TAX.VERMONT.GOV
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Credits and Adjustments to Property Taxes
Each of the states included in this analysis provide some kind of property tax relief to lower property tax
burdens for certain income- and/or age-qualied households. We summarize the scope and extent of these
relief programs in the table below, which draws on state records and data collected by the Lincoln Instute of
Land Policy.
Summary of Property Tax Credit and Adjustment Programs from Vermont and Peer States
Sources
• Residenal Property Tax Relief Programs (lincolninst.edu/research-data) - Lincoln Instute of Land Policy; search for programs in
2020; Benet Type=Circuit Breaker, Credit; Eligibility=Age, Homeowner, Income ceiling, Principal residence, Property value limit
• State Eligibility Requirements: ME: Property Tax Fairness Credit Summary (maine.gov/revenue) Maine Revenue Services; MA:
Massachuses Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit (mass.gov/info-details); RI: Personal Income Tax Forms | RI Division of Taxaon
(tax.ri.gov) “RI-1040H”; VT: Forms And Instrucons | Department Of Taxes (tax.vermont.gov) “HS-122, HI-144”; CT: Individual
Income Tax Forms (portal.ct.gov) “CT-1040” Under “Instrucon Booklets”, Circuit Breaker For Elderly Or Disabled Homeowners
| Lincoln Instute Of Land Policy (lincolninst.edu); NY: STAR Eligibility (tax.ny.gov); NH: Taxpayer Assistance | NH Department Of
Revenue Administraon (revenue.nh.gov)
• Average Benet Data: ME: Oce Of Tax Policy | Maine Revenue Services (lincolninst.edu) “2021 Tax Expenditure Report”; MA:
DOR Press Releases And Reports | Mass.Gov (mass.gov) “Senior Circuit Breaker Credit Usage By Town (2001-2020)”; RI: Reports
| RI Department Of Revenue (tax.ri.gov) “2022 Tax Expenditures Report”; VT: Property Tax Credit Stascs | Department Of
Taxes (tax.termont.gov) “Property Tax Credits” Under “PDF Report” In 2021; CT: 2020 Individual Income Tax Report (portal.
ct.gov) “2020 CT-1040 & CT1040NR/PY Income Tax Data”; NY: NYS School Tax Relief (Star) Reimbursement By County: Beginning
Levy Year 1998 | State Of New York (data.ny.gov); NH: Reports | NH Department Of Revenue Administraon (revenue.nh.gov)
“2021 Annual Report”; For Total # Taxpayers, SOI Tax Stats - Number Of Returns Filed, By Type Of Return And State And Fiscal
Year - IRS Data Book Table 3 | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov/stascs/)
MA RI VT NY NH
Age Restrictions
All ages 65+ 65+ All Ages
65+ or claiming
dependent(s)
All ages All ages
2021 Benefit
Limits
$1,500 for
seniors, $1,000
otherwise
$1,130 per tax
return
$415 per tax
return
The maximum
benefit offered
from the Vermont
Property Credit
Claim is $8,000.
$200 for non-
seniors, $1,250
for married
seniors and
$1,000 for single
seniors.
For 2022, maximum
exemption depends on
municipality and school
district; average
maximum $627 with
range from $11 to
$2645. Additional
programs for
households 65+ and
very low income
households.
Up to 100% of taxes
refunded for those
earning <$20k for
single filers or <$40k
for head-of-
household or
married joint filers.
Covers only first
$100K of property
value.
Tax Credit or Bill
Adjustment
Tax Credit Tax Credit Tax Credit Bill Adjustment Tax Credit Tax Credit Tax Credit
Would the
median-income
household (2020
Census) in this
state qualify for
this benefit?
No; disqualified
by income
restrictions.
No; disqualified
restrictions.
No; disqualified
by income
restrictions.
Yes. Median
household
qualifies for this
benefit.
Yes. Median
household
qualifies for this
benefit (if not
Married Filing
Separately).
Yes. Median
household qualifies
for this benefit.
No; disqualified by
income
restrictions.
Average Benefit
Received
(For most recent
year available)
For FY22, Maine
DoR predicts
approximately
(7.5% by 2021
filers count) to
receive an
$655.
In 2020, 101,476
households (3%
of taxpayers)
received an
average benefit
of $956.
In 2020, 11,976
households
(2.2% of
taxpayers)
reveived an
average benefit
of $283.
In 2021, 116,469
of taxpayers)
received an
average benefit of
$1,609.
In 2020, 407,929
of taxpayers)
received an
average benefit
of $155.
In 2021, over 1.6
million households
(15.8% of taxpayers)
received an average
benefit of $644.
Households 65+
(5.6% of taxpayers)
received an average
benefit of $1,416.
In 2020, 5,572
households (0.7%
of taxpayers)
received an
average benefit of
$144.
State
ME CT