Homestead Tax Credit

There has been much talk recently about the Homestead Tax Credit program.  Since I have been receiving a number of questions about the program, I wanted to try to clear up any confusion.

1) For the first time ever, homeowners must now actually complete an application in order to qualify for the Homestead Tax Credit.  This change is a result of recent legislation passed by the Maryland General Assembly in the 2007 session.  While I support the reasons behind this change, I fear that many Baltimore residents may not realize that they must now take a proactive step in order to continue to receive the Homestead Tax Credit.

Failure to apply for the credit means that property taxes can jump thousands of dollars for many long-time Baltimore residents.

To learn more about the application process and the reasons behind the change, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page at the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (DAT):
http://www.dat.state.md.us/sdatweb/Homestead_app.htm

You can also go directly here to download the form (or complete it online, if you have your 8 digit security code from DAT):
https://sdathtc.resiusa.org/homestead/

2) The current Homestead Tax Credit cap in Baltimore City remains at 4%.  While the Blue Ribbon Committee on Property Tax Reform has made a recommendation to raise that cap to as much as 10%, the 4% cap remains unchanged at present.

3) Appealing your assessment does not impact your Homestead Tax Credit in any way.  The two are completely unrelated and you have every right to appeal your assessment. 

You can read more about the assessment appeal process and file an appeal online here:
http://sdatcert1.resiusa.org/SDATAPPEALS/

Please share this information with your neighbors!