The amendment could result in a greater number of households qualifying for enhanced property tax relief, especially in situations where homes are co-owned with younger family members or partners, expanding the program’s impact.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Expand Senior Tax Exemption
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to aging
- Referred to aging
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4993
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 3, 2017
Introduced by Sens. LARKIN, MURPHY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging
AN ACT to amend the real property tax law, in relation to allowing a property to be eligible for an enhanced STAR exemption if at least one owner is at least 65 years old
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subparagraph (i) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 4 of section 425 of the real property tax law, as amended by section 2 of part E of chapter 83 of the laws of 2002, is amended to read as follows:
(i) [All] At least one of the owners must be at least sixty-five years of age or older as of the date specified herein[, or in the case of property owned by husband and wife or by siblings, one of the owners must be at least sixty-five years of age as of that date] and the property must serve as the primary residence of that owner. For the two thousand--two thousand one school year, eligibility for the exemption shall be based upon age as of December thirty-first, two thousand. For each subsequent school year, the applicable date shall be advanced by one year.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03996-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the real property tax law, in relation to allowing a property to be eligible for an enhanced STAR exemption if at least one owner is at least 65 years old
Purpose
Allows a property owned by at least one owners who is at least 65 years old or older to be eligible for an enhanced STAR exemption.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Subparagraph (i) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 4 of section 425 of the real property tax law is amended to change the first wording to "at least one".
Justification
New York State requires that all owners be 65 years of age unless, for jointly owned property, only one spouse or sibling must be at least 65 years of age. It is unfair to provide limited exceptions under certain relationships for jointly held property, whereas not all jointly owned property owners are required to be 65 years of age if they are the spouse or sibling of the one property owner who is 65. This bill would allow for the approval of the enhanced star property tax exemption for any property for which only one of the owners is 65 or older.
Legislative history
2015-2016:S.2888 Referred to Aging 2013-2014: Referred to Aging, Reported and Committed to Finance 2012 - S.6859-Referred to Aging
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.