A large number of homeowners might be missing out on a small tax break that’s really easy to get. We’re talking about the homeowners’ exemption in California. If you own your home and live in it – no matter what county – you qualify. It saves you about $70 to $80 a year, assessors told us.
The Los Angeles Times recently found many folks missing out in SoCal.
Some local data that NBC Bay Area just obtained suggests a lot of Bay Area homeowners might be missing out, too. For example, the Santa Clara County Assessor told us roughly 243,000 in the county are claiming the homeowners' exemption, but roughly 210,000 are not. San Francisco’s assessor shared data with a similar breakdown.
Most people don’t know.
Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone
Some homes in the “no” column are rentals, which are not eligible. Still, some homeowners who live in their home are missing out on their $70 a year. We know because we quickly found four folks on our own news team. Here’s the good news for them, plus anyone else: you can apply now to get the little-publicized homeowners’ exemption tax break going forward.
“Most people don’t know,” said Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone. “The other thing is, if you change your [home] title, like when I moved my home from an individual, with my wife and my name, to a trust, the homeowner’s exemption drops off.”
When that occurs, you have to reapply. Stone said adding or removing someone from your home title might cause you to lose your $70-or-so-a-year break, too. Side note: Stone’s office said the homeowners’ exemption is now required to take full advantage of transfer benefits under Prop 19.
You can check whether you’re getting the homeowners’ exemption by calling your assessor or looking up your property record online. We’ve included county-by-county links below. To search, all you should need is your home address. If you’re not signed up, expect to file a one-page application. After that, your homeowners’ exemption should auto renew each year, assessors said.
Don’t wait. The deadline to claim your full homeowner exemption is Feb. 15.
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Local assessors’ offices, by county:
- Alameda: https://www.acassessor.org/homeowners/decrease-your-assessment/exemptions/homeowners-exemption/
- Contra Costa: https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/191/Assessor
- Napa: https://www.countyofnapa.org/1081/Exemptions-From-Property-Taxes
- San Francisco: http://sfassessor.org/property-information/homeowners/homeowners-exemption
- San Mateo: https://smcacre.gov/assessor/homeowners-exemption
- Santa Clara: https://www.sccassessor.org/tax-savings/exemptions/homeowners
- Santa Cruz: https://www.santacruzcountyca.gov/Departments/AssessorsOffice/PrimaryFunctionsandResponsibilities/Exemptions.aspx
- Sonoma: https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/clerk-recorder-assessor-registrar-of-voters/assessor/real-property/tax-savings/exemptions
- Solano :https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/ar/home.asp
