Long Island homeowners expected to receive STAR checks by mid-October, state says

More than half a million Long Islanders applied for rebates from the state’s School Tax Relief program that they will begin to see in mid-October.

An estimated $698.4 million in STAR relief will be granted to 582,000 Long Island homeowners beginning in the fall when school taxes are due, according to the state Department of Taxation and Finance.

More than 2.8 million New Yorkers are expected to receive $2.2 billion in tax relief across the state. Some people in areas including New York City, have already started to see the checks arrive in the mail or in the form of a direct deposit.

What is the STAR program?

STAR offers tax relief to eligible homeowners if the owner and their spouses have a combined income of $500,000 or less. Homeowners can choose to receive the STAR rebate as a check or direct deposit. Only homeowners who enrolled before 2015 may get an exemption to reduce their school tax bill; it is closed to homeowners who purchased a home after that year.

Who is eligible?

The tax relief is eligible to owners of condominiums, cooperative apartments, manufactured homes or farmhouses who list the home as a primary residence. The combined income for the property owner and the owner’s spouse cannot exceed $500,000 for the STAR credit or $250,000 for the STAR exemption.

What types of relief are available?

Owners with a property listed as a primary residence are eligible for basic or enhanced STAR credit that comes in the form of a check or direct deposit. Only people 65 and older are eligible for the enhanced STAR credit.

When will Long Islanders receive a STAR credit in the form of a check or direct deposit?

Property owners in Glen Cove will begin receiving their benefit in mid-August, while those in other parts of Nassau County will begin receiving their benefit in mid-October, according to the Department of Taxation and Finance. Homeowners in Suffolk will begin getting their rebates in December.

How much are homeowners getting?

"Most homeowners eligible for a STAR credit will receive a check between $350 and $600. Most seniors eligible for an Enhanced STAR credit will receive a check between $700 and $1,500," according to a release issued by Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office.

For more information, go to www.tax.ny.gov/pit/property/star/stardd-qa.htm#general.

Why is the program important?

Nassau and Suffolk are among 16 counties nationwide burdened by high taxes, with bills over $10,000, according to the Washington, D.C. based Tax Foundation.

Experts said, property taxes are among Long Islanders' chief concerns. 

"The STAR program provides some property tax relief, which is important to everyone living in Nassau and Suffolk counties. We pay some of the highest taxes in the country," said Richard Guardino, executive director of the Long Island Regional Planning Council. Guardino said that while each school district on the Island sets their tax rate, it averages out to be "as low as 60% to as high as 70% of what you're paying in property taxes."