A Reminder of Disabled Veteran's Tax Savings

A Reminder of Disabled Veterans’ Tax Savings

By Jeff Prang

Los Angeles County Assessor

As we prepare to give thanks this November on Thanksgiving Day, it’s also important to remember those that have served our great nation in the military and honor their courage and valor this Veterans Day.

Veterans Day is a federal holiday and is celebrated this Nov. 11. Veterans Day, as most of you know, is a tribute to military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. It’s not to be confused with Memorial Day, which honors those who died while in service. Veterans Day honors all military veterans, including those still with us.

As a quick reminder, Veterans Day evolved from Armistice Day, which was proclaimed in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson, celebrating the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. That occurred on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. and formally recognized the “11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” in 1918 that ended the war.

Not only am I visiting with you about Veterans Day but to remind you that we have tax savings’ programs available for veterans, especially those that are disabled. I just don’t think we can’t remind our disabled veterans enough that they’re programs that can save them money on their property tax bills.

The exemption for disabled veterans or the unmarried spouse of a deceased disabled veteran through the Disabled Veterans’ Property Tax Exemption reduces the property tax on the veteran's primary residence in real dollars, if they are rated 100% disabled or receive compensation at the 100% rate due to being unable to work. The unmarried surviving spouse of a qualified veteran can also claim the exemption.

To be eligible for the exemption, a veteran must have been injured during their military service. The injuries that qualify for the exemption include being blind in both eyes, losing the use of two or more limbs and/or being totally disabled, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. As such, the disability rating must be issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Ratings from personal physicians are not accepted. Although there is no time limit on filing, only up to eight years is retroactively refundable and it starts from the effective date of the disability rating. To receive the full savings, it must be filed by February 15.

There are two levels of this exemption: the basic exemption and the low-income exemption. The basic exemption, also known as the $100,000 exemption, is available to all qualifying claimants. The exemption amount is compounded annually by an inflation factor. For 2024, the basic exemption amount is $169,769, which results in about $1,700 off their property tax bill.

The low-income exemption, also referred to as the $150,000 exemption, is available to qualifying claimants whose annual household income does not exceed a specified income limit. The amounts for both the low-income exemption and the annual income limit are compounded annually by an inflation factor. For 2024, the low-income exemption amount is $254,656 and the

annual household income limit is $76,235. That translates to about $2,500 off their property tax bill.

We owe a tremendous debt to our veterans and I say thank you for all that you’ve done, all that you do and all that you will do. Our Democracy is built on your service. I just don’t think we can say it enough.

For additional property tax relief programs, visit https://assessor.lacounty.gov/exemptions/disabled-veterans or call 213/974-3211.

______________________________________________________________________________Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang has been in office since 2014. Upon taking office, Prang implemented sweeping reforms to ensure that the strictest ethical guidelines rooted in fairness, accuracy and integrity would be adhered to in his office, which is the largest office of its kind in the nation with 1,400 employees and provides the foundation for a property tax system that generates more than $20 billion annually.

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