New tax exemption for 100%-disabled veterans

Michigan veterans who are 100% disabled may now have an easier time living on a fixed income. Governor Rick Snyder signed Public Act 161 into law on Veterans Day.

It exempts 100%-disabled veterans from property taxes on their primary residence.
Veterans need to speak with their local tax assessor and other local officials.

“They need to go to the Board of Review in their city or township that their home is in,” Marquette County Treasurer Anne Giroux said. “Those are coming up quickly. Most of them are held on December 10th. Contact your local township or city, because it could be a different date.”

Veterans receiving V.A. assistance for specially adapted housing also qualify for the tax exemption. So do unmarried spouses of deceased veterans who were 100% disabled.

“Most of these folks have a letter of some type, some type of documentation from the Department of Veterans Affairs that indicates they’re 100% disabled,” Giroux said. “So, it’s a matter of finding that documentation.”

The tax exemption is not automatically applied. Veterans or eligible surviving spouses need to apply for it each year.