Seneca County Auditor Reminds Eligible Homeowners to Apply for Homestead Exemption
TIFFIN – Seneca County Auditor, Julie A. Adkins, is reminding eligible homeowners to take advantage of the Homestead Exemption for real estate taxes. Homeowners who turn 65 years of age or older in calendar year 2023 or are totally and permanently disabled have until December 31, 2023, to file for the homestead exemption on their 2024 tax bill.
To qualify for the exemption, new applicants must not have a total Ohio Adjusted Gross household income exceeding $36,100 on their latest income tax return, with an exception for disabled veterans. The income restriction was introduced by the State of Ohio in 2013 and took effect in 2014. Notably, Social Security benefits are not included in Ohio Adjusted Gross income.
Adkins emphasizes that over 4100 homeowners in Seneca County benefited from the homestead exemption program in 2022, experiencing an average annual reduction of $350 in real estate taxes.
Late applicants, including those who qualified for the homestead exemption in the previous year but failed to enroll, have the opportunity to join the program. They can have their 2022 real estate taxes adjusted if they apply before the December 31, 2023, deadline.
Past recipients of the homestead exemption are not required to reapply, and those who received the exemption in TY2013 are grandfathered and exempt from household income restrictions even if they sell their current home and purchase another residence in Ohio.
To check if you are currently receiving the homestead exemption, visit the Seneca County Auditor’s website at www.senecacountyauditor.org and select “search” and enter your last name. On the property page, choose the “tax” tab or scroll to the bottom of the page, where you should see the homestead exemption deduction in the itemized line of your tax information labeled “Homestead Reduction.”
For disabled veterans, eligibility is not subject to income thresholds, and a larger exemption amount is available. “Veterans with total service-connected disabilities” (and their surviving spouses) includes veterans receiving compensation at the 100% level, due to individual unemployability caused by service-connected disabilities. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact the Seneca County Auditor’s Office to determine their eligibility.
For further information, contact:
Seneca County Auditor’s Office
419-447-0692