East Granby Has Tax Relief Programs for Elderly, Totally Disabled

In case you didn’t know already, it’s tax season.

For those who are elderly or are totally disabled, there are programs offered by the state and the town of East Granby to provide relief on their real estate taxes to keep them in their homes, according to East Granby assessor Mary Brown.

About 70 households in East Granby benefited from the programs last year, which represents an increase of 27 over 2010, according to Brown.

The requirements for eligibility in the programs are as follows:

1. Applicants must be 65 years of age or older before Dec. 31, 2011;

2. Totally disabled are eligible regardless of age provided all other criteria are met;

3. Applicants must own and be a permanent resident of a dwelling in East Granby; and

4. Applicants must have a total income from all sources of less than $38,300 if single and $45,500 if married.

What applicants are eligible for depends on their income. Even if applicants do not meet the state requirements because their income levels are too high, the town has a higher threshold that they may be eligible for, Brown said.

“It takes me five minutes, if residents bring me the correct information, to determine what they are eligible for,” Brown said. “There are different levels of programs here. It’s a great program. It keeps people in their homes and we want them to be there."

The filing period started Feb. 1 and runs through May 15, 2012.

People with questions or who would like to make an appointment are encouraged to call Mary Ellen Brown at the Assessor’s Office at 860-653-2852.