Circuit breakerdeadline April 15

BONNERS FERRY — Boundary County Assessor David Ryals reminds property owners that the filing deadline is fast approaching for certain property tax relief programs:

April 15 is the filing deadline for receiving the homeowner exemption on this year’s property tax bill.

This exemption reduces the taxable value of your owner occupied residence plus up to one acre of home site by 50 percent up to a maximum of $101,153. It is only necessary to apply for it once, as long as the applicant continues to own and occupy the residence.

Applications cannot be accepted after April 15 unless your residence is newly constructed and first occupied after that date.

April 15 also is the deadline to file for circuit breaker, which is a state funded property tax relief program that pays a portion or all of the property tax for qualifying applicants.

 It must be applied for annually and is primarily intended to provide relief for property owners who are 65 and older, or who are widowed, or disabled, or are under18 years of age and fatherless or motherless or abandoned.

The amount the state pays toward the property tax depends upon  net income, which is currently set at a maximum of $28,000, but it does not pay applied fees such as solid waste or translator.

Additionally, there is a new program that may allow an owner to defer a portion of thier property tax.

The filing deadline for this program is April 15 and it is also income based, but has a few more strings attached.

The Circuit Breaker and Property Tax Deferral programs are designed to provide property tax relief for qualified applicants, but they can be complicated, so please contact the Assessor’s office at 267-3301 if you have questions or would like more information.