Question: Is it too late for the property tax credit for low income? I saw something at the senior fair but didn’t stop. I should have followed up. Is it a long application?
Answer: Monday is the deadline to apply for an Oahu property tax credit for homeowner-occupants whose income is $60,000 or less. The application is only three pages, but you also must submit tax documents to verify your application.
As long as you submit the application on time, you may get a little more time to provide your supporting documents. Qualified homeowners who have trouble ordering the required IRS Tax Return Transcript should call the city’s Tax Relief Office at 768-3205, according to the application.
Here are details about this Oahu property tax credit, from a city news release and the application:
>> Qualified applicants can receive a credit equal to the amount of property taxes owed for the current tax year that exceeds 3 percent of the titleholders’ combined gross income. The credit is applied to next year’s taxes.
>> This particular credit must be applied for every year, it does not automatically continue.
>> The deadline to apply this year is Oct. 1 because the usual Sept. 30 deadline falls on a Sunday.
To be eligible:
>> The homeowner must have a home exemption in effect when the application is submitted and for the subsequent tax year. A home exemption certifies that the homeowner lives in the property.
>> Each of the property’s titleholders may own only that property. If any of the titleholders own other property, including on the mainland or in another country, the Oahu property is not eligible for this credit.
>> The combined annual income of all the titleholders cannot exceed $60,000.
>> All titleholders must be listed on the application and sign the affidavit.
You may get an application at:
>> Any Oahu satellite city hall
>> Treasury Division at Honolulu Hale, 530 South King St., Room 115, Honolulu, HI 96813
>> Tax Relief Section at 715 South King St., Room 505, Honolulu, HI 96813
>> Online at https://808ne.ws/creditapp
As you recalled, the Tax Relief Section did have a booth at the recent seniors’ fair at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center, presenting information about this and other Oahu property tax credits.
Q: What if the home is owned in trust? Can we still be eligible?
A: Yes, as long as you meet the other requirements. If a separate state or federal tax return was filed for the trust, you must submit copies of the trust’s tax return.
Cancellation Alert
The “Going Green” community recycling event scheduled for Saturday at Aikahi Elementary School has been canceled, coordinator Rene Mansho said in an email Wednesday.
There’s no other “Going Green” event scheduled on the Windward side for the rest of the year, according to the 2018 schedule. We’ll let you know if a makeup event is added later.
Auwe
Auwe to my Waipahu neighbors whose house has a large garage and yet they park cars on both sides of the street, turning it in to a very narrow passageway for everyone else who lives there. They could fit at least two of their cars in the garage if they wanted to throw away some of the old stuff they have stored in there. This isn’t right. — Neighbor
Mahalo
A gigantic mahalo to Karen, who was ahead of me in line at Sam’s Club. What a surprise when I tried to pay for my grocery items and discovered that she had already paid for them. When I insisted I repay her, she remarked, “I have always wanted to do that.” This act of kindness brought me to tears. I will pay it forward, Karen. Mahalo. — Carol
Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
