Home
Town News & Announcements
Shaftsbury Assessor: File your Homestead Declaration
Posted: March 7, 2025
SHAFTSBURY - By Vermont law, property owners whose homes meet the definition of a Vermont homestead must file a
Homestead Declaration annually by the April filing deadline.
Shaftsbury
Assessor Gina Jenks wants residents to be aware of this.
"Any resident that owns their house and it’s their primary house, they must file their Homestead [declaration] every year. But there seem to be some people who do not file their state taxes and don’t realize that they still must declare their Homestead," she said in an interview this week. "Even if you file late, do your Homestead so that you're not penalized."
Filling out the form makes a difference in the amount of property tax rate one pays.
"I had someone come in the other day that's been here since 2012 and she believed that her accountant was taking care of it, and they were not," Jenks said. "So this year for 2024 if you filed a homestead, the tax rate was 1.3809 and if you were non-Homestead, it was 1.8084. So that can add up."
"So, people are leaving money on the table not realizing that they must file their Homestead. If they are living in the house as of April 1 of that year, they can file the Homestead there," she added. "They can do it online if they go to
myvtax.vermont.gov," she said. "There is a form there that helps them file their Homestead. This information is (also) on our website,
shaftsburyvt.gov."
The main form to file, the
state HS-122, is posted on the Shaftsbury website. Even if one doesn't file state taxes, you need to file the HS-122 Homestead Declaration with the state. Paired with it on both the town and state websites is 2024 Schedule HI-144, which must be included with HS-122.
Jenks said help is available for taxpayers from the
Vermont Taxpayer Advocate, which can be reached at 802-828-6848.
According to its website, "The Taxpayer Advocate represents your voice at the Vermont Department of Taxes. As an independent entity within the Department, the Taxpayer Advocate is committed to helping Vermont taxpayers by balancing taxpayer assistance against enforcement efforts. The Taxpayer Advocate is here to listen to you, understand your problems or concerns, and work with you to resolve them. The Advocate works to ensure that you are treated fairly and that you know and understand your rights."
As noted, another useful resource is
myvtax.vermont.gov, I also found out today that if your income after adjustment is less than $85,000 you can get your taxes done for free," Jenks said, "They have a software that they can use."
Jenks said she did not know what percentage of taxpayers in town fail to file their Homestead Declaration. "I try to tell people as I see that they're not doing it. I have tried to reach out to people. We try to put the information on just about everything we mail out from the town, postcards, letters on our website," she said. "It's a shame that people are struggling with taxes, and this is an option for them that some of them do not know (about)."
She also suggested that residents sign up for the town email newsletter. "It’s just once a month and has lots of information," she said.
Compliments of:
The Bennington Banner
Posted/Author: Mark Rondeau
