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The Marblehead Council on Aging and the Assessors’ Office will hold a workshop Thursday, Oct. 29, for older homeowners deciding whether to apply for the town’s new means-tested senior citizen property tax exemption. The session falls three days before applications open.
The pre-launch workshop runs from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Judy and Gene Jacobi Community Center, 10 Humphrey St. According to the event flyer, it will cover eligibility requirements, the application, the information applicants need and program dates.
Seats must be reserved through Lisa Hooper at the Council on Aging, 781-631-6225 or councilonaging@marbleheadma.gov.
Gov. Maura Healey signed the home rule legislation creating the exemption April 29. Applications are due between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30, the Independent reported in August.
The exemption is worth up to $2,000 off a qualifying household’s tax bill. Total awards are capped at $200,000. If approved requests exceed the cap, every award shrinks proportionally, so applying early brings no advantage.
Applicants must be at least 65, every co-owner must be at least 60, and at least one owner must have lived in the Marblehead home as a primary residence for 10 consecutive years. Household income cannot exceed $75,000 for single filers, $94,000 for heads of household or $112,000 for joint filers.
Applicants must also claim the maximum Massachusetts Senior Circuit Breaker tax credit. The home’s assessed value cannot exceed the prior year’s average single-family assessment, which is $1,291,507 for fiscal 2027. Owners of a second home and renters do not qualify.
The town’s program page says applicants generally will need proof of age, federal and state income tax returns and documentation of Circuit Breaker eligibility. It also posts the presentation and a recording from the Council on Aging’s May 21 information session.
Approval notices are expected in February or March. Credits will appear on fourth-quarter tax bills in the spring.
Residents with questions about their own eligibility can contact Assessor Todd Laramie at 781-631-0236 or assessors@marbleheadma.gov.
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