Tax Relief FAQ

A qualifying owner is an owner who owns and occupies their home as of January 1 and meets age, disability, and income requirements for the specific program being applied for.

Applications are to be filed during the regular listing period and may be considered timely filed through June 1^st.

All programs (except for the Circuit Breaker Deferment) are a 1-time application process, unless one of the following applies:

• There is a change in Ownership
• Property is no longer the Applicant’s permanent residence
• Income exceeds the maximum amount this is set annually by NCDOR

Circuit Breaker Deferment requires an annual application.

Gross Income is defined as ALL income received BEFORE taxes or other deductions are taken out; NOT Adjusted Gross Income or AGI; often used in IRS documents.

Gross income includes, but not limited to, money from salaries, wages, tips, commissions, bonuses, dividends, disability, severance pay, retirement, pensions, Social Security, owning or operating a business, rental property, trusts, annuities, bank interest, and VA benefits. For married applicants, the income for both spouses must be included, whether the property is in both names.