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CHAPTER 290B. SENIOR CITIZENS' PROPERTY TAX DEFERRAL

Table of Sections
Section Headnote
290B.01 PURPOSE.
290B.02 CITATION.
290B.03 DEFERRAL OF PROPERTY TAXES.
290B.04 APPLICATION FOR DEFERRAL.
290B.05 MAXIMUM PROPERTY TAX AMOUNT AND DEFERRED PROPERTY TAX AMOUNT.
290B.06 REFUNDS; OFFSET.
290B.07 LIEN; DEFERRED PORTION.
290B.08 TERMINATION OF DEFERRAL; PAYMENT OF DEFERRED TAXES.
290B.09 STATE REIMBURSEMENT.
290B.10 SENIOR DEFERRAL PROGRAM; INFORMATION PROVIDED.

290B.01 PURPOSE.

Minnesota's system of ad valorem property taxation does not adequately recognize the unique financial circumstances of homestead property owned and occupied by low-income senior citizens. It is therefore declared to be in the public interest of this state to stabilize tax burdens on homestead property owned by qualifying low-income senior citizens through a deferral of certain property taxes.

290B.02 CITATION.

This program shall be named the "senior citizens' property tax deferral program."

290B.03 DEFERRAL OF PROPERTY TAXES.

Subdivision 1.Program qualifications.

The qualifications for the senior citizens' property tax deferral program are as follows:

(1) the property must be owned and occupied as a homestead by a person 65 years of age or older. In the case of a married couple, at least one of the spouses must be at least 65 years old at the time the first property tax deferral is granted, regardless of whether the property is titled in the name of one spouse or both spouses, or titled in another way that permits the property to have homestead status, and the other spouse must be at least 62 years of age;

(2) the total household income of the qualifying homeowners, as defined in section 290A.03, subdivision 5, for the calendar year preceding the year of the initial application may not exceed $60,000;

(3) the homestead must have been owned and occupied as the homestead of at least one of the qualifying homeowners for at least 15 years prior to the year the initial application is filed;

(4) there are no state or federal tax liens or judgment liens on the homesteaded property;

(5) there are no mortgages or other liens on the property that secure future advances, except for those subject to credit limits that result in compliance with clause (6); and

(6) the total unpaid balances of debts secured by mortgages and other liens on the property, including unpaid and delinquent special assessments and interest and any delinquent property taxes, penalties, and interest, but not including property taxes payable during the year, does not exceed 75 percent of the assessor's estimated market value for the year.

Subd. 2.Qualifying homestead; defined.

Qualifying homestead property is defined as the dwelling located in this state that is taxed as real property and that is occupied as the homeowner's principal residence and so much of the land surrounding it as is reasonably necessary for use of the dwelling as a home and any other property used for purposes of a homestead as defined in section 273.13, subdivisions 22 and 23, but not to exceed one acre. The homestead may be part of a multidwelling building and the land on which it is built. Property is not qualifying homestead property if a person or entity other than the applicant or the applicant's spouse holds an interest in the property as the vendor under a contract for deed or as a remainderperson.

290B.04 APPLICATION FOR DEFERRAL.

Subdivision 1.Initial application.

(a) A taxpayer meeting the program qualifications under section 290B.03 may apply to the commissioner of revenue for the deferral of taxes. Applications are due on or before July 1 for deferral of any of the following year's property taxes. A taxpayer may apply in the year in which the taxpayer becomes 65 years old, provided that no deferral of property taxes will be made until the calendar year after the taxpayer becomes 65 years old. The application, which shall be prescribed by the commissioner of revenue, shall include the following items and any other information which the commissioner deems necessary:

(1) the name, address, and Social Security number of the owner or owners;

(2) a copy of the property tax statement for the current payable year for the homesteaded property;

(3) the initial year of ownership and occupancy as a homestead;

(4) the owner's household income for the previous calendar year; and

(5) information on any mortgage loans or other amounts secured by mortgages or other liens against the property, for which purpose the commissioner may require the applicant to provide a copy of the mortgage note, the mortgage, or a statement of the balance owing on the mortgage loan provided by the mortgage holder. The commissioner may require the appropriate documents in connection with obtaining and confirming information on unpaid amounts secured by other liens.

The application must state that program participation is voluntary. The application must also state that the deferred amount depends directly on the applicant's household income, and that program participation includes authorization for the annual deferred amount, the cumulative deferral and interest that appear on each year's notice prepared by the county under subdivision 6, is public data.

The application must state that program participants may claim the property tax refund based on the full amount of property taxes eligible for the refund, including any deferred amounts. The application must also state that property tax refunds will be used to offset any deferral and interest under this program, and that any other amounts subject to revenue recapture under section 270A.03, subdivision 7, will also be used to offset any deferral and interest under this program.

