Charleston Co. Auditor: “Thousands qualify for homestead tax exemption”

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - Many homeowners in South Carolina are eligible for the homestead tax exemption.

The Charleston county auditor urges any seniors, those who are legally blind, or permanently disabled to apply because the homeowner can save hundreds each year.

The Charleston County Auditor Peter Tecklenburg says he wants people to know they can save money starting this year with the homestead tax exemption.

Tecklenburg says there are thousands of people who qualify but they simply don’t know about the program, so they don’t take advantage of it.

“The idea is to help people stay in their homes and not taxed out of their homes,” Tecklenburg says.

The exemption states that if the person qualifies, they would be able to be taxed on an amount that is $50,000 dollars less than their home value.

For example: If a home is valued at $200,000 dollars, the program will only tax the homeowner for a $150,000-dollar value. If the house is only estimated to be worth $50,000, then the tax exemption would eliminate the homeowner’s tax bill completely.

Tecklenburg says there’s about 30,000 people just in Charleston County alone who qualify, which is ten percent of the whole county.

To apply, you can find the application online here or you can call the auditor’s office and have them mail a copy of them form.

Applicants will have to provide valid identification and the title to the home being claimed.

Tecklenburg recently sent out 5,000 letters to Charleston County homeowners that his team believes qualifies for the exemption but haven’t applied yet. His team is working on sending out thousands more.

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