New York’s Department of Taxation and Finance started issuing the STAR (School Tax Relief) checks in July this year. If you didn’t get the New York STAR check, it is probably on the way. In the meantime, you can check the status of your check using the state Department of Taxation and Finance online tool.
STAR program: credit or exemption
New York’s School Tax Relief, or STAR program, offers eligible homeowners a break on their school property taxes. The program exempts the first $30,000 of the home value from school property taxes for owner-occupied primary residences. The homeowners’ income needs to be below $500,000 to qualify for the New York STAR check.
Additionally, seniors aged 65 and older (with incomes up to $93,200 for the 2023-2024 school year and $98,700 or less for the 2024-2025 school year) qualify for Enhanced STAR. Enhanced STAR exempts the first $81,400 of the home value from school property taxes for the current school year ($84,000 for the 2024-2025 school year).
It must be noted that the STAR benefit applies only to school district taxes and not to county, town, or city taxes (except for New York, Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers and Syracuse). The exemption in these five cities applies partly to city taxes and partly to school taxes.
Initially, the STAR program reduced the property tax bill homeowners paid to the school district where they lived. In recent years, however, the state has been transforming the program into a credit on each eligible homeowner’s income tax.
So, the state requires new homeowners to be issued a check instead of an exemption. Homeowners, however, can still receive an exemption if they have owned their home since 2015, according to state law.
There is an option for homeowners to switch from an exemption to a check. Those who opt for an exemption could witness a jump in their STAR savings annually. This is because the law requires the credit to rise by up to 2% each year, while the value of STAR exemptions cannot increase.
New York STAR check: when to expect it
For those who qualify for an exemption, the amount would be reflected on their tax bill anywhere from late August to December, depending on their location. Those eligible for a credit would have already received it in recent weeks. If you haven’t yet received the credit, you will likely get it soon.
For example, checks for residents of Monroe and Westchester County started going out in mid-July or late August, while for those living in Steuben and Tompkins County, checks started going out in September.
Visit this link to see the delivery schedule of the New York STAR check in your region.
If you don’t receive your New York STAR check and your due date to pay your school property taxes has passed, you need to contact the Department of Taxation and Finance at 518-457-2036.
