Senior/Disabled Discount
All OLMD residents that qualify for the Senior/Disabled Discount (see below) should also receive that discount automatically for the OLMD assessment. The County failed to do this in 2024 but corrected the mistake when we contacted them. Unfortunately, they made this same mistake again in February 2024 when tax notices were mailed. Our Steering Committee contacted the County Assessor and a corrected notice is supposed to be mailed soon to qualifying residents.
We then fielded some questions from OLMD residents about how to qualify for this discount. This is something residents must apply for to the County. The following information is coped from the Thurston County Assessor’s website: LINK
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Property Tax Relief Programs Overview
Like every responsibility, there are always exceptions where special consideration is given for certain circumstances. Our state leaders have created programs to support different needs in our communities.
The Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Exemption Program helps eligible individuals on a limited income to pay property taxes. This program freezes the value of your residence, exempts all excess levies, and may exempt a portion of regular levies.
A senior citizen must be 61 years old and annual household combined income may not exceed $59,000. Disabled persons have no age limit but must be unable to work because of a physical or mental disability.
There is also a Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Deferral Program which postpones payment of your property taxes. But unlike the exemption program this program is not a reduction of your taxes. On your behalf, the Department of Revenue pays the deferred property taxes. When the property changes ownership, the amount of the postponed taxes, plus interest each year, becomes a lien in favor of the State until the total amount is repaid.
Apply for a destroyed property tax adjustment if your property has been partially or totally destroyed. Also apply if the Governor or County Board of Commissioners has declared your region as a disaster area and there is a value reduction of 20% or more.
When you decide to make home improvements through remodeling and additions there is a Residential Remodeling Exemption available for home improvements. This law was passed to allow homeowners a three-year tax break in order to pay on any loan application associated with the home improvement project.
If you have agricultural, open space or timberlands, you may apply to classify your land under the Current Use/Open Space Program. This generally means a reduced assessed value for the duration of the classification; however, removal may result in penalties and interest charges.
These programs are available for you, the taxpayer. If you want more information on any of these programs, please call the Assessor at (360) 867-2200.
More information is copied from the Thurston County Assessor’s website:
The Senior Citizen and People with Disabilities Exemption Program reduces property taxes for qualifying homeowners.
There are 3 criteria you must meet in the Assessment Year to qualify for the exemption the following year:
- Age or disability (by 12/31 of the previous year)
- You must be 61 years of age or older or
- Disabled and unable to be gainfully employed or
- Veteran with an 80% or greater service-connected disability rating.
- Own your home and reside there more than 6 months in the Assessment Year.
- Have a total combined disposable income of $59,000 or less.
How to apply
The easiest way to apply for the exemption is to bring all the required information to our office. (See Below for required documentation) We will fill out the application for you and the entire process can usually be completed in less than 15 minutes.
Our address is:
Thurston County Assessor’s Office
3000 Pacific Ave SE
Olympia, WA 98501
When you arrive at our office, please have the following documentation with you to ensure that we can complete your application:
- Your Current Washington State ID or Driver’s License
- Proof of Disability (if under 61)
- Social Security Award Letter (or Social Security 1099)
- Proof of Disability Statement completed by a licensed physician (you can get a blank form here)
- VA Award Letter or Benefit Verification Letter with your combined disability rating and effective date
- Income & Deductions documentation for you and your spouse/co-tenant (co-tenant is someone who has an ownership interest and also lives there)
- This may include, but is not limited to: IRS Tax Return (1040) with all schedules and attachments, SSA-1099 (Social Security), RRB-1099 (Railroad Retirement), 1099-R, any other 1099, K-1, W-2, W-2-G, statement from Labor & Industries, or any other income documents
- If you do not file an IRS Tax Return, you need to provide documentation for all income for all income sources, such as: SSA-1099, RRB-1099, W-2, etc.
- Trust documents if the property is held in a trust.
- State law requires non-taxable income, such as Social Security and L&I Pensions, to be included.
- Receipts, invoices, or documentation for deductions
Disposable Income
When calculating disposable income, we are required to include income from all sources, taxable and nontaxable.
Some of the most common sources of income we must include are:
- Social Security
- L&I pensions
- Disability pensions
- Wages, salaries and tips
- Interest and dividends
- Pension and annuity, including retirement bonds, IRAs
- Retirement benefits
- Rental or Business income – Depreciation and losses may not be deducted.
- Capital gains
- Unemployment
- VA income, other than disability, attendant care, medical aid, or dependency & indemnity compensation
VA Disability payments are not included in the calculation of disposable income
Allowed Deductions
Out of pocket expenses for:
- Legally prescribed drug costs.
- Home health care expenses.
- Nursing home, boarding home, assisted living, or adult family home expenses.
- Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D insurance premiums.
Starting for the 2022 tax year and beyond, the following out of pocket expenses will be allowed as well:
- Medicare supplemental/Medigap insurance premiums. Click here for additional Medigap insurance info.
- Long-term care insurance premiums.
- Cost-sharing amounts – i.e. amounts applied toward your health plan’s “out-of-pocket maximum”. (RCW 48.43.005(18)).
- Medicines of mineral, animal, and botanical origin prescribed, administered, dispensed, or used in the treatment of an individual by a naturopath licensed under Washington law.
- Durable medical equipment costs. Common examples may be Medical Beds, Bedpans, Glucose meters, etc. See WAC 458-20-18801 Table 1 for more examples.
- Mobility enhancing equipment costs. Common examples may be Canes, Walkers, Wheelchairs, etc. See WAC 458-20-18801 Table 3 for more examples.
- Prosthetic devices costs. Common examples may include Eyeglasses, Hearing Aids, Dentures, etc. See WAC 458-20-18801 Table 5 for more examples.
- Medically prescribed oxygen.
- Nebulizers.
- Ostomic items.
- Kidney dialysis devises.
- Disposable devices used to deliver drugs for human use.
Additional information about the program is available in our Brochure. If you have any additional questions, please contact our office at (360) 867-2200 or by email at asrinfo@co.thurston.wa.us
