Assessor: Senior tax exemption applications on the rise

From King County Assessor John Wilson

It is a story I hear too often: Seniors who bought a home, raised a family, paid off their mortgage but now – living on a tightening fixed income – find that property taxes are a true financial burden. I’m determined we’re going to do what we can to help these folks. So as I took office, we placed an emphasis on raising awareness about the low-income senior exemption program and getting more people enrolled.

So I’m pleased to report a nearly six-fold increase in enrollment. We’ve gone from roughly 100 folks a month to as many as 700 a month. And we know from Census data, there are thousands of seniors out there, eligible but haven’t yet enrolled.

The criteria is straight-forward: Owner occupant of the home, 61 or older at time of application, with a household income of $40,000 or less. If you’re disabled or a disabled veteran, the age threshold is eliminated.

In a county of more than 2 million residents, we have roughly 16,000 signed up. We know there are thousands more out there who could use our help.

If you, or someone you know, could use the help, please contact us. Just call 206-296-3920

Phone number corrected 6-06-16