The City of Philadelphia administers several property tax relief programs. The Homestead Exemption is among our most important ones.
Starting in 2023, the Homestead Exemption gives Philadelphia residents who own and live in their home a discount of up to $1,119 on their Real Estate Tax bill each year. However, there are certain scenarios where the property is not eligible for the Homestead Exemption.
A common example is a Trust. Although a Trust may qualify for some City administered property tax relief programs like OOPA or LOOP, trusts do not qualify for the Homestead Exemption. Unlike most City programs, the Homestead Exemption was created by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s legislature, and not by Philadelphia City Council.
Pennsylvania law requires that the property owner must be a “natural person” to qualify for the Homestead Exemption. Because a trust is a legal entity that holds property for the benefit of another, it is not eligible for the exemption. Businesses and other legal entities do not qualify for the same reason.
Trustees or beneficiaries can get more information about applying to other Philadelphia’s homeowner assistance programs by:
- Emailing revenue@phila.gov, or
- Calling the Homestead hotline at (215) 686-9200.
Photo credit: Taylor Farnsworth, Department of Commerce / Flickr
