~ Letter to the Editor ~ A reminder for Disabled Veterans to file with the Saugus Assessors’ Office for Annual Property Tax Exemption

Disabled veterans who own property in Saugus have an earned benefit for an annual property tax exemption. Disabled veterans who seek to receive this property tax exemption must bring a copy of their DD 214 (discharge papers), and their 2024 annual VA Disability (benefit letter) stating the percentage of their VA disability to the Town of Saugus Assessors’ Office.

Disabled Veterans must occupy the property as your primary domicile. If you are a spouse of a veteran, you and the veteran must occupy the property as your domicile. Your domicile is where your principal and legal home is located, your family, social, civic and economic life is centered and you plan to return whenever you are away. You may have more than one residence, but only one domicile.

The Town of Saugus Assessors’ Office offers this earned benefit as defined by state law. An exemption discharges the taxpayer from the legal obligation to pay all or a portion of the tax assessed for the fiscal year.

Exemptions are found in various clauses of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 59, Section 5 (M.G.L. c. 59, § 5). Exemptions range from $ 400.00 for veterans with a 10% disability to a full property tax exemption for Veterans who are paraplegics, or have a 100% disability for service-connected blindness and spouses (where veteran’s spouse owns the domicile) or surviving spouses of veterans entitled to exemption. A full property tax exemption may also be available to surviving spouses of: (1) military personnel (including members of the National Guard on active duty) who went missing in action during active duty and are presumed to have died, or (2) military personnel (including members of the National Guard on active duty) or veterans who died as a proximate result of injuries sustained or illnesses contracted during active duty service.

Veterans may obtain a copy of their DD 214 and their annual VA benefit letter by logging into their VA or MyPay account on www.va.gov. Veterans may call the VA Benefit Hotline at 800-827-1000 between the hours of 8:00am – 9:00pm and request a copy of their DD 214 and their annual VA benefit letter stating the percentage of their disability. Additional information is available at this link:

https://www.mass.gov/doc/guide-to-real-estate-tax-exemptions-for-qualifying-veterans/download

Disabled veterans who qualify for this property tax exemption are encouraged to visit the Town of Saugus Assessors’ Office with a copy of their DD 214 and their annual VA benefit letter to receive the property tax abatement.

The Office of Veterans Services at Town Hall does not have access to annual VA disability letters. The Office of Veterans Services has limited access to obtain a DD 214 (service records).

Paul J. Cancelliere

Saugus-VSO

Phone: 781-231-4010

Email: pcancelliere@saugus-ma.gov