If you recently received notice of a new tax assessment on your personal residence, you also received an application for Homestead Tax Credit eligibility and a return mailing envelope for the application with that notice.

Starting with the 2008 tax assessment notification cycle, all MD homeowners are required to file a one-time application for eligibility for the Homestead Tax Credit at the time they receive their new tax assessment notice (which are sent to property owners on a rolling three year schedule), regardless of whether or not they received the tax credit in prior years.

Applications may be filed by completing and mailing in the application form you receive with your tax assessment notice. Alternatively, you can file an application on-line by going to WWW.DAT.STATE.MD.US and clicking on the Homestead Credit eligibility application link.

If you fail to file an application, you will no longer automatically receive the Homestead Tax Credit in future tax years. So, please act on this important tax saving tip today.

If you have questions, please contact the Bay Area Association Of Realtors at 410-758-4866 or the MD Department Of Assessments and Taxation toll free at 866-650-8783.