Credit or Exemption for Surviving Spouses, Minor Children of Deceased Parents, and Persons Over Age 70 with Local Option (Clause 17- 17F)

Massachusetts

2019

No Variation in Receipt of Benefits

Credit

Exemption

The baseline benefit is the greater of a $2,000 exemption of taxable property value or a $175 credit on the property tax bill. By local option, cities and towns may increase the benefit amount annually up to the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Applications must be filed annually by 1 April, or three months after the actual tax bills are mailed, whichever is later.

Other

Residential

Only residential property owned and inhabited by eligible Massachusetts residents is eligible for this program.

Age

Homeowner

Principal Residence

Wealth Limit

Surviving Spouse

Other Criteria

This incentive is available to surviving spouses, minor children of deceased parents, and persons over age 70 who own residential property and have total estates including real and personal property not exceeding $20,000 (though cities and towns may adopt provisions increasing the wealth limit and exemption amounts for real property). Ownership interests are satisfied if: (a) the person’s interest in the domicile is worth at least $2,000, (b) the person is a holder of life estate, or (c) the domicile is held in a trust and the person is a trustee or co-trustee or possesses a significant beneficial interest in the trust.

Local government is unable to exercise an option

Local option regarding program features

State and local government share the local tax loss

When the whole estate of the person receiving the incentive exceeds $10,000, the state treasurer shall reimburse the city or town for the amount of tax which otherwise would have been collected. When cities and towns adopt increases in the wealth eligibility limit or adjust benefits based on increases to the CPI, the state treasury reimbursements to the cities and towns will remain at an amount equal to the reimbursement granted for the most recent fiscal year prior to adoption of expanded eligibility criteria.

MA101_RR19