EXEMPTIONS: The following exemptions/credits are allowed by statute adopted by the Bedford Town Council.
ELDERLY: CHAPTER 72:39-a
Applicant must be 65 years old before April 1 of the tax year for which the application is being made.
Income cannot exceed $35,000 per year if single, or $55,000 married. Income includes social security, retirement/pension payments, wages, dividend/interest income, support from others, and/or rental income. Not included are life insurance paid on the death of an insured; expenses and costs incurred in the course of conducting a business enterprise; and proceeds from sale of assets. You may be asked to provide a copy of your Federal and State income Tax returns.
Net Assets (excluding the value of your actual residence) may not exceed $150,000. This includes checking accounts, savings, IRAS, CDS, stocks, bonds, expensive jewelry, cars, other real estate. You can only exclude up to two acres, or the minimum zoning lot size for a residence in your zoning district. The remainder of the land is included in the $150,000 limit at the fair market value and not the assessed value. “Net Assets” means the value of all assets tangible and intangible, minus the value of any good faith encumbrances.
You must have resided in the state for at least three years and owned your home individually or jointly on April 1st in the tax year for which you are applying. If the real estate is owned by your spouse, you must have been married for at least five years.
APPLICATIONS FOR EXEMPTION: Must be filed by April 15 and not afterwards for current year. The application is permanent as long as you own your home or until your financial circumstances change. The Assesssor(s) may review your application during subsequent tax years to determine continuation of eligibility. You must notify the Assessing Staff if you no longer qualify because of changes in income or assets.
EXEMPTION AMOUNTS: (Age as of April 1st of the current tax year)
65 – 74 years of age: $76,350
75 – 79 years of age: $81,350
80+ years of age: $120,000
The amount of the exemption is subtracted from the total assessment before the rate is applied. The exemption amount is set by the Town Council. Click here for an application:
THE APPLICATIONS MUST BE FILED BY APRIL 15TH BEFORE TAX BILL.
BLIND:
CHAPTER 72:37 Must have a certificate from the Blind Services Division of the Vocational Rehabilitation Division of the State Education Department. Exemption is for $35,000 of assessed valuation. Owner must reside at property for which the exemption is claimed. Click here for an application:
HARDSHIP:
CHAPTER 76:16 The Town Council or Assessor may abate for cause in those instances where it is deemed that a taxpayer is unable to pay all or a portion of his/her taxes. This abatement is usually granted in extreme circumstances and is generally of the nonrecurring type. Contact the Assessor's Office for more information.
TAX DEFERRAL FOR ELERLY & DISABLED:
CHAPTER 72:38-a The Town Council or Assessor may annually grant a person qualified under this paragraph a tax lien for all or part of the taxes due, plus annual interest at 5 (5%) percent, if in their opinion the tax liability causes the taxpayer an undue hardship or possible loss of the property. The total of tax liens on a particular property shall not be more than 85 percent of its equity value. There are income and asset limits in order to qualify for this deferral as follow:
1. Income cannot exceed $21,700 single or $29,200 married.
2. Assets cannot exceed $40,000.
You must be at least 65 years of age, or eligible under Title II or Title XVI of the federal Social Security Act for benefits for the disabled, you must be living in the home, and you must have owned the home for at least 5 consecutive years to qualify as a senior applicant or at least one year as a disabled applicant. Click here for an application:
EXEMPTION FOR THE DISABLED:
CHAPTER 72:37-b Any person who is eligible under Title 2 or Title 16 of the federal Social Security Act for benefits to the disabled shall receive a yearly exemption in the amount of $52,000. The exemption may be applied only to property that is occupied as the principal place of abode by the disabled person. The exemption may be applied to any land or buildings appurtenant to the residence or to manufactured housing if that is the principal place of abode.
1. Income cannot exceed $35,000 single or $55,000 married.
2. Assets cannot exceed $150,000
Application filing dates, and further descriptions of income and assets are identical to the Elderly Exemption(s) listed above. However, there is a 5 year residency requirement attached to this exemption. For further information, please contact the Assessor's Office. Click here for an application:
EXEMPTION FOR DEAF OR SEVERELY HEARING IMPAIRED PERSONS: CHAPTER 72:38-b
- Must have 71 Db average hearing loss or greater in the better ear as determined by a licensed audiologist or qualified otolaryngologist, who may rely on a visual means of communication, such as American Sign Language or speech recognition, and whose hearing is so impaired as to substantially limit the person from processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, so as to require the use of an interpreter or auxiliary aid.
