Opinion: Updating the Elderly Tax Exemption is a “non-negotiable” for uplifting state’s most vulnerable
![Rep. Mike Belcher, a Wakefield Republican, proposes an elderly tax relief exemption to the House Municipal and County Government committee on January 13. Rep. Mike Belcher, a Wakefield Republican, proposes an elderly tax relief exemption to the House Municipal and County Government committee on January 13.](/attachments/12/48418212.jpg)
Rep. Mike Belcher, a Wakefield Republican, proposes an elderly tax relief exemption to the House Municipal and County Government committee on January 13.
Published: 01-30-2025 6:00 AM |
David Carle lives in Warren. He wrote the article for the Warner Warrant updating the Elderly Property Tax Exemption.
In her inaugural address, Gov. Kelly Ayotte stressed the need for a reduction in state spending. Then she stated that “protecting our most vulnerable and those in our state most in need — this is non-negotiable.”
News reports show New Hampshire is facing a projected budget deficit of at least $21 million. It appears ‘spending reductions’ actually means shifting costs, such as special education, to the towns. This downshifting increases property taxes even further. As a result, many seniors 65 and older cannot afford their taxes. They want to stay in their homes, they need help.
In 1996, New Hampshire passed a law allowing cities and towns to adopt an Elderly Property Tax Exemption for residents 65 and older. A town could vote to exempt part of the assessed value of a single-family home owned by a senior based on the homeowner’s level of income and assets. The property owner must apply for the exemption. The list of exemption values by town can be found at the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration’s website.
There are a number of communities that have not updated their Elderly Exemptions since 1996. To make matters worse, the implementation of the Elderly Exemption is very inconsistent. For example, one county currently has more than 20 towns requiring a property owner to have an income of less than $13,400 and have less than $35,000 in assets to qualify for an Elderly Exemption. In comparison, Stoddard allows incomes up to $45,000 and Henniker allows incomes up to $48,800.
Of the 27 municipalities in Merrimack County, nine towns have not changed their Elderly Exemption in 17 years or more. The town I live in, Warner, has not changed its exemption since 2006, when the median single home value was approximately $180,000. Today, the median value in Warner is $420,000.
According to the Department of Revenue Administration, the steep increase in property values is more pronounced for low-priced homes. For example, in 2010 in Warner, a mobile home with land could sell for $88,000. In 2023, the same sold for $245,000. Because of revaluation, this year’s property taxes in Warner will be based on homes’ market value. Property owners 65 and older living on fixed incomes in low-priced homes could see the highest percent increase in their property taxes.
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At Town Meeting, citizens in Warner will vote on whether to update the Elderly Exemption. The proposed amounts are the same percentages passed by the town’s voters in 2006 adjusted to the $420,000 median value of 2025. Last year, there were 25 approved Elderly Exemptions in Warner, resulting in just under $58,000 in taxes being redistributed. With a town budget of more than $5 million, the impact of an exemption on the town’s total tax revenue is minimal.
The Elderly Exemption is a tool available to towns to help low-income people 65 and older stay in their homes. Yet, many towns appear to be ignoring this tool. Our representatives in state government should immediately introduce legislation calling for a thorough study of the effectiveness of the present Elderly Property Tax Exemption law. If changes need to be made, updates to the law should be ready ahead of the 2026 legislative session.
If we want our towns to have age and economic diversity, and if we want to help people stay in their homes, now is the time to make that happen.