Senator Fuschillo Reminds Residents to Register WITH New York State to Continue Receiving Basic Star Exemption

    Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R-Merrick) is reminding residents who currently receive the Basic STAR exemption that they must register with New York State in order to continue receiving the exemption in 2014 and future years. The registration requirement is part of a new initiative to ensure that tax dollars are not wasted on inappropriate or fraudulent STAR exemptions.

    “More than half of all Long Islanders who must register in order to continue receiving the Basic STAR exemption have not yet done so, according to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Don’t wait until the last minute; if you currently receive Basic STAR, register with New York State today to ensure that you continue receiving valuable school tax savings,” said Senator Fuschillo.

    Residents can register online with the New York State Department of Taxation & Finance by visiting www.tax.ny.gov or over the phone by calling (518) 457-2036. As part of the registration, residents will need to:

• provide the names and social security numbers for all owners of the property and spouses
• confirm that the property is the primary residence of one of its owners (married couples with multiple residences may only claim one STAR exemption)
• confirm that the combined income of the owners and their spouses who reside at the property does not exceed $500,000
• confirm that no resident owner received a residency-based tax benefit from another state

    Residents will need their STAR code in order to register, which were mailed to homeowners with Basic STAR by the Department of Taxation & Finance. Homeowners who lost or did not receive their STAR code can look it up through the Department of Taxation & Finance’s website.

    Senior citizens who receive the Enhanced STAR exemption are not affected by these new requirements, and as a result do not need to register with the Department of Taxation and Finance. However, Enhanced STAR recipients must continue to reapply annually or participate in the income verification program, as they are currently required to do.

    Residents who have questions about the STAR registration requirements can call the Department of Taxation & Finance at (518) 457-2036 or Senator Fuschillo’s office at 516-882-0630. The deadline to register is December 31, 2013.