Senior Citizen

Hempstead Town has enacted a senior property tax reduction program for eligible senior residents, which reduces county, town and school taxes as well as participating village taxes with assessment reductions of up to 50 percent. Under the guidelines, the Town of Hempstead has set the maximum income limit for seniors to be $37,399* for the income tax year immediately preceding the date of making application for exemption. The term "income tax year" means the 12-month period for which the owner or owners file a federal personal income tax return, or if no such return is filed, the calendar year.

Where title is vested in either the husband or the wife, their combined income may not exceed such sum. State law requires that income be determined by combining social security and retirement benefits, interest, dividends, total gains from the sale or exchange of a capital asset in the same income tax year, net rental income, salary or earnings and net income from self-employment. Any such income can be offset by all medical and prescription drug expenses actually paid which were not reimbursed or paid for by insurance. Such income can not include veterans disability compensation, welfare payments, supplemental security income, gifts, or inheritances.

In order to qualify for tax exemptions, all owners of the property must be 65 years of age or older, or if owned by husband and wife, one must be 65 years of age or older. The applicant must own the property and have owned the property for at least 12 consecutive months, or have owned a previous residence in New York State for one year prior to filing for this exemption. Senior citizens MUST file an application each year in order to keep the exemption.