Senior Citizen Property Tax Deferral

State

Arizona

Year

2021

Variations in Receipt of Benefit

No Variation in Receipt of Benefits

Benefit Type

Deferral

Benefit

An individual may defer property taxes on their residence for a taxable year. The county treasurer shall issue a certificate of deferral for each residence enrolled in the program. The certificate states the amount that is deferred and the rate that interest accrues. The total amount that has accrued on a residence as a result of this program is due when the property is no longer eligible or the applicant dies without a surviving spouse. If the property is no longer eligible, the repayment is due within 120 days. If the claimant dies, the repayment is due within one year.

How is Benefit Disbursed

Other

Eligible Property Type

Residential

Characteristics of Eligible Property

Eligibility is limited to the applicant's primary place of residence. “Residence” means real and personal property and improvements that constitute an owner-occupied dwelling. The property cannot be income producing and may not have a full cash value of more than $150,000. Property may not be subject to the lien of any mortgage, reverse mortgage, deed of trust or other real property security interest that has been of record for less than 5 years before the date the deferral claim form is filed.

Eligibility Criteria

Age

Homeowner

Income Ceiling

Principal Residence

Property Value Limit

Other Criteria

Description of Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must be at least 70 years of age. Their total taxable income, which is the Arizona adjusted gross income less exemptions and deductions, cannot exceed $10,000. To be eligible the individual must either: (a) have lived in the current residence for at least 6 years immediately preceding the date the deferral claim form is filed or (b) have lived in this state for at least 10 years immediately preceding the date the deferral claim form is filed. All property taxes must be paid for the years preceding years. In the case of married couples, both spouses must meet these requirements and consent to the deferral, regardless whether both spouses have an ownership. Benefit is limited to taxpayer's primary residence not to have a full cash value more than $150,000. There can be no lien of any mortgage, reverse mortgage, deed of trust or other real property security interest that has been recorded for less than 5 years before the deferral is claimed. The cumulative amount of deferred taxes and interest that attaches to a tax deferred residence, plus any amounts secured by mortgages, reverse mortgages, deeds of trust and other real property security interest with respect to the residence, may not exceed 90% of the full cash value of the residence determined by the county assessor for the tax year.

Local Option in Adoption of Program

Local government is unable to exercise an option

Local Option Regarding Program Features

No local option regarding program features

State Funding for Local Tax Loss

State and local government share the local tax loss

Description of State Funding for Tax Loss

On or before 15 January of each year, all certificates of deferred taxes issued in the county during the previous tax year shall be sold to the state treasurer, the county, or both. When claimants repay their deferred taxes, the payments are made to the county treasurer. If the certificate for deferred taxes was sold to the state treasurer, the county treasurer must immediately remit the payment to the state treasurer.

Record ID

AZ104_RR21

Footnotes

The individual may not own or have any legal, equitable, beneficial or security interest in any other residence or other real property except indirectly through an investment security, such as a mutual fund, that includes real property assets. Applicants must reapply each year. A claim for deferral may be filed with the Assessor’s office after 1 January, but before 1 April of the tax year for which the deferral is claimed. Failure to apply means that homeowner will not be eligible for tax deferral for that year. Failure to apply does not mean that taxes deferred in previous year must be paid. Deferred taxes and accrued interest are a lien against the property. The lien attaches on the date the certificate of deferral is recorded and has priority over any mortgage, reverse mortgage, deed of trust or other real property security interest that is recorded before the certificate of deferral is recorded and any lien attaching after the certificate of deferral is recorded.

Sources

Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 42-17301 ~ § 42-17313 (in effect for 2021)

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