How To Apply For Homestead Exemption As A Disabled Veteran

The United States undoubtedly owes its veterans a debt of gratitude. The nation is particularly grateful to those who have suffered greatly to protect the country.

Although gratitude is often expressed in words, there is a need to offer more meaningful benefits to recognize veterans’ sacrifice.

Unfortunately, a 2010 survey conducted by the VA revealed that more than 50 percent of veterans had little to no understanding of available benefits.

Perhaps that is because the benefit programs are too complex to understand. Or, it could just be a case of poor communication between the VA and local agencies in charge of administering veterans’ benefits programs.

Veterans are missing out on benefits they should be enjoying that could have made their lives easier because they are not even aware that those benefits exist, says VA disability attorney Jan Dils of Fight4Vets.

One of those benefits is the homestead exemption benefit, which alleviates property taxes for disabled veterans.

Hi, in today’s blog, we will discuss what the homestead exemption in the United States is and how to apply for it.

Homestead Exemption For Disabled Veterans: Meaning And Requirements

The essence of homestead exemptions or property exemptions is to help military veterans afford a home and live stable lives post-military.

Furthermore, a tax exemption on property eliminates taxation from a home’s value. The amount depends on the jurisdiction.

For example, say you qualify for a homestead exemption, and you own a home valued at $125,000.

When you apply for the full homestead exemption, it means the tax on the house would be as if it were valued at $75,000.

How To Know If You Qualify For The Homestead Exemption

Not every disabled veteran is qualified for the homestead exemption; therefore, you must find out first if you qualify. To qualify for this veteran benefit, the first requirement is that you must own and live in the home.

Also, the home should be your primary residence starting on January 1 of the year you want to take the exemption. Other requirements of this homestead exemption for disabled veterans include:

• You must be a veteran of the Armed Forces in the United States, including the National Guard and the Reserves.
• You must have been honorably discharged and received a 100% disability rating by the Department of Veterans Affairs for at least one service-connected disability.
• Apart from living in the home since January 1, your name must appear on the deed of the house.

However, if you hold the house in a trust, you must provide documentation to prove your claim as the trust beneficiary.

Proving Ownership Of Property For Homestead Exemption: Important Tips To Know When Establishing Ownership

It is pretty easy to prove your ownership of or residence in the property, provided you can prove 100 percent disability.

However, it is not just any disability and it must come from a service-connected cause.

Furthermore, to establish a service connection, you must make a link between your disability and an injury-causing incident.

There are different types of service connections, including direct service connection, presumed service connection, and secondary service connection.

A good example of a direct service connection is being paralyzed due to your vehicle passing over an explosive device.

In presumed service connection, the VA presumes your illness to be service-connected, even though you cannot prove the causal link.

Lastly, a secondary service connection refers to when military service caused a disability, which led to another disability. Also, you may be able to claim service connection if military service aggravated a pre-existing injury.

Applying For The Homestead Exemption In The United States: A Step-by-Step Guide To Follow

The process of applying for the homestead exemption in the United States is straightforward, starting with filling out Form DTE105A.

Below is a detailed process on how to apply for the homestead exemption in the United States, regardless of your jurisdiction:

• Obtain the application form DTE105A; you can get the form on the website for your county Auditor.
• Once filled out, file the form with your county Auditor with your signature, in ink, on the original form. Note that you cannot file a copy, but you should keep a copy for your records.

Other Veteran Benefits Offered For A Disabled Veteran In West Virginia

The State of Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance offers many other benefits and provisions.

Real Property Tax Credit

Disabled Veteran Real Property Tax Credit was passed by the West Virginia Legislature in 2023. Taxpayers became eligible to claim this tax credit on 1st January 2024.

Here, the homeowner needs to be honorably discharged from the U.S. Armed Services to claim this real property tax credit.

However, the veteran needs to have a “90-100% Combined Disability Rating from the federal Department of Veterans Affairs.”

Furthermore, the homeowner has to pay the real property taxes on time. They need to pay the first half of the assessment before 1st October. Furthermore, they need to pay the second half before 1st April.

Moreover, if a veteran has more than one property in West Virginia, the tax credit will only be applied to the property where they live primarily.

Also, if you claim the Disabled Veteran Real Property Tax Credit (DVRPTC), you will not be eligible to claim the Homestead Excess Property Tax Credit (HEPTC) or the Senior Citizen Tax Credit (SCTC).

Having said that, you can claim DVRPTC and HEPTC together after ruling out SCTC from your HEPTC amount.

Military Incentive Program

The West Virginia Military Incentive Credit asks employers in the private sector to employ veterans and the Guard and Reserve members. To encourage more employers to do so, the State of West Virginia offers tax credits to them.

Applying For Homestead Exemption As A Disabled Veteran In West Virginia: Summing Up

For the homestead exemption, alongside your application form, ensure you submit proof of your disability and other supporting documents, including a copy of your DD 214 separation documents.

The proof of disability should come in the form of a letter; you should obtain it from the VA. The letter will state that you have applied for and have been granted the status of individual unemployability.

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