A claimant may defer payment of special assessments
and/or real property taxes on up to eighty percent of the amount
of the claimant's equity value in the claimant's residence if the
following conditions are met:
(1) The claimant must meet all requirements for an exemption
for the residence under RCW 84.36.381, other than the age and
income limits under RCW 84.36.381.
(2) The claimant must be sixty years of age or older on
December 31st of the year in which the deferral claim is filed,
or must have been, at the time of filing, retired from regular
gainful employment by reason of physical disability: PROVIDED,
That any surviving spouse of a person who was receiving a
deferral at the time of the person's death shall qualify if the
surviving spouse is fifty-seven years of age or older and
otherwise meets the requirements of this section.
(3) The claimant must have a combined disposable income, as
defined in RCW 84.36.383, of forty thousand dollars or less.
(4) The claimant must have owned, at the time of filing, the
residence on which the special assessment and/or real property
taxes have been imposed. For purposes of this subsection, a
residence owned by a marital community or owned by cotenants
shall be deemed to be owned by each spouse or cotenant. A
claimant who has only a share ownership in cooperative housing, a
life estate, a lease for life, or a revocable trust does not
satisfy the ownership requirement.
(5) The claimant must have and keep in force fire and
casualty insurance in sufficient amount to protect the interest
of the state in the claimant's equity value: PROVIDED, That if
the claimant fails to keep fire and casualty insurance in force
to the extent of the state's interest in the claimant's equity
value, the amount deferred shall not exceed one hundred percent
of the claimant's equity value in the land or lot only.
(6) In the case of special assessment deferral, the claimant
must have opted for payment of such special assessments on the
installment method if such method was available.
[2006 c 62 § 3; 2004 c 270 § 3; 1995 c 329 § 2; 1991 c 213 § 2; 1988 c 222 § 11; 1984 c 220 § 21; 1979 ex.s. c 214 § 6; 1975 1st ex.s. c 291 § 28.]
NOTES:
Application -- 2006 c 62: See note following RCW 84.36.383.
Applicability -- 1991 c 213: See note following RCW 84.38.020.