Senior Tax Exemptions and Abatement Programs
The City of Attleboro has several programs designed to help ease the burden of real estate taxes on senior homeowners.
For more senior tax exemption options, visit the City of Attleboro website at Exemption Information | Attleboro, MA (cityofattleboro.us).
Senior Tax Abatement/Work-Off Program
Attleboro Senior Citizens are welcomed to participate in Council on Aging (COA) Senior Tax Abatement Program. The Senior Tax Abatement Program allows the City of Attleboro the opportunity to utilize the knowledge and skills of its senior residents in exchange for credit toward a participating resident’s real estate tax bill. The purpose of the Senior Property Tax Abatement Program is to enhance municipal services and to alleviate the property tax burden for senior residents. A maximum credit of $1,000.00 per household will be credited to homeowners, who must work for the city for 73 hours during calendar year 2023. The Council on Aging (COA) will oversee the Program and issue a Certificate of Completion of Volunteer Services (voucher) for net earnings to the Assessor’s Office upon completion of the work. Placement in the Program cannot be guaranteed.
Eligibility Requirements
- Resident of Attleboro aged 60 and over
- Homeowner in Attleboro
- an applicant must be an assessed owner of real estate in Attleboro which is his/her primary residence as of July 1st of the year in which the application is filed; he/she must continue to own such property while participating in the Program. If the property is subject to a trust, the applicant must be one of the trustees.
- Difficulty meeting property tax payment.
- There are no income requirements to apply for the Program.
- Commitment of up to 47 hours per 2022 calendar year. Credit will be granted upon completion of the volunteer hours on third and fourth quarter tax bills of 2023, and the real estate tax abatement will be processed by the Assessor’s Office.
- Must be healthy enough and physically capable of performing the task at hand.
Application Procedure
A paper application including; application form, copy of real estate tax bill, federal and state mandated forms must be completed for consideration into program. Upon completion of application, an intake interview with Council on Aging staff will be conducted to determine eligibility and appropriate placement.
Job Placement/Selection Process
Qualified seniors will be hired to work for City Departments, including schools. The Council on Aging (COA) will work with department personnel and applicants to place qualified people based on their skills and the needs of the department. All department requests for assistance are to be submitted to the COA.
Jobs will be available in various City Departments based on need and availability. Applicants will be referred to departments based on their skills and the needs of the departments.
Completion/Credit
Upon completion of Tax Abatement work hours participants will receive:
- a copy of the Certificate of Completion of Volunteer Services for their records upon request;
- a reimbursement check for the amount contributed to the Massachusetts Retirement Fund (OBRA); (The check will reference the United States Conference of Mayors.)
- a City of Attleboro generated pay stub indicating Medicare & OBRA payments;
- a W-2 form from the City of Attleboro. Volunteers should be aware that the real estate tax abatement is not considered income by the State of Massachusetts. However, it is considered income by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and will affect filing of federal income tax.
*Total number of hours and credit amount subject to change each year.
To apply for the Senior Tax Abatement Program, complete the forms below:
Additional Information
Call the COA for more information at 774-203-1908.