(b) As part of the initial application process, the commissioner may require the applicant to obtain at the applicant's own cost and submit:

(1) if the property is registered property under chapter 508 or 508A, a copy of the original certificate of title in the possession of the county registrar of titles (sometimes referred to as "condition of register"); or

(2) if the property is abstract property, a report prepared by a licensed abstracter showing the last deed and any unsatisfied mortgages, liens, judgments, and state and federal tax lien notices which were recorded on or after the date of that last deed with respect to the property or to the applicant.

The certificate or report under clauses (1) and (2) need not include references to any documents filed or recorded more than 40 years prior to the date of the certification or report. The certification or report must be as of a date not more than 30 days prior to submission of the application.

The commissioner may also require the county recorder or county registrar of the county where the property is located to provide copies of recorded documents related to the applicant or the property, for which the recorder or registrar shall not charge a fee. The commissioner may use any information available to determine or verify eligibility under this section. The household income from the application is private data on individuals as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 12.

Subd. 2.Approval; recording.

The commissioner shall approve all initial applications that qualify under this chapter and shall notify qualifying homeowners on or before December 1. The commissioner may investigate the facts or require confirmation in regard to an application. The commissioner shall record or file a notice of qualification for deferral, including the names of the qualifying homeowners and a legal description of the property, in the office of the county recorder, or registrar of titles, whichever is applicable, in the county where the qualifying property is located. The notice must state that it serves as a notice of lien and that it includes deferrals under this section for future years. The commissioner shall prescribe the form of the notice. Execution of the notice by the original or facsimile signature of the commissioner or a delegate entitles the notice to be recorded, and no other attestation, certification, or acknowledgment is necessary. The homeowner shall pay the recording or filing fees for the notice, which, notwithstanding section 357.18, shall be paid by the homeowner at the time of satisfaction of the lien.

Subd. 3.Excess-income certification by taxpayer.

A taxpayer whose initial application has been approved under subdivision 2 shall notify the commissioner of revenue in writing by July 1 if the taxpayer's household income for the preceding calendar year exceeded $60,000. The certification must state the homeowner's total household income for the previous calendar year. No property taxes may be deferred under this chapter in any year following the year in which a program participant filed or should have filed an excess-income certification under this subdivision, unless the participant has filed a resumption of eligibility certification as described in subdivision 4.

Subd. 4.Resumption of eligibility certification by taxpayer.

A taxpayer who has previously filed an excess-income certification under subdivision 3 may resume program participation if the taxpayer's household income for a subsequent year is $60,000 or less. If the taxpayer chooses to resume program participation, the taxpayer must notify the commissioner of revenue in writing by July 1 of the year following a calendar year in which the taxpayer's household income is $60,000 or less. The certification must state the taxpayer's total household income for the previous calendar year. Once a taxpayer resumes participation in the program under this subdivision, participation will continue until the taxpayer files a subsequent excess-income certification under subdivision 3 or until participation is terminated under section 290B.08, subdivision 1.

Subd. 5.Penalty for failure to file excess-income certification; investigations.

(a) The commissioner shall assess a penalty equal to 20 percent of the property taxes improperly deferred in the case of a false application, a false certification, or in the case of a required excess-income certification which was not filed as of the applicable due date. The commissioner shall assess a penalty equal to 50 percent of the property taxes improperly deferred if the taxpayer knowingly filed a false application or certification, or knowingly failed to file a required excess-income certification by the applicable due date. The commissioner shall assess penalties under this section through the issuance of an order under the provisions of chapter 270C. Persons affected by a commissioner's order issued under this section may appeal as provided in chapter 270C.

(b) The commissioner may conduct investigations related to initial applications and excess-income certifications required under this chapter within the period ending 3-1/2 years from the due date of the application or certification.

Subd. 6.Annual notice to participant.

Annually, on or before July 1, the county auditor shall notify, in writing, each participant in the county who is in the senior citizen's deferral program of the current year's deferred taxes and the total cumulative deferred taxes and accrued interest on the participant's property as of that date.

Subd. 7.Payment of delinquent taxes and special assessments.

Upon approval of a senior citizen's initial application, the commissioner of revenue shall pay to the treasurer of the county where the property is located the amount of any delinquent property taxes, penalties, interest, and delinquent special assessments and interest on the property which is the subject of the application.

290B.05 MAXIMUM PROPERTY TAX AMOUNT AND DEFERRED PROPERTY TAX AMOUNT.

Subdivision 1.Determination by commissioner.

