Ohio · 55+ Tax Guide
The Ohio 65+ Homestead Exemption, Explained
The biggest property-tax break available to most Ohio retirees — who qualifies, what it shields, how much you actually save, and the income test that trips people up.
What it does
Ohio’s homestead exemption removes a fixed slice of your home’s market value from taxation. For qualifying homeowners age 65 and older (and the permanently disabled), the standard exemption shields $28,000 of market value. You do not get $28,000 off your bill — you get the tax on $28,000 of value erased. At a ~1.69% effective rate, that is roughly $473 a year back in your pocket.
The catch is the income test. The standard 65+ exemption is means-tested: your Ohio adjusted gross income (OAGI, roughly your household income) must fall below an annual threshold — in the neighborhood of $40,000, indexed and updated each year. If your retirement income exceeds the threshold, you do not qualify for the standard exemption (though if you were already enrolled before the income test was added, you may be grandfathered). Always check the current year’s figure.
The three versions
| Who | Value shielded | Income test? |
|---|---|---|
| Homeowner 65+ (or permanently disabled) | $28,000 | Yes (~$40k OAGI) |
| Disabled veteran (100% service-connected) | $56,000 | No income test |
| Surviving spouse of certain public-service members | Enhanced | Varies |
What it saves you, by home and rate
| Exemption | Franklin (~1.69%) | Delaware (~1.90%) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard 65+ ($28,000) | ~$473/yr | ~$532/yr |
| Disabled veteran ($56,000) | ~$946/yr | ~$1,064/yr |
Over a decade, the standard exemption is worth roughly $4,700–$5,300, and the disabled-veteran exemption roughly twice that — meaningful money in retirement, and a reason the veteran exemption (with no income test) is especially valuable.
The disabled-veteran exemption is the standout
If you are a veteran with a 100% service-connected disability rating, the enhanced exemption shields $56,000 of value with no income limit. That makes Columbus genuinely attractive for disabled veterans — you get double the value shield and you keep it regardless of your retirement income. Pair it with Ohio’s full exemption of military retirement pay and the math gets favorable fast.
How to apply
You file a homestead application with your county auditor — the Franklin County Auditor or the Delaware County Auditor, depending on where the home sits — typically by the deadline in the year you become eligible. It is a one-time application that then renews automatically; you do not refile each year unless your circumstances change. A new owner does not inherit the prior owner’s exemption, so apply in your own name after you buy.
Will you qualify — and what would you save?
Tell us the home and your situation, and we will estimate your exemption and the real after-exemption tax.
Get the real numbersExemption amounts, income thresholds, and rules change annually and by circumstance. Confirm the current year’s figures and your eligibility with the Franklin or Delaware County Auditor. This is general information, not tax or legal advice.