There's a tax break available to Ohio homeowners age 65 and up that thousands of eligible retirees never claim — because they look at the $40,000 income limit, add up their total income, and assume they make too much. They're reading it wrong. The income test excludes Social Security entirely. Here's how the math actually works, and why you may qualify when you thought you didn't.
Ohio's homestead exemption removes the first $29,000 of your home's appraised value from property taxation. (Veterans with a 100% service-connected disability get $58,000 exempted, with no income limit.) On a typical Ohio home, that's worth $290–$450 per year, every year, for as long as you own and occupy the home. Over a 15-year retirement, that's $4,350–$6,750 in cumulative savings — for filling out one form.
| County (Cincinnati/Dayton area) | Effective Rate | Annual Homestead Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Butler | ~1.00% | ~$290/yr |
| Clermont | ~1.05% | ~$305/yr |
| Warren | ~1.10% | ~$319/yr |
| Greene | ~1.35% | ~$392/yr |
| Montgomery | ~1.55% | ~$450/yr |
To qualify, you must be 65+ (or permanently disabled, or a qualifying surviving spouse) and have an Ohio Adjusted Gross Income (OAGI) of $40,000 or less($41,000 for the 2026 tax year). Here's the part people miss: OAGI does not include Social Security benefits.Ohio excludes Social Security from taxable income entirely, so it never enters the OAGI figure used for the homestead test.
This is why the homestead exemption participation rate is lower than it should be. Retirees with Social Security as their primary income source almost always qualify, even with a substantial pension or part-time income on top — because the largest piece of their income (Social Security) doesn't count toward the test at all.
File DTE Form 105A (or 105E for disabled veterans) with your county auditor. For new buyers, apply within 60 days of moving in and claiming the home as your primary residence — don't wait, or you'll lose a full year of savings. You only have to apply once; the exemption renews automatically as long as you remain eligible. Most county auditors now accept online applications.
If you're 65 or older, own your Ohio home, and Social Security is a meaningful part of your income, run your OAGI calculation before you assume you earn too much. Take Social Security out of the equation — because Ohio does — and you may find yourself comfortably under the limit. It's one form, a few hundred dollars a year, and it renews automatically. That's among the best returns on paperwork available to an Ohio retiree.