The commissioner shall determine each qualifying homeowner's "annual maximum property tax amount" following approval of the homeowner's initial application and following the receipt of a resumption of eligibility certification. The "annual maximum property tax amount" equals three percent of the homeowner's total household income for the year preceding either the initial application or the resumption of eligibility certification, whichever is applicable. Following approval of the initial application, the commissioner shall determine the qualifying homeowner's "maximum allowable deferral." No tax may be deferred relative to the appropriate assessment year for any homeowner whose total household income for the previous year exceeds $60,000. No tax shall be deferred in any year in which the homeowner does not meet the program qualifications in section 290B.03. The maximum allowable total deferral is equal to 75 percent of the assessor's estimated market value for the year, less the balance of any mortgage loans and other amounts secured by liens against the property at the time of application, including any unpaid and delinquent special assessments and interest and any delinquent property taxes, penalties, and interest, but not including property taxes payable during the year.

Subd. 2.Certification by commissioner.

On or before December 1 of the year of initial application, the commissioner shall certify to the county auditor of the county in which the qualifying homestead is located (1) the annual maximum property tax amount; and (2) the maximum allowable deferral. On or before December 1 of any year in which a homeowner files a resumption of eligibility certification, the commissioner shall certify to the county auditor the new annual maximum property tax amount to be used in calculating the deferral for subsequent years.

Subd. 3.Calculation of deferred property tax amount.

When final property tax amounts for the following year have been determined, the county auditor shall calculate the "deferred property tax amount." The deferred property tax amount is equal to the lesser of (1) the maximum allowable deferral for the year; or (2) the difference between (i) the total amount of property taxes and special assessments levied upon the qualifying homestead by all taxing jurisdictions and (ii) the maximum property tax amount. For this purpose "special assessments" includes any assessment, fee, or other charge that may by law, and which does, appear on the property tax statement for the property for collection under the laws applicable to the enforcement of real estate taxes. Any tax attributable to new improvements made to the property after the initial application has been approved under section 290B.04, subdivision 2, must be excluded when determining any subsequent deferred property tax amount. The county auditor shall annually, on or before April 15, certify to the commissioner of revenue the property tax deferral amounts determined under this subdivision by property and by owner.

Subd. 4.Limitation on total amount of deferred taxes.

The total amount of deferred taxes and interest on a property, when added to (1) the balance owing on any mortgages on the property at the time of initial application; and (2) other amounts secured by liens on the property at the time of the initial application, may not exceed 75 percent of the assessor's current estimated market value of the property.

290B.06 REFUNDS; OFFSET.

For purposes of qualifying for the regular property tax refund or the special refund for homeowners under chapter 290A, the qualifying tax is the full amount of taxes, including the deferred portion of the tax. In any year in which a program participant chooses to have property taxes deferred under this section, any refund as defined in section 270A.03, subdivision 7, must be taken first as a deduction from the amount of the deferred tax for that year, and second as a deduction against any outstanding deferral from previous years, rather than as a cash payment. The commissioner shall cancel any current year's deferral or previous years' deferral and interest that is offset by the refunds. If the total of the refund amounts exceeds the sum of the deferred tax for the current year and cumulative deferred tax and interest for previous years, the commissioner shall then remit the excess amount to the homeowner. On or before the date on which the commissioner issues property tax refunds, the commissioner shall notify program participants of any reduction in the deferred amount for the current and previous years resulting from refunds.

290B.07 LIEN; DEFERRED PORTION.

(a) Payment by the state to the county treasurer of property taxes, penalties, interest, or special assessments and interest deferred under this chapter is deemed a loan from the state to the program participant. The commissioner must compute the interest as provided in section 270C.40, subdivision 5, but not to exceed five percent, and maintain records of the total deferred amount and interest for each participant. Interest shall accrue beginning September 1 of the payable year for which the taxes are deferred. Any deferral made under this chapter shall not be construed as delinquent property taxes.

