Program
Senior property-tax freeze or exemption (check your county)
Many places cut or freeze property taxes for seniors. Call the office that sends your tax bill.
What it can pay for
- property tax relief
- rent
- Official name
- Senior Property Tax Freezes and Exemptions: How to Find Yours (Cross-State)
- Where
- Nationwide
- Status
- Program running
- About the amount
- Varies enormously by state and local option — no national typical exists. Examples: TX $140,000 + $60,000 school exemption; NJ Stay NJ up to $6,500/yr (50% of taxes). National counts (Lincoln Institute): homestead exemptions/credits in 46 states + DC; circuit breakers in 31 states + DC (2019); assessment-growth limits in 18 states (2021).
- Housing rules
- Must own and live in the home for exemptions/freezes. Renters can only use circuit-breaker credit/rebate programs (e.g., MI Homestead Credit, PA PTRR).
- How long it takes
- Apply -> the assessor approves before the tax roll is certified -> shows on the next bill. Some states are apply-once (FL, GA, OH, TX); others require yearly reapplication (TN freeze, NJ PAS-1) or every 2 years (NYC).
- How to apply
- Call the office that sends the tax bill or assessment notice and ask: 'What exemptions, freezes, credits or deferrals do you have for people 65 and older?' Ask the city and county separately — local options are adopted one government at a time. Check the state revenue department for credits/rebates filed with the income tax return (MI, PA, NJ).
- Does not pay for
- Deferral (a lien against the house) is a different category — see S2-XS-02.
- Official source
- lincolninst.edu
- Last checked
- September 29, 2026