National Service Officer

If you are a veteran with a permanent and total service connected disability and you’ve been honorably discharged, you should not be paying property taxes in the State of Florida. That is, if you’re a permanent resident and own legal title to the property. The title must be yours on the first day of the tax year you’re claiming, and there’s paper work involved, but think of the savings you might be receiving.

If a member of any branch of the service died from service connected injuries while on active duty, his or her surviving spouse is also exempt from property taxes. This is only true if the deceased was a Florida resident on the first day of the year of his or her passing.

If, on the passing of the veteran, his or her spouse holds the legal or beneficial title to the homestead and resides there permanently, the exemption carries over to the spouse until such time as he or she remarries or sells the property. If the spouse sells the property and purchases another, the exemption, as shown on the last ad valorem tax bill may be transferred to a new residence as long as it remains the primary residence of the surviving spouse and said spouse does not remarry.
Any real estate used and owned as a homestead by any quadriplegic is exempt from taxation. Veterans who are paraplegic, hemiplegic, permanently or totally disabled who must use a wheelchair for mobility, or are legally blind, may be exempt from real estate taxation.

Contact your local property appraiser to determine if gross annual household income applies and remember the veteran must be a permanent resident of Florida. Eligible resident ex-service members with a VA certified service-connected disability of 10% or more are entitled to a 5K property tax exemption.
He or she must establish this exemption with their county’s tax official by providing documentation.
If a spouse has been married to a veteran at least 5 years before his death and has not remarried, the exemption will apply to said spouse.

If a veteran is 65 or older, was a Florida resident at the time of his or her military service, if a portion of their disability was combat-related, and they were honorably discharged, they are eligible for a discount on their property taxes. Eligible veterans or veterans who think they might be eligible should apply to their county tax assessor for verification.

Service personnel who are unable to apply in person, may file for this exemption through their next of kin or through another duly authorized representative providing all the paper work is available.

So: 1. Legal resident of Florida living in personal residence.
2. Honorably Discharged
3. You must have a service connected permanent & total disability.
Forgive the expression, but, you’re home free!

Belton Smith

lick the below image to return