Assessment Community Weekly 12/10/18

STAR credit question:

I have a mobile home owner in a mobile home park who is receiving the STAR exemption. Will he receive a larger savings if he registers for the STAR credit?

Answer:

If the mobile home is not separately assessed and its equalized assessed value is less than $20,000, the STAR credit savings would be greater than the STAR exemption savings.

As you know, in mobile home parks the STAR exemption savings is calculated based on the assessed value of the mobile home unit. The park owner receives the school tax bill and distributes the STAR savings to the unit owners, often by reducing their monthly lot rent.

However, by law, the STAR credit for a mobile home unit that is not separately assessed is based on a minimum equalized assessed value of $20,000, and the credit is issued as a check directly to the unit owner. In addition, the park owner is not involved with the administration of the STAR credit so the two percent reduction allowed for record-keeping purposes to administer the exemption is not applicable to the STAR credit.

For more STAR credit questions and answers, see Administration of the STAR credit: common questions.

Enhanced STAR IVP question

We published this Q and A on September 24, but some of you may have missed it. For answers to other IVP questions, see Enhanced STAR Income Verification Program: Questions and answers for assessors.

Q. If I determine that an Enhanced STAR applicant is not eligible for the exemption, should the record be added to the online IVP Tool?
A. The answer depends on why the property owner is not eligible. If it’s due to income, the record should be added to the IVP tool so we can check income in future years. But if the property isn’t eligible for residency or age reasons, the record shouldn’t be entered into the tool. If the applicant meets the age and primary residency requirements in a future year, they should apply at that time.

For more information: How to transmit IVP forms to the Tax Department.

Judicial cases

New on Judicial cases: 3 Del. Group LLC v Broome County