Elderly Low-Income Homeowners

Low-income taxpayers 65 years of age or older who owned and used a principal residence may qualify for tax relief for all or part of the local property taxes paid for a given year on that property.¹ Such reimbursement shall be paid on the first twenty-seven thousand dollars ($27,000), or such other amount as set forth in the general appropriations act or as adjusted pursuant to subdivision (a)(3)(B), of the full market value of such property. Beginning for tax year 2018, and each subsequent tax year, the amount on which reimbursement shall be paid under subdivision T.C.A. § 67-5-702(a)(3)(A) shall be increased annually to reflect inflation, as measured by the United States bureau of labor statistics consumer price index for all urban consumers and shall be rounded to the nearest one hundred dollars ($100). The comptroller of the treasury shall notify taxpayers of any change in dollar amounts made pursuant to this subdivision (a)(3)(B) and post the information in a readily identifiable location on the comptroller's website. The annual percentage changes used in this calculation shall be no less than zero percent (0%) and no more than three percent (3%)..²

For tax year 2007 and thereafter, the taxpayer's annual income from all sources can not exceed $24,000, or such other amount as set forth in the general appropriations act. For subsequent years, the annual income limit is adjusted to reflect the cost of living adjustment for social security recipients as determined by the social security administration and is rounded to the nearest $10. The income attributable to the applicant for tax relief shall be the income of all owners of the property, the income of applicant's spouse and the income of any owner of a remainder or reversion in the property if the property constituted the person's legal residence at any time during the year for which tax relief is claimed.³Any portion of social security income, social security equivalent railroad retirement benefits, and veterans entitlements required to be paid to a nursing home for nursing home care by federal regulations is not considered income to an owner who relocates to a nursing home.⁴

Taxpayers who become 65 years of age on or before December 31 of the year for which an application for property tax relief is made and are otherwise eligible will be qualified as elderly low-income homeowners.⁵