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Explanations of Exemptions Under State Statute

There are six types of exemptions available by State statute. Of these six, three are of special interest to the elderly.
 
First, we have Clause 17D. This is an exemption for persons over 70 or for a surviving spouse at any age. To qualify for a Clause 17D as an elderly person you must:
 
1. Be 70 years old by July 1S` of the year of the application.
2. Have owned and occupied real estate in Massachusetts for not less than five year.
3. Own and occupy the property in question as of Julylst of the year of the application
4. Have combined assets (you and your spouse) of $40,000 or less, excluding the value of your domicile.
 
To qualify as a surviving spouse, you must:
 
1. Be widowed on or before July 1S` of the year of the application.
2. Own and occupy the property on or before July 1S` of the year of the application.
3. Have assets, excluding the value of the domicile, of $40,000 or less.
 
THE AMOUNT OF THIS EXEMPTION IS $175.00 EACH YEAR.
 
The next exemption we shall discuss is Clause 41C. This exemption is exclusively for persons over 70.
 
To qualify for this exemption your must:
 
1. Be 70 years of age on or before July 1S` of the year of the application.
2. Have lived in Massachusetts for the 10 years preceding the filing of the application.
3. Have owned and occupied property in Massachusetts for five years.
4. Own and occupy the property in question on or before July 1S` of the year of the application.
5. Have income of $13,000 or less for one person or $15,000 or less for a married couple for the year
preceding the year of the application. This is the net amount, after deduction of a minimum Social
Security amount. This deductible amount changes each year and is available from the Assessor's
office at the time of filing. Income includes social security, pensions, wages, rents, interest, etc.
6. Have assets of $28,000 or less for one person, $30,000 for a married couple, excluding the value of the domicile.
 
If there is a name on the property other than a spouse, the co-owner must also meet the above income and asset qualifications.
 
THE AMOUNT OF THIS EXEMPTION IS $500.00 EACH YEAR.
The next exemption is the least requested, and the one that offers the most assistance to the elderly. It is a Clause 41A, Tax Deferral.
 
To qualify for this exemption, you must:
 
1. Be 65 years old on or before July 1S` of the year of the application.
2. Have lived in Massachusetts for the 10 years preceding the filing of the application.
3. Have owned and occupied property in Massachusetts for five years.
4. Own and occupy the property in question as of July 1S` of the year of the application.
5. Have income, from all sources, of $25,000 or less, in the year preceding the year of the application.
 
Additional information is available through the Assessor's Office.