The lien created under section 272.31 continues to secure payment by the taxpayer, or by the taxpayer's successors or assigns, of the amount deferred, including interest, with respect to all years for which amounts are deferred. The lien for deferred taxes and interest has the same priority as any other lien under section 272.31, except that liens, including mortgages, recorded or filed prior to the recording or filing of the notice under section 290B.04, subdivision 2, have priority over the lien for deferred taxes and interest. A seller's interest in a contract for deed, in which a qualifying homeowner is the purchaser or an assignee of the purchaser, has priority over deferred taxes and interest on deferred taxes, regardless of whether the contract for deed is recorded or filed. The lien for deferred taxes and interest for future years has the same priority as the lien for deferred taxes and interest for the first year, which is always higher in priority than any mortgages or other liens filed, recorded, or created after the notice recorded or filed under section 290B.04, subdivision 2. The county treasurer or auditor shall maintain records of the deferred portion and shall list the amount of deferred taxes for the year and the cumulative deferral and interest for all previous years as a lien against the property. In any certification of unpaid taxes for a tax parcel, the county auditor shall clearly distinguish between taxes payable in the current year, deferred taxes and interest, and delinquent taxes. Payment of the deferred portion becomes due and owing at the time specified in section 290B.08. Upon receipt of the payment, the commissioner shall issue a receipt for it to the person making the payment upon request and shall notify the auditor of the county in which the parcel is located, within ten days, identifying the parcel to which the payment applies. Upon receipt by the commissioner of revenue of collected funds in the amount of the deferral, the state's loan to the program participant is deemed paid in full.

(b) If property for which taxes have been deferred under this chapter forfeits under chapter 281 for nonpayment of a nondeferred property tax amount, or because of nonpayment of amounts previously deferred following a termination under section 290B.08, the lien for the taxes deferred under this chapter, plus interest and costs, shall be canceled by the county auditor as provided in section 282.07. However, notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, any proceeds from a subsequent sale of the property under chapter 282 or another law, must be used to first reimburse the county's forfeited tax sale fund for any direct costs of selling the property or any costs directly related to preparing the property for sale, and then to reimburse the state for the amount of the canceled lien. Within 90 days of the receipt of any sale proceeds to which the state is entitled under these provisions, the county auditor must pay those funds to the commissioner of revenue by warrant for deposit in the general fund. No other deposit, use, distribution, or release of gross sale proceeds or receipts may be made by the county until payments sufficient to fully reimburse the state for the canceled lien amount have been transmitted to the commissioner.

290B.08 TERMINATION OF DEFERRAL; PAYMENT OF DEFERRED TAXES.

Subdivision 1.Termination.

(a) The deferral of taxes granted under this chapter terminates when one of the following occurs:

(1) the property is sold or transferred;

(2) the death of all qualifying homeowners;

(3) the homeowner notifies the commissioner in writing that the homeowner desires to discontinue the deferral; or

(4) the property no longer qualifies as a homestead.

(b) A property is not terminated from the program because no deferred property tax amount is determined on the homestead for any given year after the homestead's initial enrollment into the program.

Subd. 2.Payment upon termination.

Upon the termination of the deferral under subdivision 1, the amount of deferred taxes, penalties, interest, and special assessments and interest, plus the recording or filing fees under both section 290B.04, subdivision 2, and this subdivision becomes due and payable to the commissioner within 90 days of termination of the deferral for terminations under subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (2), and within one year of termination of the deferral for terminations under subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clauses (3) and (4). No additional interest is due on the deferral if timely paid. On receipt of payment, the commissioner shall within ten days notify the auditor of the county in which the parcel is located, identifying the parcel to which the payment applies and shall remit the recording or filing fees under section 290B.04, subdivision 2, and this subdivision to the auditor. A notice of termination of deferral, containing the legal description and the recording or filing data for the notice of qualification for deferral under section 290B.04, subdivision 2, shall be prepared and recorded or filed by the county auditor in the same office in which the notice of qualification for deferral under section 290B.04, subdivision 2, was recorded or filed, and the county auditor shall mail a copy of the notice of termination to the property owner. The property owner shall pay the recording or filing fees. Upon recording or filing of the notice of termination of deferral, the notice of qualification for deferral under section 290B.04, subdivision 2, and the lien created by it are discharged. If the deferral is not timely paid, the penalty, interest, lien, forfeiture, and other rules for the collection of ad valorem property taxes apply.

290B.09 STATE REIMBURSEMENT.

Subdivision 1.Determination; payment.

The county auditor shall determine the total current year's deferred amount of property tax under this chapter in the county, and submit those amounts as part of the abstracts of tax lists submitted by the county auditors under section 275.29. The commissioner may make changes in the abstracts of tax lists as deemed necessary. The commissioner of revenue, after such review, shall pay the deferred amount of property tax to each county treasurer on or before August 31.

The county treasurer shall distribute as part of the October settlement the funds received as if they had been collected as a part of the property tax.

Subd. 2.Appropriation.

An amount sufficient to pay the total amount of property tax determined under subdivision 1, plus any amounts paid under section 290B.04, subdivision 7, is annually appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of revenue.

290B.10 SENIOR DEFERRAL PROGRAM; INFORMATION PROVIDED.

The commissioner of revenue shall provide information about the senior deferral program and eligibility criteria for the program in the instruction booklet prepared for taxpayers to use in applying for property tax refunds under chapter 290A.

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes