STAR Exemption - NEW DEADLINE and Q&A

GLEN COIN - SYRACUSE POST STANDARD....Does an informative daily column in the Post Standard.... explaining the EXTENSION of the 12/31 deadline for STAR REAPPLICATION for 2014. ....Here is a particularly helpful article and link CLEARLY EXPLAINING the STAR REAPPLICATION PROCESS ...... DECEMBER 31, 2013 was the published deadline to register if you wanted to keep your STAR tax break in effect next fall. Fortunately, the state tax department will let homeowners sign up for STAR through early March. That's when the state has to tell local assessors who gets the exemption and who doesn't. To file late, you'll need to give the tax department "a reasonable justification" for why you're late applying for the School Tax Assessment Relief program. There is no penalty for filing after Tuesday. You'll even get another reminder notice early this month from the tax department if you didn't meet Tuesday's deadline. But be forewarned: State tax Commissioner Thomas Mattox said this will be his department's "final attempt" to get you to register. This the first time in the 15-year history of STAR that homeowners have had to register directly with the state. It's an effort cut down on fraud on the Basic STAR program, which exempts the first $30,000 of a home's value from school taxes as long as the home is a primary residence and the owners don't earn more than $500,000 a year. The registration does not apply to senior citizens receiving the Enhanced STAR exemption. If you haven't re-registered, you can call the STAR Hotline at 518-457-2036. Your current exemption is valid for this school year. The re-application is only for 2014 and beyond And check out this link to Coin's Q&A - Very helpful http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/08/star_tax_breaks_your_questions_and_some_answers_on_how_to_re-apply.html