What is the Principal Residence Affidavit and what happened to the homestead exemption?
If you own and occupy your residential property as your principal residence, you are entitled to an exemption of some of the local school property taxes. You must file the Principal Residence Exemption Affidavit with the Assessing Department in order to apply for the exemption. You must be a Michigan resident, you must use the same address on your income tax returns, if you are registered to vote, you must use the same address, you may not claim any other similar exemptions on any other property either in the State of Michigan or in any other state.
This exemption used to be called the Homestead exemption but many confused it with the Homestead Property Tax Credit that is filed with your State of Michigan income tax return so the Michigan Legislature changed the name of the exemption to the Principal Residence Exemption.Principal Residence Exemption Information page.

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1. What characteristics about my property are maintained by the City?
2. What is an Assessment Change Notice and why is it important?
3. What is the responsibility of the Board of Review and why do they meet at various times of the year?
4. The Board of Review denied my assessment appeal. What can I do now?
5. When do I need to file a Property Transfer Affidavit?
6. What is the Principal Residence Affidavit and what happened to the homestead exemption?
7. I plan on moving out of my residence. Do I need to let the City know?
8. When are my property taxes due?
9. I pay my property taxes through my mortgage company. What happens when I pay off my mortgage?
10. I'm a senior citizen on a fixed income. My neighbor told me that I may be able to defer my summer property tax payment. Is there such a program?