The Town of Scarborough has several forms of tax relief available to residents who are looking for assistance with their property taxes. The Town of Scarborough Property Tax Assistance Program for seniors is one of those programs. If your annual property tax burden exceeds 5 percent of household Adjusted Gross Income, then you may be eligible for a return of up to $750 at the end of the year. For residents who rent, we consider your rent as part of your tax burden. The deadline to apply is Oct.15.
The three eligibility requirements are:
• Applicant is age 62 or older as of the application deadline
• Applicant has been a town resident for at least 10 years as of Oct. 15
• Applicant’s household Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is not more than $50,000
Applications are available for the Property Tax Assistance Program online or in the Assessing Office. When you submit your application, individuals will need to show identification and proof of income, either their 2019 Tax Return or 2019 Social Security Benefit Statement for those who don’t file taxes. Renters will also need a statement of rent paid between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020.
There are also several exemptions for residents that can reduce the annual tax bill. Applications for these exemptions must be submitted to the Assessing Office by April 1, 2021. These exemptions are:
• The Homestead Exemption, for residents who have owned their primary residence in Maine for 12 months with no break in ownership.
• The Veteran’s Exemption, for Veterans or the surviving spouse, minor child, or widowed parent of a Veteran. The Veteran must either be age 62 or older, receive 100% disability from the VA, or paraplegic. By State guidelines, only Veterans who served during a recognized war period are eligible for this Exemption.
• The Blind Persons Exemption, for residents who are legally blind.
Applicants must submit hard copies. Applications cab be submitted in-person, by mail, or in the drop box to the right of the front Town Hall entrance. For questions of more information, contact the Assessing Office at (207) 730-4063 or ebehn@scarboroughmaine.org.
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