STATEHOUSE (May 17, 2010) - State Sen. Ron Alting (R-Lafayette) says by completing and mailing back one simple form included in local property tax statements, eligible property owners will receive valuable tax credits while helping county governments better monitor homestead filings and prevent fraud.

“Currently, pink forms are included in property tax statements being mailed to Hoosiers,” Alting said.  “I encourage those who haven’t already done so to take the time to complete the form and mail it back to their local auditor’s office. This will help provide a cost savings to eligible property taxpayers while preventing fraud and ensuring fairness in the system.”

Alting said by completing and returning the pink forms, most Hoosier property taxpayers will be granted deductions reducing their taxable assessed value of homesteads by up to 60 percent or $45,000, whichever is less.

“Those who do not return the form could lose their homestead deductions,” Alting said.
He said information included on the completed forms will be used to help prevent fraud, which ultimately costs law-abiding property owners.

“Unfortunately, in previous years some people have claimed homestead deductions they were not entitled to receive,” Alting said. “This new process will help update the database and weed out those who may try to take unfair advantage of the system.”

As part of the new form, property owners provide the last five digits of their Social Security and drivers’ license numbers.

“This information will only be used within a secure homestead database,” Alting said.

Although taxpayers may see this form again throughout the next few years, Alting said they only need to fill it out once.

“State law requires all homestead verification forms to be filed no later than Jan. 1, 2013, but I hope property owners will complete this form before then,” Alting said.

For more information on the homestead verification form, please visit www.in.gov/dlgf.

Sen. Alting represents Senate District 22, which includes a portion of Tippecanoe County.