Senior Tax Assistance Program delivers relief for eligible residents

By Erin Rose

Windham’s senior and disabled residents who are struggling with property tax payments may be eligible for relief from the town.

Eligible senior and disabled residents in Windham
could receive up to $700 under the Senior
Property Tax Assistance Program. The 
deadline for applications is Monday, Aug. 3.
COURTESY PHOTO   

Applications are being accepted by Windham’s Town Manager’s office for the Senior Property Tax Assistance Program, with the window for residents to apply closing on Monday, Aug. 3.

“We have a council who is very much in favor of this program and helping seniors remain in their homes,” said Tammy Hodgman, Executive Assistant to the Town Manager. “Last year, we had 350 applicants and most received something.”

The program provides property tax refunds of up to $700 to residents based on several requirements. To be eligible, residents must be at least 65 years old or be 100 percent disabled with Social Security Administration document verification, have owned or rented a home in Windham for a full year, have lived in Windham for at least five years, have fully paid property taxes for the previous year, and have a household combined gross income of less than $65,000.

“It’s a refund of taxes paid,” Hodgman said. “We check that applicants meet certain income levels and requirements, such as age and residency, etc., and then we look to see if the previous year’s property taxes were paid.”

Payments are prorated based on each resident’s income and property tax burden.

“Most people receive something,” Hodgman explained. “If someone’s income is toward the limit and their taxes are relatively low, they may not qualify for as much as someone who has a lower income and a higher tax.”

Hodgman encourages those who have applied previously, but were denied, to reapply for the program in future years, as the requirements change annually.

“If you don’t qualify one year, it doesn’t mean you won’t qualify the next,” she said. “With inflation, income level requirements change.”

Typically, the application period runs from July 1 to Aug. 1, but residents have a few extra days this year thanks to the calendar.

“The application period is the month of July,” Hodgman said. “The deadline is typically Aug. 1, but Aug. 1 falls on a weekend, so the next business day is Aug. 3.”

The program is included as a line item in the town’s annual budget, with the town council dedicating $280,000 to provide the tax support to residents.

“It goes through the entire budget process and gets approved at the town meeting,” Hodgman said. “That’s why we wait until the new fiscal year to advertise it.”

The Windham Town Manager’s office is responsible for taking and reviewing all applications, including the associated documentation, with the Windham Finance Director providing guidance as needed. Residents must provide forms to verify their income, including federal tax forms, Social Security benefit statements, Veteran’s Disability Income Statement, retirement statements, W-2s, or Interest Income documentation.

“It gets quite busy in July,” Hodgman said. “We get about 25 to 30 people a day, with 16 or so business days in the month.”

The busy pace however doesn’t stop the staff from enjoying seeing familiar faces.

“It’s a great time to catch up with our seniors,” Hodgman said as the office sees many of them on an annual basis. “We get a little time to chat.”

For further information and to access the program application, visit the Windham website at www.windhammaine.us or call 207-892-1907. <