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Good Tax News for the Elderly

July 7, 2018

Real Estate Tax Relief For Arlington Seniors

 
With the costs of homes and apartments on the rise in Arlington County, officials are looking to give some eligible seniors a break.  Katie Cristol, the Arlington County Board Chair is exploring ways to implement the county's real estate tax relief program for the elderly.

Cristol says, "Arlington, like many jurisdictions, has a real estate tax relief program. We recognize as assessments have gone up, people can find themselves in houses that are worth ten times as much as what they paid for them and when you are on a constricted income, or constrained income rather, it can be really challenging to meet your property tax burden,"

If the proposed changes are adopted, the amount of tax revenue that the county would forego would be over $150,000.

"It is one of our tools in our toolbox with regard to affordable housing, that helps keep people, many of whom have been in this community for a very long time in their homes. People with disabilities can also qualify, who often tend to be on limited incomes as well," said Cristol.

The real estate tax relief working group and the county's affordable housing plan work together to form the master plan which has many low-income senior households on fixed incomes facing financial stress due to higher condominium fees and real estate taxes.

"It is a way of making sure that program is more effective and reaching the people that really need it," said Cristol.

Creating relief for those who want to live in Arlington.

https://www.localdvm.com/news/virginia/real-estate-tax-relief-for-elderly/1281293776