2004 Minnesota Statutes

     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, both 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; 

    (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 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. 

    HIST: 1997 c 231 art 14 s 6; 1998 c 389 art 5 s 3; 1999 c 243 
 art 5 s 28; 2000 c 490 art 5 s 20