Platte County Commission Enacts Senior Citizens’ Real Property Tax Freeze Credit
The Platte County Commission is pleased to announce that applications are now available for the Platte County Senior Citizens’ Real Property Tax Freeze Credit, a significant initiative aimed at providing financial stability for senior homeowners in the county. Authorized under Missouri’s Senate Bill 190 (SB190), this program allows eligible senior citizens to apply annually for a tax credit designed to freeze the real property taxes on their homes, ensuring predictability and protecting against potential spikes in property tax bills.
The tax freeze program is available to homeowners who meet the following criteria:
• Must be at least 62 years of age.
• Must own their primary residence in Platte County.
• Must be responsible for the payment of property taxes on their home.
With the next property tax re-assessment scheduled for 2025, and re-assessments occurring every odd-numbered year thereafter, qualifying applicants will see their property tax bills calculated based on their 2024 tax amount. A tax credit will be applied to their 2025 tax statement, offsetting any future increases in assessed value or operational levies.
It is important to note that certain levies, such as those funding the Missouri State Blind Pension Fund ($0.03) and debt levies, are exempt from this program. As a result, seniors may still experience slight increases in their tax bills due to these specific levies.
Application Details:
• Initial Application Period: Applications will be accepted in the Platte County Clerk’s Office starting September 3, 2024, through May 15, 2025.
• Ongoing Application Period: Beginning in 2025, applications will be accepted annually from October 1st through December 31st.
Printable applications will be made available on the County’s website in September at www.co.platte.mo.us with hard copies also available at the County Clerk’s Office. Questions may be emailed to [email protected]. Citizens may also call the Clerk’s Office at 816-827-4075. Click here for a printable version of the application
The tax credit amount will be listed on the statement of tax due for the applicable tax year. This will be sent by the Platte County Collector of Revenue in November.
The Platte County Senior Citizen Tax Credit Freeze is designed to give senior citizens who are homeowners in Platte County a tax credit on their property taxes. The tax credit essentially locks the tax amount of an eligible taxpayer's home in order to keep them from experiencing increases in their property taxes. (However, the State Blind Pension Fund is exempt as is any debt levy that a taxing jurisdiction passes.) The program is authorized under Senate Bill 190, which the Missouri Legislature passed and expanded under Senate Bill 756.
A Platte County homeowner applicant must be at least 62 years of age and own their primary residence in Platte County. (The ownership may be direct or beneficial, such as ownership through a trust.) They must be responsible for the payment of their home's property taxes.
For improvements or additions made to a homestead of an eligible taxpayer prior to 2024, the tax credit amount will be calculated on the homestead including any improvements or additions previously made.
For improvements or additions made to a homestead of an eligible taxpayer after 2024, the tax credit amount will be calculated on the homestead but excluding the tax liability associated with improvements or additions subsequently made. Said another way, if improvements or additions are made to the homestead of an eligible taxpayer after they become eligible for the tax credit, any tax increase relating to the improvement or addition to the homestead will not be included when calculating the tax credit amount.
Yes. The tax credit is only offered to qualifying taxpayers who submit an application to Platte County. Applications for the first year will be accepted from September 3, 2024 through May 15, 2025.
Taxpayers must apply for the Senior Citizen Tax Credit each year. Applications for the first year will be accepted from September 3, 2024 through May 15, 2025. Thereafter applications will be accepted annually from October 1 through December 31, beginning in 2025.
Platte County intends to provide various public service announcements and reminders relating to the Senior Citizen Tax Credit. Platte County does not provide individual taxpayers with notice of the need to re-apply for the Senior Citizen Tax Credit. Each taxpayer desiring to receive the tax credit must remember to apply. Platte County encourages the use of a calendar reminder so that taxpayers do not miss the application deadline.
Paper copies of the application are available at 415 Third St, Platte City MO 64079 in the Platte County Clerk's Office.
The application is also available online at www.co.platte.mo.us
The application requires your name, mailing address, phone number, email address, and date of birth. You will also need to supply the Parcel Identification Number for your home residence (available on the Platte County Assessor's website). There are a number of questions a taxpayer will need to answer to determine eligibility for the tax credit. Finally, you will need to submit proof of residency, for example, a voter registration card, driver license, utility bill, or mortgage statement. Platte County will consider other reasonable proofs of residency.
Platte County has limited resources to notify applications of the application status or approval. Applicants will not receive any formal notification other than the statement of taxes due indicating the tax credit. Applicants may contact the Platte County Clerk at 415 Third St, Platte City MO 64079, or by telephone at 816-827-4075 or send an email to [email protected] to confirm that their application was received or to check the status.
Taxpayers must apply for the Senior Citizen Tax Credit each year.
For more information, you may contact the Platte County Clerk at 415 Third St, Platte City MO 64079, or by telephone at 816-827-4075 or [email protected]
Click Here for a printable version of the FAQs
Click here for a printable version of the application