Montgomery County Council Doubles Senior Property Tax Credit

It is estimated that by 2030, 1 in every 5 Americans will be over 65 years of age.  In Maryland’s Montgomery County, the County Council recently unanimously passed legislation sponsored by Councilmember Hans Riemer that doubles the senior property tax credit. According to Councilmember Riemer,

Seniors often have fixed incomes and rising expenses. About 9% of our seniors live in poverty. For some, property taxes are a significant burden on their small incomes.

Specifically, this bill will reduce the property tax liability for seniors whose property tax payments represent a large portion of their household’s income. In 2012, there were 3,063 recipients and the average recipient received $179.15 from the tax credit. Under this legislation, the average tax credit will double to $358.30. The additional tax credit will begin for the 2015 tax year, starting on or after July 1, 2015. The age of eligibility will also change from 70 to 65.

Learn more about this important tax credit, and find out how to qualify here.

To join a discussion of additional ways that all of Maryland’s counties can sustain meaningful programs for older adults in their communities, come to MACo’s educational session, Will the Boomers Bust Us?: A Reality Check, sponsored by MACo’s Aging Affiliate at MACo Winter Conference.  This session will address how Area Agencies on Aging can continue to support older adults aging-in-place in Maryland with an eye towards strategic planning for the sustainability of current programs.  From the description,

Maryland began shifting from grant-based funding for aging programs to a fee-for-services model in 2012 with the Home and Community Based Waiver for Older Adults. Currently, we are billing for the Community Options Waiver and not covering the costs. Aging services such as Maryland Access Point (MAP) and others are moving to fee-for-service as well. The transition at the state level moves forward despite the fact that revenue estimates for fee-based services do not come close to matching current grant-funding levels.

Learn more about MACo’s Winter Conference:

Questions? Contact Meetings & Events Director Virginia White.