100% p&t tax exempt question

[metallicide]

This is all fairly new to me. I turned in my paperwork for property tax exemption to my local tax assessor and informed my mortgage company. They didnt seem to have a lot of answers. Does the property tax stop the day I filed it? Really confused on how this works. 

[paulstrgn]

@Vync I hope you are entitled to a refund of property tax.

Now I know they never will, but if you are not eligible then why isn't the VA liable to you for the back taxes? After all it was their fault for not approving your claim in a timely fashion, so why is the vet penalized for the VA mistakes? I think it sucks that they aren't liable.

Good luck Vync!!!

[broncovet]

When I got 100 percent, I went to the "means" office at my VAMC, and took my VA decision letter.  After a half hour there, I left and about 4 weeks later, I got refunded several years of copays and deductables.  (I didnt have the money to pay them, but they took them out of tax refund checks, so I got about 1200 back, if I recall).  I did this upon the urging, of someone on hadit or I would have never known.

[paulstrgn]

36 minutes ago, broncovet said:

When I got 100 percent, I went to the "means" office at my VAMC, and took my VA decision letter.  After a half hour there, I left and about 4 weeks later,

Bronco...can you please elaborate? Is this copays for doctors appointments or something else? Sorry, I am not sure what you are referring to. I am not sure if it matters that I work full-time or not.

As always thanks for answering my questions.

[broncovet]

With VA, if you are less than 50 percent rating, you pay "copayments" and deductables on meds.  More details here:

https://www.military.com/benefits/veterans-health-care/va-health-care-cost-and-copayments.html

more details:  https://www.va.gov/communitycare/revenue_ops/copays.asp

However, if/when you get 100 percent, these copays/deductables are waived, so Vets who paid them, like I did, get them refunded.  Again, you take your VA letter to your VA "means" office, and ask to have your copays and deductables waived as you are now 100 percent.  They give them back to you back to your effective date of the decision.  

Edited December 9, 2019 by broncovet

[Vync]

@broncovet Is correct, but copays are waived if you are 50%, IU/TDIU, or got the Medal of Honor. This screenshot is from the second link in bronco's response, about midway down.

Once I went over 40%, I did what bronco did. It took them several months, but eventually I received reimbursement of the copays. Also, if they mistakenly charged you copays for SC treatment, you can do the same thing. When I was 40%, I kept getting bills from the VA for treatment of my SC conditions (office visit and medication copays). I kept having to let them know again and again. Turns out that the providers would treat me, but simply did not check the box in the system saying it was service related. Talk about a real headache... Once you are 50% or higher, or meet the criteria above, it is supposed to flag you in the system automatically. If someone gets reduced below 50% and don't meet the other two conditions, I assume it will automatically unflag you (no idea, but assume it would).

[Vync]

4 hours ago, paulstrgn said:

@Vync I hope you are entitled to a refund of property tax.

Now I know they never will, but if you are not eligible then why isn't the VA liable to you for the back taxes? After all it was their fault for not approving your claim in a timely fashion, so why is the vet penalized for the VA mistakes? I think it sucks that they aren't liable.

Good luck Vync!!!

I did a little bit of digging, but nothing definitive. My tax assessor office still insists they don't go back. I called someone at the state capital and they believed they could go back up to two years. I called the state attorney general office who pointed me to the statute below. Hmm... 

Quote

Alabama Code Title 40. Revenue and Taxation § 40-10-160
Any taxpayer who through any mistake, or by reason of any double assessment, or by any error in the assessment or collection of taxes, or other error, has paid taxes that were not due upon the property of such taxpayer shall be entitled, upon making proof of such payment to the satisfaction of the Comptroller, to have such taxes refunded to him if application shall be made therefor, as hereinafter provided, within two years from the date of such payment.

In my case, the taxes paid were rightfully due paid. The refund is not due to an error, but in my opinion, should be due to being retroactively classified as P&T. Makes me wonder if my state might have been wrongfully denying retro reimbursements to P&T veterans...