Homeowners who grieve their taxes can save money

Taxes are a certainty in life. Residents’ property taxes fund schools, special districts such as water, sanitation and sewers, as well as county and town municipalities.

However, homeowners can save money on their property taxes each year when they file for exemptions or grievances with the county and state.

During a Sept. 27 Franklin Square Civic Association meeting, homeowners were encouraged to learn how they could save on their property taxes. Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Phillips, who attended the meeting, told community members about the opportunities available to them when they grieve their taxes.

An analysis of properties by school districts across the county, which was conducted by Phillips for the 2022-23 tax year, revealed that 49 percent of homeowners in the Franklin Square area grieved their taxes.

On average, homeowners who grieved their taxes throughout Nassau saved $81 in county taxes, $67 in Hempstead town taxes and $422 across the county in different school districts. In Franklin Square, homeowners who grieved their school taxes paid $239 on average less than those who did not, Phillips said.

“The moral of the story is: grieve your taxes,” Phillips said. “Because if you don’t, your neighbor is.”

The process takes about one or two hours to complete. Homeowners can follow a YouTube tutorial on how to file a tax grievance at bit.ly/GrievanceTutorial.

Tax grievance firms can also help homeowners with the process if they don’t have the time to file on their own. However, Phillips said the cost of their services can sometimes be equal to or greater than the amount taxpayers can get back. She said the Assessment Review Commission reviews appeals on a fair and equal basis, so residents can feel secure filing either way.

Phillips said her husband filed their property tax grievance online, and the process was not difficult to complete.

George Parsons, a Franklin Square resident, encouraged others to file their tax grievances on a yearly basis.

“It’s really important to grieve your taxes, because every year I get a nice check back,” Parsons said. “And it’s really big — you’d be amazed what you can do with that money.”

Some residents who attended the Sept. 27 meeting expressed frustration that the responsibility to cut their taxes falls on them.

Phillips said the beauty of democracy is that homeowners have the right to grieve their taxes. She pointed out that in states like New Jersey, grievance appeals can only be filed once every three years. In New York, residents are encouraged to file every year.

The state’s School Tax Relief Program, also known as the STAR program, offers homeowners some relief on school taxes. In the Franklin Square School District, 61 percent of property taxes goes to the schools.

Residents can receive relief through the STAR program by credit or exemption. Through STAR credit, a homeowner will receive a check or direct deposit from the state’s tax department to pay school taxes. Residents who have received the STAR exemption since 2015 may continue to receive the school tax bill reduction for their primary home, if they are still eligible.

For the basic STAR program, there is no age requirement and homeowners must have the house listed as their primary residence. To qualify for the STAR credit, a homeowner’s income must be $500,000 or less, and for the STAR exemption, it’s $250,000 or less. New homeowners are not eligible for the exemption. These income limits both apply to the combined income of the owners and their spouses who live at the property.

Residents older than 65 who made less than $98,700 prior to the 2024-25 school year can file for the enhanced STAR program.

“Make sure you are getting this exemption, because look — you deserve it,” Phillips said. “You paid into it, so get it back.”

Homeowners who wish to enroll in the STAR program and did not enroll before Jan. 2, 2015 must apply with the state. Residents can register for the program with the state’s taxation and finance department online at On.NY.gov/48tVPUH or by calling (516) 457-2036.

For residents who need more guidance along the way, or have specific questions about what exemptions they are eligible for, the county will hold tax exemption workshops through the month of October. Specific demographic- and occupation-based exemptions include senior citizens, veterans, Cold War veterans, volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers and those with a limited-income disability.

All tax exemption filings must be conducted on a yearly basis.

The deadline to file applications for tax exemptions for the 2024-25 property tax year is Jan. 2, 2024. The deadline to grieve taxes for the 2024-25 property tax year has expired, but homeowners can file grievances for the 2025-26 tax year between Jan. 2 and March 1, 2024.