Tennessee’s Tax Relief Program Turns 50

Tennessee’s Tax Relief Program turns 50 this year with property tax relief for low-income elderly and disabled homeowners, as well as disabled veteran homeowners or their surviving spouses.

Overton County Trustee Peggy Clark Smith said her county’s low-income elderly and disabled relief amount was $130.06 per household last year. She said the county is thankful for the program, which frees up money in these households for other uses like medicine.

“If you think you qualify, feel free to call our office or come by, and we’ll be glad to go right over it and explain to you just exactly everything,” Smith said. “And we’ll be glad to figure your income, and if you qualify, we’ll work just as hard to get you on.”

Smith said the Trustee’s office tries to get as many homeowners on the Relief Program as possible. She said there are different criteria for low-income elderly and disabled applicants or veteran and surviving spouse applicants, but the Trustee’s office will fill out the paperwork for you and guide you through the process.

Smith said last year, the veteran’s relief was $758, and unlike low-income elderly or disabled applicants, there is no income restriction on veteran applicants.

“Not every county is going to be the same amount,” Smith said. “It’s based on what your tax rate is in your county. And your appraisal ratio, it’s based on that, so once all that gets set with the state, we’ll know what our amount is going to be this year.”

Smith said Trustees generally print information about Tax Relief on the back of yearly tax bills and have the information published in the local paper to ensure that as many people as possible know about the program. She said Overton has some 1,000 Overton homeowners enrolled in the program.

“When you get your tax bill in October, go into your local Trustee Office,” Smith said. “And ask them about the Tax Relief Program.”