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Senior Citizen Homeowners’ Exemption (SCHE)
A property tax break for seniors who own one-, two-, or three-family homes, condominiums, or cooperative apartments.
Thanks to changes in city and state law, the SCHE and DHE (Disabled Homeowners’ Exemption) tax breaks are now available to homeowners with a combined annual income of $58,399 or less.
How to Apply for Your SCHE Benefit
Apply online or download forms from the Property Tax Benefits for Homeowners page.
| Age | All owners of the property must be 65 or older, unless the owners are spouses or siblings. If you own the property with a spouse or sibling, only one of you must meet this age requirement. |
| Income | The total combined annual income of the property owner and spouse or co-owner cannot exceed $58,399. Income includes, but is not limited to, Social Security, retirement benefits, interest, dividends, IRA earnings, capital gains, net rental income, salary or wages, and net income from self-employment. |
| Ownership | You must own the property for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the date of filing for the exemption, unless you received the exemption on your previously-owned residence. |
| Residency | All owners must occupy the property as their primary residence except in cases of divorce, legal separation, or abandonment. Owners receiving in-patient care at a residential health care facility may be eligible for the exemption. |
Note: You cannot receive both SCHE and DHE (Disabled Homeowners' Exemption). If you qualify for both, you will receive SCHE.
You must provide an estimate of your income on your renewal application. If you do not provide an estimated income, it will delay the processing of your application. The total combined income of all owners of the property should include every source of income earned by every owner of the property for the prior calendar year. Total combined includes, but is not limited to, W2s, 1099s, Social Security statements, and retirement benefits.
If your household has multiple sources of income and you are not sure which to include, you may want to use the income calculation worksheet. This worksheet is provided as a resource for you; you are not required to complete it.
| If your income is between |
SCHE can reduce your home's assessed value by |
| $57,500 and $58,399 | 5% |
| $56,600 and $57,499 | 10% |
| $55,700 and $56,599 | 15% |
| $54,800 and $55,699 | 20% |
| $53,900 and $54,799 | 25% |
| $53,000 and $53,899 | 30% |
| $52,000 and $52,999 | 35% |
| $51,000 and $51,999 | 40% |
| $50,001 and $50,999 | 45% |
| $0 and $50,000 | 50% |
You must renew your Senior Citizen Homeowners' Exemption every two years in order to continue receiving it. You will receive a notice from the Department of Finance when it is time to file your renewal application.
Visit the Ways to Save page to learn about other tax breaks for which you might be eligible.
If you wish to remove a previously granted exemption, you may complete the Application to Remove Previously Granted Exemption(s).
If you need help accessing Department of Finance (DOF) programs and services or need more time because of a disability or physical or mental impairment, you can request additional time to file or obtain other assistance.
To request more time or other assistance, you may call 311, write to DOF, schedule a virtual appointment, or complete a "Request for an Extension of Time Due to a Disability or Physical or Mental Impairment." This form is also available by contacting 311. You may need to submit medical documentation supporting your request.
If an extension of time or other request for assistance is approved, you will need to submit all renewal documents and meet all of the program's eligibility requirements.
Need Help? Contact 311 or Email Us.
If due to a disability you need an accommodation on order to apply for and receive a service, or to participate in a program offered by the Department of Finance, please contact the Disability Service Facilitator or by calling 311.