The State of Maine has introduced a new program that allows certain senior-citizen residents to stabilize, or freeze, the property taxes on their homestead. As long as you qualify and file a timely application each year, the tax billed to you for your homestead will be frozen at the amount you were billed in the prior tax year. Eligible residents who move may transfer the fixed tax amount to a new homestead, even if that new homestead is in a different Maine municipality.
To be eligible for the Program, an individual must meet all of the following as of April 1 of the property tax year for which they are requesting stabilization:
- at least 65 years old,
- a permanent resident of Maine,
- have owned a Maine homestead for at least ten years, and
- be eligible for a homestead exemption on the property they are placing in the Program.
Application forms and guidance for applicants is now available on the Maine Revenue Services website. Completed forms can be submitted to the Assessor's office, located on the second floor of City Hall, during business hours. The Assessing Department also has paper copies of the application form available. Note: The City of Biddeford requires a copy of your ID to be presented along with your form in order to confirm your age eligibility for the program.