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New York State Department of Taxation and Finance
518-45-PRESS (518-457-7377) geoffrey.gloak@tax.ny.gov November 15, 2013
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A Postcard That Will Save You Hundreds of Dollars? STAR Registration Reminders Hit Mailboxes Starting This Week1.7 million have already registered; average savings is $700 |
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New York State Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Thomas H. Mattox today addressed the 900,000 homeowners who have yet to register for their Basic STAR property tax exemptions, to let them know “Register Now” postcards will begin hitting their mailboxes this week. The reminders are the latest in an aggressive statewide outreach campaign that has resulted in 1.7 million registrations to date. Six weeks remain until the December 31 deadline. The Tax Department has directly mailed all of the nearly 2.7 million homeowners who claimed the exemption last year, participated in 200 local meetings, fielded nearly 400,000 phone calls, and registered thousands of people at local events including the State Fair. The exemption is available on the primary residence of homeowners with incomes under $500,000. The registration stems from a Tax Department investigation that found thousands of taxpayers receiving STAR exemptions on more than one property. Governor Cuomo included the initiative in his 2013-14 State Budget, and directed the Tax Department to develop a user-friendly system that could eliminate inappropriate exemptions while making it simple for people to maintain their rightful tax relief. Registration takes two to four minutes on average to complete online. “We’re making every effort to ensure that all eligible homeowners continue to receive their exemption,” said Commissioner Mattox. “We hope this postcard spurs homeowners who’ve not yet registered to take a few minutes so they can continue to save hundreds of dollars.” Senior citizens receiving the Enhanced STAR exemption are not impacted by the new registration program. Register online or by phone To register, visit www.tax.ny.gov or call 518-457-2036. Online information is available in six languages, and translators stand ready to assist speakers of all languages via telephone. The Department is offering extended STAR Hotline hours through December 31 – 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. weekdays, and 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. STAR Registration Media Center Visit the STAR Registration Media Center for:
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