Under state law, there are several categories of persons who may be eligible for a personal exemption or reduction in their property tax. The law (Mass General Laws, Chapter 59, Section 5) provides exemptions for the categories listed on the Personal Real Estate Tax Exemptions FY 2023 (PDF) document.
Exemptions are granted for one fiscal year only. An application must be filed each fiscal year. The qualifying date for personal exemption is July 1st of the fiscal year to which it pertains.
When and How to Apply
All applications will be mailed on or about July 1st to those who qualified the previous fiscal year for a personal exemption and must be filed by everyone requesting a personal exemption for the current fiscal year no later than April 1, 2023. Forms are available in the Assessors’ office. For those personal exemptions which have a maximum income limit associated for qualifying purposes, the applicant must provide a copy of their income tax return which was filed by April 15th before the start of the current fiscal year (Calendar Year 2021).