Turning 65 can change more than your Medicare eligibility and retirement planning. It may also change how much you’re expected to pay in property taxes. Across the country, states and local governments offer exemptions, rebates, tax freezes, deferrals, and other forms of senior property tax relief, but homeowners aren’t necessarily enrolled simply because they’ve reached the qualifying age. Some programs require an application, others impose income limits, and certain benefits depend on how long you’ve lived in the home. That creates an expensive possibility: two neighbors with similar houses could receive very different tax bills simply because one applied for a benefit the other didn’t know existed. If you’re approaching or already past 65, your property-tax bill deserves another look.
