New York Seniors: Have You Enrolled in STAR Credit Direct Deposit?

Too many New York residents are struggling with housing expenses and the costs of utilities, medicines, groceries, transportation, and other necessities.  

Recently, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that nearly three million homeowners across the state will receive over $2 billion in property tax relief this summer and fall.

This year’s School Tax Relief (STAR) benefits come in the form of a tax exemption for some residents. Many others will receive a tax credit by check or direct deposit in the weeks ahead.  

Most homeowners eligible for a STAR credit will receive between $350 and $600. Most seniors eligible for an Enhanced STAR credit will receive between $700 and $1,500.

Helping Seniors Stay in Their New York Homes

Year by year, staying in their homes is getting harder for New York seniors. It shouldn’t be this way. But many older adults in New York rely on fixed incomes, pensions, or their individual retirement accounts to cover the cost of living. Their property values are going up—but that means higher property taxes. For some deed holders, the effects of inflation and tax increases can threaten their ability to stay in their New York homes.

“Amidst the worst affordability crisis since 2008, families are struggling and looking for relief now more than ever,” State Senator Patricia Fahy said in the governor’s press release.

STAR is one tool that Governor Hochul and the Department of Taxation and Finance can use to help New Yorkers—and especially seniors—who are swamped by rising housing costs. The Enhanced STAR program may keep some older adults from teetering on the brink of unaffordability. It’s a boost for seniors and other longtime deed holders trying to live in comfort in the New York communities they helped to build.

A Longtime Lifeline for Homeowners Across New York

“The STAR program is a lifeline for homeowners across our state,” Assemblymember Jordan J.G. Wright said in the governor’s press release. For eligible deed holders, it eases the burden of school property taxes.

Established decades ago, the Basic and Enhanced STAR programs offer this lifeline to about half a million New York City homeowners. This year, nearly 474,000 deed holders in New York City will receive that relief, adding up to about $150 million.

Many more homeowners across the state are eligible. This year, nearly three million homeowners across New York State are expected to receive STAR property tax relief to offset rising housing costs. That adds up to more than $2 billion in property tax relief for New York State residents.

This year, New York households are being battered not only by inflation but also by cuts to federal assistance programs on which many have depended. Direct relief from the STAR program is at least as important now as it ever was. As New York Assemblymember Amanda Septimo said, it will “deliver much-needed financial breathing room to millions of New Yorkers and help make our state more affordable for the families who call it home.”

Eligible New York Homeowners: Here’s How to Sign Up

Visit NY.gov/STAR to register for the STAR credit, enroll in STAR Credit Direct Deposit, or check the status of your benefit.

Homeowners who are already registered for the STAR credit can enroll in direct deposit through the Homeowner Benefit Portal, part of the Tax Department’s secure Online Services system.

Need more information? Find a schedule of educational seminars and additional details at the Tax Department’s STAR Resource Center.

Get what’s coming to you! If you are eligible and have not yet registered, visit the website today.