Love it or hate it, New York is pretty famous for several things, chief among them is our taxes. No matter what the Empire State does, dreams, suggests or even thinks about, you can rest assured that a tax will be attached to it.

It doesn't matter much what it is; we all know New York will tax it. From marijuana and cigarettes to cars, houses, and countless other things, we continue to pay some of the highest taxes in the entire country.

While it is true that we pay some ridiculous in the Empire State, especially for our schools, officials from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance allow some New Yorkers to get some of our taxes back in a rebate.

Read More: These Erie County Towns Have The Highest Taxes In WNY

The New York State School Tax Relief (STAR) program gives certain homeowners in the Empire State a property tax payment refund if they meet a series of eligibility requirements.

There are two levels of the STAR Program that people can qualify for:

  1. there is Basic STAR,
  2. and there is Enhanced STAR,
  3. and the STAR Program can potentially save you hundreds of dollars every year on your taxes.

To qualify for the Basic STAR program, you must own residential property in New York State, live in it as your primary residence, and earn less than $500,000 annually. You can qualify for the Enhanced STAR program if you own residential property in New York State, live in it as your primary residence, are 65 or older, and earn less than 93,200 per year.

If you wish to apply for the STAR Program this year, you must hurry because the deadline to submit your registration is on March 1, 2024, for most communities in New York State.

You can find more information about the deadline and application process here on the STAR website.

10 Weird Tax Write Offs In New York The IRS Says Is Legal

Here’s a look at 10 of the most unusual tax deductions the IRS has allowed according to AARP:

Gallery Credit: Dave Wheeler

Highlights from 2024-25 New York State Budget

On January 16, 2025, New York Governor Kathy Hochul released the first draft of the 2024-25 state budget. The State Budget, which can be revised by the New York State Legislature, is currently pegged at $233 billion.

Gallery Credit: Ed Nice

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