I just finished paying my bills. MasterCard is the first one I pay.

[yy4me]

Not much left after the writing is done. I am of the old school who still write checks. I prefer to do it, I have immediate access to my balance figures no matter where I am.

That is really not the point of my post.

Our town offers a Senior discount on your Property Tax. It is based on your prior years income. Last year, I was working, my husband got his Social Security Check and so did I. We were self-employed for years and I don't really know how that effects the figure but his check was not large. Mine was typical of a wife who stayed home to raise the kids for a lot of years, i.e. not much. I have 12 years of not paying into the system. I went back to work when the kids were 11 and 12. Now that was a long while ago so there have been lots of years in the workforce. By my count, over 40.

This past June, my husband died. I was switched to receive his SS check and mine was eliminated. In September I was laid off, called back 5 weeks later and then laid off permanently in December. The company has gone south except for a 2 person office here. Even that may be gone by now. Others were laid off too. The prospects of finding something are bleak.

So...3 checks down to one. Well, two if you count unemployment(extension). Altogether not much to brag about.

The town will only consider your prior years income to see if you qualify for the discount. I have to pay full freight through the August Real Estate Tax payment and then I can try. Your financials go in front of a review panel for discussion. I also find this distressing. Our private affairs should remain so but there are reasons I suppose. There are some very wealthy people in this town who would apply for the discount even though they didn't need it. No consideration is given to any change in your circumstances.

I broke down my expenses the other day.

What a sorry sight. Never thought I'd see the day when I'd write something like this.

[cabluedem]

1. Property taxes should not be raised now. Yet many DUers want them raised. I dont get it. nt

[eridani]

5. Raising them does not preclude exemptions for seniors and low income people n/t

[SoCalDem]

6. Many people think that the tax should be based on the "worth" of the house

but even though houses are worth less now, the municipalities that rely on property taxes have seen their needs INCREASE, so as property values dip, and foreclosures mean less and less coming in,m the ones who remain in their homes WILL shoulder more of the expense.. It's just economics 101

Vehicle taxes will go up too, as will the fines & fees..

[Coyote_Bandit]

2. .

:hug:

I'm right there with you. Used to bother me that I might qualify for the double homestead exemption based on my low income. Initially after losing my job I refused to apply. But property taxes kept going up and I determined to swallow my pride and take advantage of what little was available to help my meager finances. This double homestead exemption is it, I don't qualify for anything else. No work re-training. No food assistance. No educational assistance. Unless I want to take out a loan of course. Now I'm considering selling my home and relocating to a small rural affordable area.

Good luck. You are not alone.

[Triana]

3. This somehow seems designed to put people in a bind when their circumstances change

Jeeze. I'm so sorry!

[Wednesdays]

4. K&R

:kick: