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Filing Property Exemptions For Greenfield, McCordsville, New Palestine, & Fortville,
  • WHAT TO DO
    BEFORE 12/30

    If You Buy Or Refinance
    In Hancock County

    Filing Exemptions In Hancock County

    Start the process by confirming the newly purchased property is showing in your name vs the prior owner. This will require a call to the auditor's office (see offices tab) or if you have enough time before the end of the year you can email or text Mitch and he will try to confirm this for you.

    Since you live in Hancock County you can in person or file online, You can also complete this process by mail (not reccomended.)

    The exemption forms must be completed and dated in the calendar year for which the person wishes to obtain the deduction. To file deductions, please have/bring the last five digits of your Social Security number and Drivers License number and the state in which your Drivers License was issued in for all property owners and spouses.

    The Auditor's Real Estate office is open from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., Monday through Friday. Note: They are closed Thursday 11/24 and Friday 11/25 as well as 12/23 & 12/26 for the holidays.

  • GET CONTACT
    INFO FOR THE

    Hancock County
    Auditor's Office

    111 South American Legion Place
    Suite 217
    Greenfield, IN 46140

    Phone: 317-477-1105

    Additional Phone: 317-477-1712 (Fax)

    Directions

  • THE HOMESTEAD
    EXEMPTION

    Reduce Your Property
    Taxes By 50%

    Homestead Exemptions:  

    Download & Complete the Homestead Deduction/Credit Form here

    Complete the Homestead Deduction/Credit Form Online here

    1 - This is where you will perform a search to find your property. You may search by Name, Address, or Parcel Number. Then click “Search” to locate your property.

    2 - This will take you to your property summary page. Scroll to the very bottom of this page.

    3 - Near the bottom of the page, on the left, find the links under “Apply for Mortgage Deduction.” Click the link for the deduction and fill out the application

    4 - While in the application, pay attention to the fields that have a faint red asterisk to the right of the field name/description (*). These fields are required. The rest of the fields are not required.

    5 - You may not have all of the NON-REQUIRED information requested on the form. That’s ok. Fill out what you can and use your mouse to sign the form. The Auditor's Office will fill in the blanks when they receive it.

    6 - Complete the step-by-step, follow-along instructions in the yellow box at the top of the application. After you submit your form, you will immediately receive a receipt of your deduction in your email Inbox. 

    Remember that taxes paid this year are actually for the prior year and taxes that relate to this year will actually be paid next year.

     If you bought an existing home and the seller had a homestead exemption in place as of March 1, in the year you bought it, then the exemption should AUTOMATICALLY carry forward and be a deduction for this year’s taxes, payable next year.

    To play it safe be sure to file for the exemption no later than December 30th.

     Before completing the form please print out a copy for your records.

     

  • THE MORTGAGE
    EXEMPTION

    A Small Tax Credit For
    Having A Mortgage

    Mortgage Exemptions: 

    Download & Complete the Mortgage Deduction Form here

    Complete the Homestead Deduction/Credit Form Online here

    1 - This is where you will perform a search to find your property. You may search by Name, Address, or Parcel Number. Then click “Search” to locate your property.

    2 - This will take you to your property summary page. Scroll to the very bottom of this page.

    3 - Near the bottom of the page, on the left, find the links under “Apply for Mortgage Deduction.” Click the link for the deduction and fill out the application

    4 - While in the application, pay attention to the fields that have a faint red asterisk to the right of the field name/description (*). These fields are required. The rest of the fields are not required.

    5 - You may not have all of the NON-REQUIRED information requested on the form. That’s ok. Fill out what you can and use your mouse to sign the form. The Auditor's Office will fill in the blanks when they receive it.

    6 - Complete the step-by-step, follow-along instructions in the yellow box at the top of the application. After you submit your form, you will immediately receive a receipt of your deduction in your email Inbox. 

    When a property is sold with a mortgage exemption already in place then the exemption will carry forward to the 1st full year you live in the property.  If the seller did NOT have a mortgage exemption of record as of March 1,  a mortgage exemption benefit will not be realized by you the following year and will apply 2nd full year you own the property. (Keep in mind you already received funds from the seller to pay the taxes for the current year, that will be paid next year, based on no exemption being in place)

    Lastly, if a seller had a mortgage exemption filed as of March 1, of the current year and you paid cash, then you will receive the benefit of the seller’s mortgage exemption on the taxes paid the 1st full tax year you own the property and then you will lose the exemption starting in the 2nd full tax year.

    Mortgage Exemptions if You closed before March 1st:  In order for you to qualify for a mortgage exemption for the year you purchased the property, payable next year,  there MUST  HAVE BEEN a mortgage in place on or before March 1 of the year you bought.  If the seller had a mortgage as of March 1 in the year you bought (and filed a mortgage exemption), then you have until December 30, of the year you bought to file for the mortgage exemption that will apply to the next tax year.

    Mortgage Exemptions if You closed AFTER March 1st:  For all closings that take place on or after March 2 through March 1, of NEXT YEAR, providing you have a mortgage in place before March 1 of next year, you have until December 30, of the following year to file your mortgage exemption to receive the mortgage exemption credit for taxes (payable) in that following year

    If you Refinanced and/or Closed After November 1st: If you closed or refinanced in the last 60 days of the year then there is a possibility that the mortgage can be recorded after December 30 in the year you bought. If that happens you might need to re-submit the exemptions again. As a general rule, if you closed after November I would go ahead and submit the Homestead and Mortgage exemptions before 12/30/20 and then ALSO put a reminder on your calendar to call to confirm in the middle of February that all of the appropriate exemptions are still in place.

     Before completing the form please print out a copy for your records.

  • OTHER EXEMPTIONS
    & PRINTABLE FORMS

    When Your Live
    In Hancock County