Tax Relief

The following Tax Relief Programs for Homeowners are administered by the Office of Policy and Management in Connecticut. Click on each title below to find out more information.

Disabled Tax Relief Program - $1,000 property tax exemption for permanently and totally disabled.

Circuit Breaker – Homeowners’ Elderly/Disabled Circuit Breaker Tax Relief Program – property tax credit for owners who are elderly or disabled and meet certain income limits. The maximum credit is $1,000 for single persons and $1,250 for married couples. Applications must be submitted between Feb. 1st and May 15th at the local tax assessor’s office.

Freeze – Homeowner’s Elderly/Disabled Freeze Tax Relief Program – no new applicants for this program have been considered since 1978 that froze tax rates on elderly property owners whose income is no more than $6,000/year.

Veterans’ Additional Exemption Tax Relief Program

• $1,000 property tax exemption for honorably discharged
• Veterans who actively served 90 days or more during war.
• There is an additional exemption for low-income veterans.

Reverse Mortgages

A reverse mortgage is a loan which allows the elderly (age 62 or older) homeowner to convert the equity in his or her house into a monthly cash payment or a lump sum payment. There are special rules regarding age and amount of equity in the home. Please visit the National Consumer Law Center website www.nclc.org for an explanation of a Reverse Mortgage.

Home Modifications

There are low-interest loans and some grant money which allow seniors to modify their homes to make them more safe and accessible. Modifications can include installing ramps, stair glides, grab bars in bathrooms, widening doorways, lowering counter heights. Often program eligibility is based upon income. Call the Infoline at 211 for information on how to contact your local Independent Living Center or call (860) 563-6011 for home remodeling information from the Corporation for Independent Living.

Repair and Maintenance

In rural areas the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s "Rural Development Housing and Community Facilities Programs" provides loans and grants to very low-income homeowners to repair, improve or modernize their dwellings or to remove health and safety hazards. Loans are at 1% interest and can be paid back over a 20-year period. For more information click here.

Energy Assistance

Homeowners and renters may be eligible for help with winter heating bills and weatherization. The benefit can be worth hundreds of dollars per year.  To see if you are eligible and to find out how to apply click here.

Home Care

For people who wish to remain at home rather than live in an institutional setting there are options. In particular the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders may pay for such services as visiting nurses, home delivered meals, companion services, respite care, transportation, homemakers, adult day care, emergency response systems and other services necessary to avoid institutional care. Click here for more information