Don't Miss the Deadline for Your Homestead Tax Credit Application
In 2007, the Maryland General Assembly required all homeowners to make a one-time application to be eligible to receive or continue receiving the Homestead Tax Credit on their property tax assessment. The credit used to be automatic, but the legislature wanted to make sure the property receiving the credit is used as a principal residence.
The Homestead Tax Credit limits the increase of your assessment on which you pay County, Municipal and State property taxes. Applications must be received by December 31, 2012 or your July 2013 tax bill will not be subject to the limits.
Hopefully the real estate market has turned the corner and we will start to see home appreciation and thus higher assessments. Make sure you put in this application to limit how much your tax can be raised in a year.
If you aren't sure if you have applied, you can click here to check the database, and search for your property tax record. Put in your county and address, and at the bottom of the page you will see what your status is.
We were shocked to see that less than 50 percent of neighbors on our street have applied. You can click here to get more information on our Web site, including a copy of the application form.
You can also apply online at Maryland's Homestead Tax Credit Division or call 866-650-8783. To apply online you need a special access code. Call the office to get the application for the code.
LeszX
8:03 am on Monday, July 23, 2012
Thank you, Mr. Meyers for providing this information.
So, If I understand this correctly, the Maryland General Assembly passed this obscure law to catch the unwary. If you don't happen to notice that this law exists, or you don't realize that it applies to you, or you don't get around to obtaining an application and submitting it, then the government can collect more taxes from you.
With a state government like this, who needs terrorists?
MocoLoco
2:08 pm on Monday, July 23, 2012
LeszX--the law wasn't passed to catch the "unwary." It was passed to deter owners of rentals from improperly claiming the exemption. If I owned a house a claimed the exemption, but later rented it out, the exemption would automatically continue, even though I wasn't entitled to it any longer.
jag
11:05 am on Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Paranoid much, LeszX? Just because you're unread (seriously, who doesn't know about the Homestead credit? It's 5 years old at this point) doesn't mean the state is trying to screw you. You're screwing yourself.
Thanks to Mr. Myers for the deadline reminder.
Bob Myers
1:32 pm on Monday, July 23, 2012
There have been inserts with alerts inside the property tax bills, but I know that many people are probably not paying attention to them.
MocoLoco
2:06 pm on Monday, July 23, 2012
Thanks for the note. I, too, did a check of neighbors on my street, and saw that a bunch have not applied. But, you can look at the tax records on line as well (https://www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/tax/index.asp), and see that most are no longer benefitting from the homestead exemption credits because our assessments have fallen. As you say, maybe if we get higher appreciation, the value of the exemption credit will return.
Rich Tilson
5:18 pm on Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Bob, thanks for the reminder. I checked my home which I was sure was covered and found it showed no record. Scary since I applied a couple of yrs ago. I will reapply.
Thanks for bringing my attention to this.
Rich tilson