Howard County is expanding eligibility for the Aging In Place property tax credit to help older residents stay in their homes.
Last month, County Executive Calvin Ball signed CB52-2022, introduced by Council Member Deb Jung, which reduces the consecutive years a county resident must live in their home before qualifying for the credit from 35 to 30 and increases the maximum duration of the credit from five to eight years. The legislation also increases the maximum value of a home eligible for the credit from $500,000 to $650,000.
The legislation takes effect on December 13, 2022. An application will be available on the Howard County website on or about November 30, 2022.
The Maryland General Assembly authorized the tax credit in 2017 to encourage older adults to age in place in their longtime homes. That law allows local governments to pass a property tax credit for older individuals, veterans, and surviving spouses. The maximum duration of the credit was five years, and the credit was limited to 20 percent of the total property tax.
During the 2022 legislative session, MACo successfully advocated for legislation granting counties broad flexibility to enact this credit by eliminating caps on the amount and duration of the credit.
