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I've been in my home for nearly exactly one year in upper Westchester. Right after I bought the house I registered for the STAR credit, but haven't heard anything since. According to the NY website, I have to receive the credit in the form of a check, instead of as a reduction to my property taxes. I don't have any paper tax bills, but a quick check of the online system shows no reduction in my school taxes for the STAR.
Was I supposed to receive anything yet? The website isn't very helpful- there is a "tracker" that says that checks have already been mailed, but it's said that for a year already.
I did receive a strange check from the state of NY a couple months ago that mentioned property tax relief, but it was only like $80 or $90, so I hope that wasn't it. I thought it was supposed to be >$1,000.
This is such an administratively burdensome way to handle things, so weird that they can't just pay the towns automatically or just make it a credit on the state tax return.
That check might have been it. I bought my house in April, filled out the STAR paperwork sometime in June I think and received a check in the mail in Sept. It was a paper check from the state that sounds a lot like what you said you received a few months ago.
property tax relief is something on top of Star. It's generally peanuts if you earn over 200k. We got our star check in October I think.
I agree the whole process is very confusing, particular since real estate taxes are sometimes done a year ahead/before of actual incurred.. Plus in Westchester you have to pay village taxes and others which have their own schedule and weirdness..
Best thing is to call them. They have been very helpful whenever we called with questions. They even mailed us a copy of a check we weren't sure if we ever received.
Did you actually pay any school tax bill in the year you bought the house? If so it probably already had the exemption from the previous owner. So you won't get any star credit for that year. From their website:
Q. I used to receive the STAR exemption on my school tax bill, but I bought a new home. Why do I have to get a STAR credit check instead of the exemption?
A. In 2016, the law changed regarding the STAR exemption. Instead of applying to your assessor for the exemption, you’ll now register with New York State for the STAR credit. If you are eligible, you will receive a STAR credit in the form of a check. The dollar value of the credit will generally be the same as the property tax exemption.
Q. I purchased my home in 2018 after the 2018 STAR application deadline, but I received the STAR exemption on my 2018–19 school tax bill. Do I need to register?
A. Yes. The reason you received the STAR exemption on your 2018–19 school tax bill is because the previous owner of your home was granted the STAR exemption. You were entitled to their benefit for the remainder of the 2018-19 school year, but you are not entitled to keep their STAR exemption beyond that. You must register for the STAR credit in order to receive a STAR benefit in the future.
The $80-90 check you received from NY state is a refund that homeowners receive if their town stays under the 2% tax cap. You are correct in that your STAR rebate should be $1k+.
The state changed the rules sometime in 2014/2015 regarding STAR. It used to be that the discount was automatically included in your school tax statement, thereby requiring you to pay your school taxes less the discount amount. Following the change, property owners have to fill out the form, hand it in to the town clerk and then wait. We pay our full school tax amount and then in October we receive the STAR rebate check. Actually, both the STAR and property tax refund checks usually come within a week of each other.
Following the change, property owners have to fill out the form, hand it in to the town clerk and then wait. We pay our full school tax amount and then in October we receive the STAR rebate check. Actually, both the STAR and property tax refund checks usually come within a week of each other.
Do you have to do the paperwork every year or once you do it once they send the STAR check every October?
STAR might have had a deadline of May 1st to take advantage of it. When we bought our house(2014) we closed on May 5th and had to wait until the following year before seeing the STAR credit.
In White Plains, if you're receiving Basic Star and you purchased your home before 2015, then the Star amount is automatically deducted from the property taxes that you pay (no check is mailed to you). If you purchased after 2015, you pay the full property tax amount and then get a check. Paperwork carries over from year to year. Just called the Assessor to get this answer. Not sure if its the same in every town.
Thanks all. I ended up calling them. They looked it up and said that it was applied to the property taxes since the ownership changed hands during the year; I'll receive a check in the mail next year. As others have echoed- very onerous process. Just dumb.
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