STAR Benefit Checks Being Mailed Out in NYS

STAR benefit checks are starting to appear in mailboxes around New York State.

The state’s School Tax Relief, or STAR, program gives eligible homeowners a break on school property taxes. Depending on a household’s location, the taxes are due in summer, fall or winter months annually, which also rings true for when homeowners receive the benefit.

The STAR benefit program provides eligible homeowners with a break on their property taxes through an up-front savings that comes directly off their tax bill — the STAR exemption — or a “credit,” which comes as a check or direct deposit.

The state requires that new homeowners be issued a check instead of an exemption. According to state law, in order to receive an exemption currently, homeowners must have owned their home since 2015.

If you qualify for a STAR exemption, it will be reflected on your tax bill, which could appear anywhere from late August to December, depending on where you live.

According to the State Department of Taxation and Finance, the bulk of the STAR benefits are delivered in the fall, starting in September.

If you receive a STAR credit check instead, you’ll be getting one soon in most regions of the state.

To determine when your check will show up, visit this link: https://www8.tax.ny.gov/SCDS/scdsStart.

Different municipalities will have varied due dates for school property taxes. To find out when your school property taxes are due, consult your city, town, village or school district.

If your STAR check has not arrived and your due date to pay your school property taxes has passed, contact the Department of Taxation and Finance through your Online Services Account or by calling the office at (518) 457-2036 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Homeowners can switch from an exemption to a check or direct deposit, and those who opt to do so could see the value of their STAR savings increase annually because, by law, the STAR credit can increase by as much as 2% each year, according to the state. The value of STAR exemptions cannot increase.