Wisconisn Homestead Credit

The homestead credit program is designed to soften the impact of property taxes and rent on persons with lower incomes. The credit may reduce the amount of state income tax you owe. Any amount in excess of the tax you owe is payable to you as a refund.

Qualifications - You may be able to claim homestead credit if:

• You occupied and owned or rented during the year a home, apartment, or other dwelling that is subject to Wisconsin property taxes.

• You are a legal resident of Wisconsin for the ENTIRE year.

• You are 18 years of age or older at the end of the year.

• Your household income was less than $24,680.

• New for 2017 (For a more complete explanation of the changes click HERE)

• • If you (and your spouse, if married) are under 62 (by January 1, 2017) ) and are NOT disabled, under a new Wisconsin law you (or your spouse) must have earned income (e.g., a W-2) to claim the Homestead Credit.

  • If you are under 62 and you (or your spouse) are disabled, you must provide a physicians statement stating the date the disability began and that you meet this definition of disabled: An individual who is unable to engage in any substantial gainful employment by reason of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment which has lasted or is reasonably expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.

  • Or, if you are a disabled veteran under 62, you may provide a statement from the Veteran’s Administration certifying that you are receiving a disability benefit due to 100 percent disability.

• You cannot be claimed as a dependent for the year on someone else's federal income tax return. (Note: This qualification does not apply if you are 62 years of age or older at the end of the year.)

• You (and your spouse, if married) will not claim farmland preservation credit for the same year, or the veterans and surviving spouse’s property tax credit based on the same property taxes.

If you qualify for a homestead credit, we will prepare your homestead credit claim for you. In order to do so, you must provide us with a copy of your property tax bill for the tax year, or a rent certificate which is completed and signed by your landlord. A rent certificate, with instructions for filling it out, can be found here.

For a more comprehensive explanation of the Homestead Credit and how to claim it, please refer to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue homestead page here.