How the checker works
NYC's Senior Citizen Homeowners' Exemption (SCHE) and Disabled Homeowners' Exemption (DHE) cut the assessed value the city taxes. They use the same income limit and the same sliding scale. The checker first tests eligibility, then finds your income band, then estimates savings as: assessed value × exemption percentage × tax rate.
At a glance
- Income limit (SCHE and DHE)
- $58,399
- Combined, all owners and spouses
- Largest reduction
- 50%
- Income of $50,000 or less
- Smallest reduction
- 5%
- Income of $57,500–$58,399
- Deadline
- March 15
- For the tax year starting July 1
Who qualifies
- SCHE: all owners must be 65 or older. If the owners are spouses or siblings, only one needs to be 65+.
- DHE: all owners must have a disability, with the same spouse-or-sibling exception. You must submit documentation of the disability.
- Residence: the property must be the owners' primary residence. DOF allows exceptions for divorce, legal separation, abandonment, and owners in inpatient care at a residential health care facility.
- Ownership (SCHE): you must have owned the property for 12 consecutive months before filing, unless you received the exemption on a previous residence.
Income generally means combined adjusted gross income minus the taxable amount of IRA distributions. It includes Social Security, retirement benefits, interest, dividends, capital gains, net rental income, wages and net self-employment income, and the list is not exhaustive. People who received SCHE or DHE before June 13, 2024 may also use an alternative method that subtracts unreimbursed medical and prescription drug costs.
| Combined income | Assessed value reduction |
|---|---|
| $0 – $50,000 | 50% |
| $50,001 – $50,999 | 45% |
| $51,000 – $51,999 | 40% |
| $52,000 – $52,999 | 35% |
| $53,000 – $53,899 | 30% |
| $53,900 – $54,799 | 25% |
| $54,800 – $55,699 | 20% |
| $55,700 – $56,599 | 15% |
| $56,600 – $57,499 | 10% |
| $57,500 – $58,399 | 5% |
Worked example
A 71-year-old widow owns and lives in a one-family house in Staten Island she bought decades ago. Her income is $52,500, made up of Social Security, a pension and some interest. That falls in the $52,000–$52,999 band, so SCHE cuts her assessed value by 35%. Her taxable assessed value is $32,000, so $11,200 is removed. At the tax year 2026 class 1 rate of 19.843%, she saves about $2,222 a year. If her income were $49,000 she would get the full 50% reduction and save about $3,175.
Edge cases
- Co-op shareholders apply on DOF's separate co-op application. Ask your managing agent how the savings will be credited to you.
- The checker uses the tax year 2026 rates. Your actual bill depends on the current rate and any other exemptions, such as STAR.
- SCHE and DHE homes are excluded from the NYC tax lien sale, a big protection if you ever fall behind.
What to do next
Apply or renew with NYC Finance by March 15; DOF takes online applications from September 28. Also check Enhanced STAR, a separate state school tax benefit with a higher income limit. For background, read the SCHE guide, the DHE guide and the exemptions finder.