Senior Property Tax Work-Off
Qualified senior homeowners can work off up to $1,500 on their property tax bill by volunteering for a City agency.
The FY 2024 Application is now available. Before you apply, please check the program requirements below to see if you qualify. You should also make sure you have or can get the required documents.
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Have questions? Contact us:
Age Strong Commission | Lisa Martins, volunteer coordinator
How to apply
Apply for the program
Think you meet the requirements? You'll need to download and complete the application.
You can mail or bring the application, along with your required documents, to the Age Strong Commission:
1 City Hall Square, Room 271
Boston, MA 02201
Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Please keep in mind
The maximum abatement amount for this program is $1,500, which equals 100 volunteer hours at a rate of $15.00 per hour. The amount of the tax work-off credit cannot exceed the total tax due for the fiscal year after any other exemptions have been allowed.
Key dates
- Application Filing Deadline: July 3, 2023
- Work Completion Date*: November 6, 2023
*If we approve you for the program, you will only receive credit for work performed up to November 6, 2023, toward your Fiscal Year 2024 third-quarter tax bill.
Program requirements
To qualify for the program, you need to meet these requirements:
Gross income limit:
$40,000 if you are single, and $55,000 if you are married. This includes:
- Social Security benefits, pensions, and other retirement benefits
- Annuities
- Wages, salaries, tips, and other compensation
- Net profit from your business or profession
- Interest and dividends
- Rent and royalty income, and
- Gains you make from the sale or exchange of real estate or other property.
If you are married, we need financial information for both you and your spouse.
Age:
You must be 60 or older by January 1, 2023.
Residency:
You need to have owned and occupied a residential property in Boston for at least three years.
Property:
You must own and occupy your property as a principal residence. If the property is subject to a trust, you must have legal title (you need to be one of the trustees and a beneficiary).
Required documents
You MUST provide the following documents, along with your application:
- Proof of your age through a birth certificate, passport, or driver’s license.
- Federal and state tax returns. If you are not required to file tax returns, you must submit a signed and dated letter explaining why with your application.
- Social Security or pension benefits letters.
- If the property is held in a trust, we need to see a copy of the trust and a schedule of beneficiaries.
Who's Involved:
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Have questions? Contact us:
Age Strong Commission | Lisa Martins, volunteer coordinator
