A lot of homeowners are eligible for some relief on their property tax bills, and not know it.
If a homeowner meets certain requirements, their city or town may offer exemptions on their property tax. For homeowners on a fixed income, property taxes can be a hardship.
Some cities and towns recognize this difficulty and offer some help to low-income families, the elderly, veterans, and residents with disabilities.
A common program is a Senior Work-off Program, which allows seniors to volunteer at City Hall for a set number of hours in exchange for a reduction of their property tax.
Wilbraham offers such property tax exemptions.
In the town of Wilbraham, there are only about 200 residents that are receiving help on their property taxes. Those exemption amounts range from $175 to a full exemption.
“Their increase just doesn’t justify the increase in taxes quite honestly so it’s very beneficial,” said Manny Silva, principal assessor at the Town of Wilbraham.
Many western Massachusetts cities and towns offer exemptions.
You can find out if you’re eligible and apply for property tax exemptions through your Assessor’s office.
The application requires several different documents, including proof of income, federal and state tax returns, pension and retirement statements, disability papers, and a list of assets.
To see if your community offers any of these programs, you can contact the assessor.
