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Military-related tax exemptions can go unnoticed
Florida has three property-tax exemptions for
veterans with combat or service-related disabilities that can go
unnoticed.
That's why in July, St. Johns County Property Appraiser Sharon
Outland is asking those eligible who have not applied to step
forward: Get started now. It could take months to get all the
paperwork necessary before the March 1 deadline for 2008 property
tax exemptions. Don't wait till February to start. Local officials
believe more are eligible than have applied.
The newest exemption is the combat-related disability exemption
adopted in 2006 as a constitutional amendment. It took effect this
year.
This exemption allows for a discount in property taxes equal to the
percentage of the veteran's combat-related disability. For example,
a veteran with a 50 percent combat-related disability would receive
a 50 percent reduction. All exemptions apply to a veteran's
homesteaded property. To qualify, a veteran must have been a Florida
resident when he/she entered the military, honorably discharged and
age 65 as of Jan. 1 of the year when the exemption application is
made.
Two other exemptions are for service-connected disabilities. They
are a $5,000 exemption for a service-oriented disability of at least
10 percent, and an exemption of all taxes on a homesteaded property
for a service-connected total and permanent disability. These two
also apply to the surviving spouse of a qualified veteran, or the
spouse of a Florida resident who died from service-connected causes
while on active military duty. These are for all eligible Florida
residents regardless of where they lived when they entered the
military.
We support Outland's extra effort to get the word out. If you
qualify and have not filed for any of these exemptions or you know
someone who may not have applied, help them out. Call Outland's
office at 827-5500 or go online at www.sjcpa.us for information.
Our veterans entered the military to protect our freedoms. Those who
came home with combat-related or service-related disabilities had to
adjust their quality of life standard. A little freedom from some or
all of their property taxes is a small token of appreciation for
what these veterans gave for our country.
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