“Ask Lori…Parrish on Appraisal” - May 2015

Broward County Property Appraiser Lori Parrish Answers Your Questions…

“Protecting the Integrity of Our Tax Exemptions”

Dear Lori,

I’m a Broward Senior who has been receiving the Additional Low Income Senior Homestead Exemption for years.  Why did your office send me a letter asking me to prove my household income for 2014 was less than $28,448? 

M.J. Century Village - Deerfield Beach, FL (via email)

The letter you received was a Senior Exemption audit letter for previously approved recipients of the Additional Low-Income Senior Exemption.  Florida Homestead Exemption, Low-Income Senior, Disability, Widow/Widower, Granny Flat, Portability, Non-Profit and all other exemptions grant property owners significant tax savings each year.  Thus, we are constantly working to protect the integrity of these valuable exemptions for all eligible taxpayers.

The Senior Additional Low-Income Homestead Exemption requires property owners to re-qualify annually based upon a specific adjusted household income cap.  The Florida Department of Revenue adjusts the amount each year, based upon the cost-of-living index.  This year the household adjusted gross limit was set at $28,448.  Florida Statute (Section 196.075) requires our office “to generate random audits of the taxpayers’ sworn statements to ensure the accuracy of the household income reported…The Property Appraiser may not grant or renew the exemption if the required documentation requested is not provided.”

Recipients of the senior exemption audit letter must submit a copy of their 2014 Income Tax Return 1040 for all persons residing in the home (excluding renters and boarders) to our office no later than June 1, 2015.  Those who did not file 2014 income taxes must complete lines 1 through 4  of the IRS Form 4506-T, sign the form and return it to our office no later than June 1, 2015. 

Please understand you were selected entirely at random by our computer system.  If you have questions or concerns about this random audit or other property tax exemptions, please feel free to contact our Customer Service Division at 954.357.6830 or visit our website at www.bcpa.net.  We are happy to assist you.

Sincerely,

Lori Parrish, CFA 

If you have a question for Lori, please call her office at 954-357-6904, or email her at Lori @bcpa.net or write to her at the Broward County Property Appraiser’s Office, 115 South Andrews Avenue, Room 111, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, 33301 (May 2015)