Higher thresholds for property tax exemptions in Lewis County may ensure residents’ abilities to stay in their households and pay the bills, said Lewis County Assessor Ross Nielson.
Nielson said recent data from the state Department of Revenue shows that the threshold for Lewis County residents increased by about 20%. Previously, the household disposable income threshold for qualifying taxpayers was $40,000 per year. Starting in 2023, the program will cap out at $48,000.
The program now includes three income tiers for possible exemption depending on final calculated combined disposable income. The changes come from the Legislature and will apply across Washington’s counties at various levels.
Qualifying people include those who, by Dec. 31 of the exemption year, are one of the following: over at least 61 years old; age 57 and older whose spouse or domestic partner qualified for tax exemptions at the time of their death; unable to work due to a disability; a disabled veteran with a service-connected evaluation of at least 80% or are receiving compensation from Veterans Affairs at the 100% rate for a service-connected disability.
“Really, the beauty of this is, the income that people are making has gone up but the threshold has not changed, so there have been a lot of people who have been thrown off the program,” Nielson said, mentioning inflation as cause for both rising income and costs. “It will help them pay the bills and stay in their home.”
There is no deadline to apply, Nielson said, but residents are welcome to apply now and the assessor’s office will apply exemptions when it is possible, Nielson said. First time applicants will need their 2023 tax statements in order to apply the program for 2024 taxes,
Nielson recommends calling the office to schedule an appointment or filling out the paperwork online at https://lewiscountywa.gov/offices/assessor under the “Senior / Disabled Persons Exemption” tab.
The website also includes a breakdown of the program’s details. A list of what qualifies as disposable income and exemptions is available on the Department of Revenue’s website.
