Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)
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Taxes
Property tax relief for seniors in Iowa
Iowa has 2 programs that can lower property taxes for older adults: Homestead Tax Exemption for Claimants 65 Years of Age or Older and Iowa Property Tax Credit for elderly and disabled homeowners. Each one has its own rules and deadline.
Homestead Tax Exemption for Claimants 65 Years of Age or Older
If you are 65 or older and own and live in your Iowa home, an extra $6,500 of its taxable value is not taxed. It comes on top of the homestead exemption every owner can get. You file once with your city or county assessor by July 1.
How to apply
- In person
- File Form 54-028 with your city or county assessor by July 1 of the first year you claim it
Who may qualify
| Age | An owner 65 or older on or before January 1 of the assessment year |
|---|---|
| Home | You own the home and live in it in good faith on July 1 and for at least six months of the year (or are in a nursing home or similar care) |
What you may get
| Extra exemption for people 65 and older | $6,500 of taxable value |
|---|---|
| Homestead exemption for all owners (assessment year 2026, taxes paid in 2027 and 2028) | 10% of the home's taxable value, at least $5,500 and at most $20,000 |
Dates, renewals and waiting lists
| Application deadline | July 1 of the year you first claim it (later claims count for the next year) |
|---|---|
| Do you reapply? | No, once allowed it carries on in later years |
How Iowa is different
Where Iowa's rules differ from the federal rules for Property tax relief for seniors.
- A 2026 law (SF 2472) replaced Iowa's homestead credit with a 10% homestead exemption starting with assessment year 2026; people who already had the credit don't need to refile
Iowa Property Tax Credit for elderly and disabled homeowners
Iowa pays part of the property tax on the home of people 65 or older (or disabled) with low income, up to all of the tax on the first $1,000. If you are 70 or older with income under 250% of the poverty level, the credit can also cover any rise in your tax from one year to the next. You file each year with your county treasurer by June 1.
How to apply
- In person
- File Form 54-001 with your county treasurer between January 1 and June 1 (not with the Department of Revenue)
Who may qualify
| Age | 65 or older by December 31, 2025 (or totally disabled and 18 or older) |
|---|---|
| Household income limit, ages 65 to 69 (2025 income, 2026 claim) | Under $26,895 a year |
| Household income limit, 70 or older, one person (2025 income, 2026 claim; 250% of poverty level) | $39,125 or less |
| Household income limit, 70 or older, two people (2026 claim) | $52,875 or less |
| Home | Iowa resident; the home you own and live in (you may still claim while in a nursing home if the home isn't rented out) |
What you may get
| Credit (2026 claim, taxes due in fiscal year 2026-2027) | From 25% to 100% of the tax on up to $1,000 of your property tax, depending on income (100% with household income under $13,855) |
|---|---|
| Extra for people 70 or older under 250% of poverty | The larger of the regular credit or the year-over-year rise in your property tax |
Dates, renewals and waiting lists
| Deadline for the 2026 claim | June 1, 2026 (or March 31, 2027 if your treasurer extends it) |
|---|---|
| Do you reapply? | Yes, every year |
How Iowa is different
Where Iowa's rules differ from the federal rules for Property tax relief for seniors.
- Income counts Social Security and other nontaxable income
- Married couples file one claim and combine their incomes
Free help
Free help with this in Iowa
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Aging Services
Your local Area Agency on Aging can help with meals, rides, help at home, caregiver support and applying for benefits.
More help in Iowa
Property tax relief in another state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Sources
- Iowa Department of Revenue, Homestead Tax Credit and Exemption (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Iowa Department of Revenue, Homestead Tax Exemption, Form 54-028 (05/22/2026) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Iowa Department of Revenue, 2026 Iowa Property Tax Credit Claim, Form 54-001, with instructions (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Iowa Department of Revenue, Property Tax Credit Expanded (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
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