Cayuga County, NY Senior Citizens Tax Exemption

Real property located in the County of Cayuga owned by one or more persons, each of whom is 65 years of age or over, shall be exempt from County taxation by the municipality in which the property is located to the extent of 50% of the assessed valuation thereof, providing, however:

That the income of the owner or the combined income of the owners of the property does not exceed the sum of $37,399.99 for the 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the date of making application for exemption. Where title is vested in either the husband or the wife, their combined income may not exceed such sum. Such income shall include social security and retirement benefits, interest, dividends, rental income, salary or earnings, and income from self employment, but shall not include gifts or inheritances. Effective January 1, 2021, the maximum income eligibility level for the exemption shall be as follows:

[Amended 3-18-1971 by L.L. No. 1-1971; by L.L. No. 1-1974; 10-12-1976 by L.L. No. 2-1976; by L.L. No. 2-1979; 10-14-1980 by L.L. No. 1-1980; 5-8-1984 by L.L. No. 3-1984; 4-13-1993 by L.L. No. 2-1993; 10-20-1998 by L.L. No. 5-1998; 2-25-2020 by L.L. No. 1-2020]

Income Range	Percentage of Assessed Value Exempt
Up to $29,000	50%
$29,000.01 up to $29,999.99	45%
$30,000 up to $30,999.99	40%
$31,000 up to $31,999.99	35%
$32,000 up to $32,899.99	30%
$32,900 up to $33,799.99	25%
$33,800 up to $34,699.99	20%
$34,700 up to $35,599.99	15%
$35,600 up to $36,499.99	10%
$36,500 up to $37,399.99	5%

(1)

Additional income exemption.

(a)

In 1996, the New York State Legislature adopted and the Governor signed into law, a bill entitled "An Act to Amend the Real Property Tax Law, in Relation to Excluding Certain Expenditures for Medical Care from the Definition of 'Income' for the Purpose of a Tax Exemption on Real Property Owned by Senior Citizens."

(b)

The provisions of Real Property Tax Law § 467(3)(a) excluding medical and prescription drug expenses actually paid (which were not reimbursed or paid by insurance) from the computation of an applicant's income shall apply to County real property taxes levied by the County of Cayuga.

(c)

This article shall be applied to assessment rolls prepared on the basis of a taxable status date of March 1, 1999, and thereafter.

Unless the owner shall have held an exemption under this section for his previous residence or unless the title of the property shall have been vested in the owner or one of the owners of the property for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the date of making application for exemption; provided, however, that in the event of the death of either a husband or wife in whose name title of the property shall have been vested at the time of death and then becomes vested solely in the survivor by virtue of devise by or descent from the deceased husband or wife, the time of ownership of the property by the deceased husband or wife shall be deemed also a time of ownership by the survivor and such ownership shall be deemed continuous for the purposes of computing such period of 12 consecutive months. In the event of a transfer by either a husband or wife to the other spouse of all or part of the title to the property, the time of ownership of the property by the transferor spouse shall be deemed also a time of ownership by the transferee spouse and such ownership shall be deemed continuous for the purposes of computing such period of 12 consecutive months. Where property of the owner or owners has been acquired to replace property formerly owned by such owner or owners and taken by eminent domain or other involuntary proceeding, except a tax sale, the period of ownership of the former property shall be combined with the period of ownership of the property for which application is made for exemption and such periods of ownership shall be deemed to be consecutive for purposes of this section. Where a residence is sold and replaced with another within one year and both residences are within the state, the period of ownership of both properties shall be deemed consecutive for purposes of the exemption from taxation by a municipality within the state granting such exemption. Where the owner or owners transfer title to property which as of the date of transfer was exempt from taxation under the provisions of this section, the reacquisition of title by such owner or owners within nine months of the date of transfer shall be deemed to satisfy the requirement of this paragraph that the title of the property shall have been vested in the owner or one of the owners for such period of 12 consecutive months. Where, upon or subsequent to the death of an owner or owners, title to property which as of the date of such death was exempt from taxation under such provisions, becomes vested, by virtue of devise or descent from the deceased owner or owners, or by transfer by any other means within nine months after such death, solely in a person or persons who, at the time of such death, maintained such property as a primary residence, the requirement of this paragraph that the title of the property shall have been vested in the owner or one of the owners for such period of 12 consecutive months shall be deemed satisfied.

[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]

That the property is used exclusively for residential purposes.

That the real property is the legal residence of and is occupied in whole or in part by the owner or by all of the owners of the property.