Question: Regarding the residential property tax credit, I thought we didn’t have to apply for that year after year.

Answer: The home exemption available to Oahu owner-occupants regardless of income rolls over from year to year, but the property tax credit for lower-income owner-occupants does not — recipients must reapply annually. The deadline is Sept. 30.

For those who qualify, “the tax credit will be the difference between your assessed real property tax and 3 percent of your total gross income,” according to a brochure posted on the website for Hono­lulu’s Department of Budget and Fiscal Services.

Applicants who filed in 2023 were mailed applications in July for the upcoming tax year, according to the city. If you did not receive your form or have misplaced it, you can pick up an application at a satellite city hall or download the form at honolulu.gov/treasury. Or you can contact Honolulu’s Tax Relief Office at 808-768-3205 or email bfstaxrelief@honolulu.gov for assistance. Don’t procrastinate; the application requires documentation.

This credit’s rules require that the combined gross income of all the property’s titleholders not exceed $80,000, that the property have a home exemption on file for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 tax years and that none of the titleholders own other property anywhere.

The credit’s value will vary according to an applicant’s income and property tax. Some applicants who meet the eligibility requirements might not receive a credit, because their property tax equals less than 3% of their gross income, the brochure explains.

By contrast, Oahu’s home exemption deducts either $120,000 or $160,000 from the assessed value of an eligible applicant’s residence before property tax is calculated, thereby lowering the tax due. The higher exemption amount is for owner-occupants 65 and older. Once granted, this exemption rolls over year to year; applicants should ensure their age is on file with the city so the value automatically increases with age. Eligible homeowners who don’t already have this exemption should file by Sept. 30. Read more at realproperty.honolulu.gov.

Q: I received a jury qualification questionnaire in the mail. I travel extensively and will be on-island only about three months of the next year. My mail is held for 30 days, and then a neighbor collects it after that. If I get a jury summons, I won’t even know for months. Is there anything I can do to prevent that from happening? What will happen since I won’t be able to respond in a timely manner?

A: We asked Jan Kagehiro, spokesperson for the state Judiciary, who emailed the following response:

“Summonses for state of Hawai‘i jury service are mailed about five weeks before a trial is scheduled to begin. It is possible that individuals who are not home for long periods of time might miss the summons. If that happens, and if the trial is held as scheduled and they don’t report for service, they will receive a letter from the court with instructions to appear for jury service on a new date for a different trial.

“Individuals who receive summonses and who know they will be away or have circumstances that will prevent them from reporting for service on the required date should follow the instructions on the summons to submit requests for exemption or deferral.

“The Hawai‘i State Judiciary appreciates residents for fulfilling their civic duty by their willingness to serve as jurors. Jury service supports one of our most basic democratic rights — a personʻs right to a trial by jury and we are grateful to all who help to preserve this important fundamental right.”

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.