The New York residents that could receive a $1400 check in the coming weeks

The School Tax Relief (STAR) program, administered by the New York Department of Taxation and Finance, provides tax relief to most homeowners with an annual income under $500,000. Most property types are eligible for credit, including houses, condominiums, cooperative apartments, manufactured homes, farmhouses, and apartment buildings.

What is STAR?

The STAR program is designed to help reduce the tax burden of property owners by providing exemptions and credits to those who qualify.

The program consists of two levels of support—basic and enhanced—and the distribution of credits or exemptions depends on a qualifying household’s annual income. According to the Washington Examiner, last year, the average Basic STAR check totaled $778, whereas the Enhanced payment was nearly double $1,407.

Most households with a cumulative annual income of $500,000 or less qualify for the STAR credit or exemption. The credit takes the form of a check that the Tax department sends once a year. For those with an annual income under $200,000, an exemption, which represents “a reduction on your school tax bill,” is available to those receiving said benefit since at least 2015. Those who purchased their homes after 2015 are not eligible for the exemption. Critically, if you unenroll from the exemption to claim the credit (which some homeowners might do if the value is higher), you cannot once again claim the exemption, so proceed with caution.

The enhanced program is only available to homeowners sixty-five and older, and “the property must be the primary residence of at least one age-eligible owner.” Eligible households must have an income of $98,700 or less, and as seen above, the credit’s value is higher than that offered to families eligible for the Basic STAR program.

How much are the credits worth?

The value of the credit depends on various factors, including the county in which you live and, in New York City, the tax class under which your property falls. The entire list of counties can be found on the Tax Department’s website. The counties that makeup New York City have been bundled together. The basic credit is worth $284, and the enhanced credit varies between $702 and $714, depending on the tax class.

The deadline for applying for the credit has passed, but make sure to keep the date in mind as it can be claimed next year.

You can check the delivery of your check on the Tax Department’s website. You must provide the county, school district, and city or town where you live.