Governor Snyder’s decision to sign into law “P.A. 161 of 2013” amending MCL 211.7b concerning Veterans Exemptions was one that many disabled residents of Michigan, and their families were excited about. The amendment made it possible for disabled veterans, and the unmarried widows of disabled veterans, to receive special home property tax exemptions each year, and save a significant amount of money. However, there are still many eligible individuals out there who are not taking full advantage of these exemptions. If you are a disabled veteran, or the (unremaried) surviving spouse of a disabled veteran, you deserve as much financial help as you can get for your brave sacrifices throughout the years, which is why we encourage you to see if you qualify for the property tax exemptions today by following the two simple steps below.
Determine if You’re Legally Considered a Disabled Veteran
To be considered a disabled veteran for the purposes of acquiring property tax exemptions, you must meet at least one of the following prerequisites in accordance with the Michigan Department of Treasury:
- You have been “determined by the United States Department of Veterans’ Affairs to be permanently and totally disabled as a result of military service and entitled to veterans’ benefits at the 100% rate.”
- You have a “certificate from the United States Department of Veterans’ Affairs, or its successors,” declaring that you are currently receiving or at some point have received “pecuniary assistance due to disability for specially adapted housing.”
- You have been “rated by the United States Department of Veterans’ Affairs as individually unemployable.”
Once you have determined that you are legally considered a disabled resident, you will be able to…
Determine if You’re Eligible for the Property Tax Exemption
In order to be considered eligible for the property tax exemption:
- You must be a full-time resident of the state of Michigan.
- You must own and use the property in question as your primary residence or permanent “homestead.”
- You must complete a Michigan Department of Treasury 5107 (12-13) – State Tax Commission Affidavit for Disabled Veterans Exemption every single year in the municipality where you reside.
If you are still unsure of whether or not you qualify for a property tax exemption, or you already know that you qualify but have questions regarding how exactly you should proceed forward to receive these benefits, our esteemed attorneys at Aiello Law Group would be more than happy to meet with you to discuss all your concerns as well as help you develop a plan to make sure you get exactly what you deserve! Call us, today, at 313.964.4900 or fill out the form in the sidebar or on our contact page, and learn more about how we can help you.
