David Hill

Over the past few years, property taxes have been a runaway train wreaking havoc on Wyomingites. While the Legislature has been able to enact some temporary fixes, we need to do more to achieve lasting relief. During the 2023 Budget Session, the Legislature passed five property tax bills: 

HB 3 which cuts assessed values in half for long-term homeowners (over 65 years old and have paid Wyoming property taxes for 25-plus years); 

HB 4 which opened up the property tax refund program to households that make up to 145% of the county’s median gross income (this was up to 165%, but that higher cutoff was vetoed); 

HB 45 which acts as a quasi-cap on year-over-year increases to the assessed value of single-family residential buildings (this is not a true cap due to constitutional restrictions); 

SF 54 which exempted the first $2M of the fair market value of single-family residential buildings (this bill was vetoed);  and 

SF 89 which doubled the veterans’ exemption from $3,000 to $6,000. 

For purposes of this article, I want to look at the refunds that homeowners may be entitled to under HB 4 and how to apply.

Who qualifies?

According to the Wyoming Department of Revenue’s website, wptrs.wyo.gov, “If your income is 125% or below the Median Income for your county or the state, the greater of, your refund will be calculated on the 75% of your taxes paid not to exceed one half of the median residential tax bill for your county. If your income is 126% to 145% of the Median Income for your county or the state, the greater of, your refund will be calculated on the 75% of your taxes paid not to exceed one half of the median residential tax bill for your county. This amount is then reduced by 35%.”

In Park County, the median household income for 2023 was $71,130. For the state this number was $73,920. Because the state average is higher, that number applies for purposes of calculating the refund.

Household income is calculated by looking at the total taxable and non-taxable income for all adult household members for the previous year. Using the state’s average household income, households making up to $92,400 get the full benefit of the refund and households with an income between $92,401 and $107,184 receive the reduced refund amount. 

In addition to the income requirements, the Department of Revenue lists additional qualification requirements. First, the applicant must own the home. Second, the applicant must have been a Wyoming resident for the past five consecutive years. Third, the applicant must have paid their 2023 property taxes and have a receipt. Fourth, the applicant must have occupied the residence for at least  nine months of the tax year. Last, the total personal assets per adult household member cannot exceed $156,900 as defined by the department OR the total property tax bill must exceed more than 10% of the applicant’s total reported income.

How to apply? 

If you meet all of the above criteria, you may then qualify for a property tax refund. 

In order to apply, you will need to gather copies of your tax bill and receipts (these are available at the county treasurer’s office) and verification of all income (including the IRS form 1040, retirement benefits letters, etc., for each household member).

The application period has already opened and will close on Monday, June 3. Applications can be submitted through the county treasurer’s office (in person) or through the Wyoming Department of Revenue (by mail or online).

Final Considerations

After speaking with the county treasurer’s office, it is important to consider the following: (1) This refund program is not for a specific age group, but instead is designed for all who qualify. (2) If your property taxes are paid through escrow, the second half of your taxes may not be paid until May 10, so you may want to wait until all of your property taxes have been paid before submitting your refund application because the refund is based on the amount paid and you need to have the receipt. (3) The county treasurer is in Powell on the third Monday and Tuesday of every month and will be able to provide the necessary property tax documents at that location, too.

If you have questions as to what documents you need to bring or how to prepare your application, you can review the Department of Revenue’s website.

*Nothing in this article is intended as legal advice*