Recognizing And Supporting Our Veterans Through Property Tax Relief

By MJ Shannon
State Rep., D-117

MJ Shannon

One of the most important bipartisan efforts I was proud to support this past legislative session was strengthening Connecticut’s property tax exemption for our veterans. Last year, lawmakers passed Public Act 24-46, which created a municipal property tax exemption for veterans with a 100 percent permanent and total service-connected disability rating from the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

This exemption is a meaningful way to honor and support the men and women who gave so much in service to our country. As the law began to take effect, however, it became clear that certain parts needed clarification. Local assessors, who administer property tax exemptions in every community, needed more precise guidance to ensure that eligible veterans and their families could benefit as intended.

This year, the legislature worked together to provide that clarity. The updated language we passed preserves the property and motor vehicle tax exemption for veterans with a 100 percent permanent and total disability rating, while also making several important adjustments.

The exemption now transfers to an unremarried surviving spouse when a veteran passes away, extends eligibility to mobile homes and excludes portions of a residence that are rented out or used for commercial purposes. The law also creates an annual verification process, since VA disability ratings can change, and ensures that the exemption is portable if a veteran moves to a new home.

These changes may sound technical, but they make a real difference. They provide clarity for town assessors and certainty for veterans and their families who rely on this tax relief. In addition, municipalities now have the option to expand support further if they choose. Towns may decide to exempt up to two acres of land on which a qualifying veteran’s home is located, extend eligibility to surviving spouses of veterans who would have qualified before the Oct. 1, 2024 effective date, or cap the exemption at the median assessed value of homes in that community.

It is also important to note that these updates do not change other laws that already provide property tax exemptions for veterans with a VA disability rating of 10 percent or more, for surviving spouses of veterans who died from service-related causes or for income-eligible family members of veterans killed in combat. The clarifications we made this year are specifically meant to strengthen the exemption created under PA 24-46.

Our veterans and their families deserve more than words of gratitude. They deserve real, meaningful action. By clarifying PA 24-46 this session, we ensured that Connecticut veterans will receive the property tax relief they have earned, while also giving towns the tools they need to administer the exemption fairly.

I am committed to continuing this work at the Capitol and here in our community, so that veterans in Milford, Orange and West Haven know their service and sacrifice will always be honored. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out by phone at 860-240-8585 or by email at mj.shannon@cga.ct.gov.