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Taxes
Property tax relief for seniors in Wisconsin
Wisconsin has 2 programs that can lower property taxes for older adults: Lottery and Gaming Credit and Wisconsin Homestead Credit. Each one has its own rules and deadline.
Lottery and Gaming Credit
Wisconsin's Lottery and Gaming Credit lowers the property tax bill on the home you own and live in, at any age and any income. It shows on your tax bill below the total tax. You apply once with your county or city treasurer, and the credit stays with the home while it is your main residence.
How to apply
- In person
- File a lottery and gaming credit application with your county treasurer, or the city treasurer if your city collects taxes. The Department of Revenue also has an online application portal.
Applying is free. Nobody should charge you to apply.
Apply on the official siteWho may qualify
| Age | Any age |
|---|---|
| Income limit | No income limit |
| Home | You may qualify if you are a Wisconsin resident and own the home and use it as your main residence on January 1 of the year the taxes are levied |
What you may get
| What it's worth | Varies each year: the state sets a maximum value, and your credit is that value (or your home's value, if lower) times your school tax rate |
|---|
Dates, renewals and waiting lists
| Application deadline | If the credit is missing from your bill, apply to your town, village or city treasurer by January 31 after the bill arrives, or file a late claim with the Department of Revenue by October 1 |
|---|---|
| Renewal | No yearly application. Tell the county treasurer (form LC-400) within 30 days if the home stops being your main residence. |
How Wisconsin is different
Where Wisconsin's rules differ from the federal rules for Property tax relief for seniors.
- Paid for by Wisconsin Lottery, on-track betting and bingo revenue
- Only one home per owner can get it
Good to know
- Renters: the credit is only for owners who live in the home. Renters may be able to get the Homestead Credit instead.
- If you are in a hospital or away for up to about six months, the home you return to still counts as your main residence.
Wisconsin Homestead Credit
Wisconsin's Homestead Credit pays back part of your property taxes or rent if your household income is under $24,680. People 62 and older can claim it whether or not they work, and both owners and renters qualify. The most it paid for 2025 was $1,168.
How to apply
- In person
- File Schedule H or H-EZ, free online with WisTax, with your Wisconsin income tax return or on its own. Attach your property tax bill or the rent certificate signed by your landlord. Free help is available at VITA and AARP Tax-Aide sites.
Applying is free. Nobody should charge you to apply.
Apply on the official siteWho may qualify
| Age, 2025 claims | 62 or older on December 31, 2025 (or disabled, or 18 to 61 with earned income) |
|---|---|
| Household income limit, 2025 | Less than $24,680 |
| Home and residency | You may qualify if you own or rent a Wisconsin home that pays property taxes and lived in Wisconsin all of 2025 |
| Nursing homes | You can't claim while living in a nursing home and getting Medicaid (Title XIX) |
What you may get
| Most the credit can be, 2025 claims | $1,168 |
|---|---|
| How renters' rent counts | 20% of rent counts as property tax if heat is included, 25% if it isn't |
Dates, renewals and waiting lists
| Deadline, 2025 claims | April 15, 2030. You can still file 2022 claims until April 15, 2027. |
|---|---|
| Renewal | Every year, a new claim for each year |
How Wisconsin is different
Where Wisconsin's rules differ from the federal rules for Property tax relief for seniors.
- You have about four years to file each year's claim
- People 62 and older don't need earned income, and the dependent rule doesn't apply to them
- The credit depends on how your income compares with your property taxes or rent, so some people who meet every rule still get nothing
Good to know
- Renters: renters can claim this credit with a rent certificate signed by their landlord.
- Wisconsin also has a Property Tax Deferral Loan Program for older homeowners, run by WHEDA (1-800-755-7835). The loan is repaid when you sell or move.
Free help
Free help with this in Wisconsin
Bureau of Aging and Disability Resources
Your local Area Agency on Aging can help with meals, rides, help at home, caregiver support and applying for benefits.
More help in Wisconsin
Property tax relief in another state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- 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
- Wyoming
Sources
- Wisconsin Department of Revenue, Wisconsin Lottery and Gaming Credit Program (FAQ) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Wisconsin Department of Revenue, Claiming Homestead Credit (FAQ, 2025 claims) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Wisconsin Department of Revenue, 2025 Wisconsin Homestead Credit Schedule H and H-EZ Instructions (Computation Table B) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Wisconsin Department of Revenue, 2026 Guide for Property Owners (PB-060, R. 1-26) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
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