What You Didn’t Know About The STAR Rebate Program

Many companies provide rebates on products or services to attract customers. Many utility companies and government agencies provide rebates and relief programs for energy efficiency upgrades or other aspects of homeownership. Rebates and cash back programs can be very helpful for homeowners. Finding ways to save money is important, so if you are interested in applying for the STAR rebate program, DoNotPay can help.

STAR Rebate Program Overview

The School Tax Relief (STAR) program, and the Enhanced School Tax Relief (E-STAR) program is a property tax relief program for New York State homeowners. Eligible homeowners can apply for STAR through the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and will be issued a credit in the form of a check. Enhanced STAR is for residents who will be 65 or older when they apply.

Type of Star	Benefits
Basic STAR	available for owner-occupied, primary residences; the income limit for the Basic STAR credit is $500,000 (the income limit for the Basic STAR exemption is $250,000); based on the first $30,000 of the full value of a home
Enhanced STAR	provides an increased benefit for the primary residences of senior citizens (age 65 and older) with qualifying incomes: $90,550 or less for the 2021-2022 school year, $92,000 or less for the 2022-2023 school year based on the first $74,900 of the full value of a home for the 2022-2023 school year.

Who is Eligible for the NYS STAR Rebate?

If you are a homeowner in New York state and it is your primary residence, you are eligible for STAR.

Register for STAR Credit

You should register if you are a new homeowner, as soon as your home becomes your primary residence, or if you do not already receive a STAR exemption or credit. If you are receiving the STAR exemption, you can elect to switch to the STAR credit. If you are a manufactured homeowner and receive a letter that you must register for the STAR credit to continue receiving STAR benefits, you should register.

Update Your Registration

You should update your registration if you receive a notification stating you must update your registration. You should also update your registration if your property ownership has changed for reasons including:

marriage
divorce
surrender of interest by co-owner
survivorship
trust
life estate
name change

Apply for the STAR Rebate

You will need to apply for the STAR Rebate through the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.

Go to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance website page entitled Register for the STAR Credit
Read through the information to verify eligibility/program information
You will need the following information:

Name and SSN for all property owners and spouses
name of the school district where your primary residence is located
date of property purchase and name of sellers (not required but can expedite registration process)
most recent school tax bill if received
address(es) of any residential property owned in other states
the legal name of the trust, if applicable
recent federal or state income tax returns for all owners (for individuals not required to file tax returns in the previous year, you will be required to provide a variety of additional information related to your income)

Click Get Started
Follow all prompts to register for the program
Print a copy of your confirmation page or note all pertinent information, including your confirmation number. You will use it for verification if necessary.

DoNotPay Can File Rebates on Your Behalf

While the STAR Rebate program is not a traditional rebate that comes to mind, such as when you get cashback for a product or service, DoNotPay recognizes it is important to know how to save money in every way possible.

One of the ways DoNotPay helps you save money is through our rebate services. Don't let your hard-earned money go unclaimed when it could be claimed and back in your pocket! We know it can be tedious to fill out long forms or to try to remember to mail everything in before the deadline or to create more online accounts. DoNotPay can file rebate claims on your behalf and save you time and headache.

We can help you submit rebates for used electric car programs or new car rebates, as well as tires or vehicle accessories. We can help with energy efficiency upgrade rebates. Whether you want to claim a cell phone rebate or file a rebate for department stores, home improvement stores, or for any product or company.

Here’s how it works:

Search rebates on DoNotPay and select the type of rebates offer you want to claim (is it for a car, electronic gadget, household appliance, etc).
Tell us more about the purchase, including the product name, brand, serial number (if relevant), and whether you bought it online or in-person.
Select whether the rebate is online or mail-in. Upload your evidence documents, including receipts, and any necessary forms, and confirm your contact information.