By Rusty Nixon Correspondent
PLYMOUTH — As the year winds down, so does the deadline for filing for property tax deductions.
The filing deadline for all exemptions and deductions is now Dec. 31 in order to apply to the 2008 payable 2009 tax year.
Marshall County Auditor Penny Lukenbill wants to particularly remind taxpayers of the approaching filing deadline for the new “Over 65 Income-Based Credit Deduction.” The deduction is a new one and should not be confused with the current “Over 65 Age Exemption.”

“This is different from the over 65 age deduction,” said Lukenbill. “It has a different income cap and you don’t automatically qualify for this.”
The new deduction is a recent one enacted by the state legislature.
“It went into effect July 1 and the agencies in Indianapolis have finally decided the rules about how it is to function,” said Lukenbill. “There may not be a lot of people who qualify for this, but we want to make sure to get the word out to everybody in the county to at least check into it.”
The deduction must be filed with the auditor’s office by Dec. 31 to apply to the 2008 pay 2009 taxes. This deduction limits property tax increases to 2 percent annually on the Homestead portion of tax bills for homeowners over 65 with limited income.
In order to qualify for the Over 65 Income Based Credit, you must be an Indiana resident who has filed and qualifies for a homestead deduction, and owned property with an assessed value less than $160,000 for at least one year prior to Dec. 31.  
Your income should be $30,000 or less for single taxpayers and $40,000 or less for married couples filing jointly.  You must also have reached age 65 by last Dec. 31. When filing, you must bring a copy of your 1040 tax return for income verification.
“People need to come in to the Auditor’s office to file,” said Lukenbill. “If somebody is homebound or otherwise unable to come down they should call the office and we’ll make other arrangements.”
“This is a good piece of legislation,” said Lukenbill of the deduction. “I think it’s what the legislature had in mind when they began trying to give tax relief to people who really need it.”
If you have questions about any deductions or exemptions, please call the Marshall County Auditor’s office at 935-8555 or 935-8508.