- Net Assets (excluding the value of your actual residence and up to two acres of land) may not exceed $150,000. Similar requirement as for the Senior Exemption.
- Net Income cannot exceed $35,000 per year if single, or $55,000 married. Similar requirement as for the Senior Exemption.
- Unlike the Senior Exemption residency requirement that has been reduced to three years from five years beginning in 2007, to qualify for the hearing impaired exemption you must have resided in new Hampshire for at least five years as of April 1 of the year you wish to begin receiving the exemption. If your spouse owns the real estate, you must have been married for at least five years.
EXEMPTION AMOUNT: The amount of the exemption is $35,000, subtracted from the total assessment before the tax rate is applied. Click here for an application:
VETERANS:
Credits ranging from $500 in taxes to a total exemption of taxes are available for those meeting the requirements as set down by the State law. The veteran must have been a NH resident for 1 year preceding April 1 of the tax year and owned the property on April 1.
Basic: Veteran; Spouse; Widow (72:28) - $500
Service Connected Total & Permanent Disability [72:35-IV(a)] - $2,000
Surviving spouse of any person who was killed or who died while on active duty in the armed forces of the U.S. (72:29-a-I) - $2000
Total Exemption – Must meet all requirements under Chapter 72:36-a
(Examples: double amputee, paraplegic, or blindness in both eyes as a result of service-connection and who owns a specially adapted homestead acquired with VA assistance.)
Copies of NH RSAs may be obtained from the Assessing Office.Click here for an application:
SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS EXEMPTION:
Chapter 72:62 The Town Council or Assessor may grant an exemption from the assessed value, for property tax purposes, for persons owning real property which is equipped with a solar energy system as defined in RSA 72:61. RSA 72:61 states a "solar energy system" means a system which utilizes solar energy to heat or cool the interior of a building or to heat water for use in a building and which includes one or more collectors and a storage container. "Solar energy system" also means a system which provides electricity for a building by the use of photovoltaic panels.Click here for an application:
WOOD ENERGY SYSTEMS EXEMPTION:
Chapter 72:70 The Town Council or Assessor may grant an exemption from the assessed value, for property tax purposes, for persons owning real property which is equipped with a wood heating energy system as defined in RSA 72:69. RSA 72:69 states a "wood heating energy system" means a wood burning appliance designed to operate as a central heating system to heat the interior of a building. The appliance may burn wood solely or burn wood in combination with another fuel. A central heating system shall include a central appliance to distribute heat by a series of pipes, ducts or similar distribution system throughout a single building or group of buildings. A wood burning appliance shall not include a fireplace, meaning a hearth, fire chamber or similarly prepared place with a chimney intended to be usable in an open
configuration whether or not it may also be closed and operated closed; or a wood stove meaning a wood burning appliance designed for space heating purposes which does not operate as a central heating system or as a sole source of heat. Click here for an application:
WIND-POWERED ENERGY SYSTEMS EXEMPTION:
Chapter 72:66 The Town Council or Assessor may grant an exemption from the assessed value, for property tax purposes, for persons owning real property which is equipped with a wind-powered energy system as defined in RSA 72:65. RSA 72:65 states a "wind-powered energy system" means any wind-powered devices which supplement or replace electrical power supplied to households or businesses at the immediate site. Click here for an application:
The Town of Bedford has adopted all of these exemptions, so if you think you may qualify or just would like further information call the Assessor's office.
CHANGE OF RESIDENCE: In the event a property owner who receives an exemption/credit sells his property and purchases another at a later date within Bedford or moves to another property owned by him, the property owner has the responsibility of notifying the Assessing Office in order to continue receiving the exemption/credit. A new eligibility application may be requested by the Board of Assessors.
If you have any questions or concerns about any of the programs offered by the Town, the Assessing staff is available weekdays, 8:00 A.M. – 4:30 P.M., to assist you. Please feel free to contact Bill Ingalls, Town Assessor in the Assessing office (603)472-8104.
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