Property Tax Help

Town Property Tax Help

Towns have several ways to help people in a variety of situations with their property taxes. 

  • Situations: over age 65, surviving spouse, minor child of deceased parents, veterans, blindness, surviving spouse of firefighters and police officers, living in subsidized or deeded affordable housing, poverty, expensive illness
  • Types of assistance:
    • Tax exemption - you do not have to pay some or all of the property tax on your home
    • Tax deferral - property taxes are not paid until the owner sells the home or passes away
    • Tax abatement - tax amount is lowered because the property value (assessment) was too high
    • Tax work-off - seniors may be able to work at the minimum wage rate in town offices to work off some of their tax bill, but there often is a waiting list for these positions; in Lincoln, veterans also are eligible

Each town Assessor's Office has information online about their property tax relief programs: Acton, Bedford, Concord (which also has grants for residents through the Hugh Cargill Trust), Lexington, Lincoln, Maynard, Sudbury, Wayland, Weston

State Property Tax Help

Massachusetts offers a Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit for homeowners or renters over 65 who meet income and expense guidelines. You must submit Schedule CB with your state tax return.