Scarier than Halloween: Missing the November 1 early deadline to file for Concord’s new residential tax exemption.
Getting the exemption isn’t complicated — but it’s not automatic either. Anyone who owned a Concord house or condo and occupied it as their primary residence as of January 1, 2023 can apply. Commercial and rental properties aren’t eligible.
Here’s what you need to do.
Fill out an application.
If you need one, you can download it from concordma.gov. You can also get a physical copy at the Town Assessor’s office, 24 Court Lane; at the Town House, 22 Monument Street; at The Council on Aging, Harvey Wheeler Community Center, 1276 Main Street; and at the Main Library and the Fowler Branch, 129 Main Street and 1322 Main Street.
Prepare your supporting documents.
Make a copy of just the first page of your 2022 federal tax return. Redact — black out or cover — your personal information, including your Social Security number and your income. Only leave legible your name, your address, and the title and year of the form (such as Form 1040).
If your home is held in a trust, include a copy of the page of the trust document that shows you’re a trustee, a beneficiary, or have a life estate in the property.
If you weren’t required to file federal taxes in 2022 because of your income, write a short note explaining that and provide copies of two of the following documents:
- Both sides of your driver’s license;
- Your motor vehicle registration;
- Your gun permit;
- The redacted first page of your 2021 federal tax return; or
- Another 2022 federal form showing your home address.
If your 2022 federal tax return shows a P.O. box as your address, include a copy of one of those documents, such as a copy of a car registration, that shows your street address.
Send in your application and documents.
Mail your completed application and copies of your supporting materials to the Assessor’s Office at 24 Court Ln., Concord, MA 01742 or drop it off there in person. You can also email everything to assessing@concordma.gov.
That’s it! If your early deadline application is approved, the town will notify you by mail in December and should see the effect in January’s tax bill. If you apply after November 1 but before the final deadline of April 1, 2024, you’ll see the effect in a later bill.
Under the new exemption program, after the Select Board sets a new tax rate this fall, owners of the most modestly assessed homes in Concord will see a drop in their tax bill. Homes near the average value will likely see a bill similar to last year’s. Owners of the highest-valued homes in town will pay more in taxes — but not as much as if they didn’t apply for the exemption.
For more information, visit concordma.gov, email assessing@concordma.gov, or call 978-318-3070.
