You must register to continue receiving the Basic STAR property tax exemption
If you received this letter (Form RP-425-BR), our records indicate that you own a property that has been receiving a Basic STAR property tax exemption. By law, properties receiving a STAR exemption must be registered with our department. However, your property is not registered.
To continue receiving the Basic STAR exemption, follow the instructions below to register. The exemption application you originally filed with your local assessor does not satisfy this requirement.
Homeowners who are not registered will not receive the STAR exemption this year.
The Basic STAR exemption is available for owner-occupied, primary residences where the combined income of resident owners and their spouses is $250,000 or less. If your income from the tax year two years prior is more than $250,000, but less than or equal to $500,000, you may be eligible for the STAR credit instead of the STAR exemption. We will determine which benefit you qualify for once you register.
To avoid losing your Basic STAR exemption, you must register within 45 days of the date of this letter. If you do not own this property, or you believe we sent you this letter in error, please let us know by calling the number on your letter.
What to do next
Before you start, have the following information readily available:
- names and Social Security numbers for all owners of the property and their spouses
- name of the school district where your primary residence is located
- approximate date you purchased the property
- names of the sellers (not required, but may help to expedite processing)
- most recent school tax bill, if the current owners received one (view examples)
- address of any residential property owned in another state
- legal name of the trust, if applicable
- federal or state income tax returns from two years prior for all owners and any owner's spouse who resides at the property.
If any of the individuals were not required to file an income tax return, you will need the following additional information for all property owners:
- total wages, salaries, and tips
- taxable interest income and dividends
- unemployment compensation
- total pensions and annuities
- Social Security benefits
- taxable amount of total distributions from individual retirement accounts and individual retirement annuities (IRAs)
- other income
Ready?
- Log in to your Individual Online Services account or create one.
- Select the ≡ Services menu in the upper-left corner of your screen, then choose Real property tax.
- From the expanded menu, select Homeowner Benefit Portal.
- Select Register and follow the prompts to register for STAR.
Important: As part of the registration process, we will ask you for a Property Key.
After you register for STAR
You will receive the STAR exemption or credit you are entitled to for as long as you continue to qualify. If we require additional information, we will notify you by mail.
Do not delay. If you do not register within 45 days of the date of this letter, we will instruct your assessor to remove your STAR exemption for this year.