Surry County supervisors have raised the income threshold for elderly and disabled residents to qualify for a tax exemption.

A unanimous Dec. 5 vote raised from $45,000 to $55,000 the maximum income for residents ages 65 and up or disabled to receive a tax break of up to $1,500. It’s the third time in five years that the county has raised the threshold, which was $30,000 in 2019.

The vote also raised from $6,500 to $10,000 the income from relatives living in the dwelling that does not count toward the total income calculation. It’s the first change in that threshold since 2007.

Residents with a net worth of $150,000 or less, excluding the value of their residence and up to an acre of land, can also qualify for the tax break. It’s an increase from the $125,000 threshold in place prior to Dec. 5.

Surry Commissioner of the Revenue Jonathan Judkins said there were 78 households deemed eligible for the tax relief during the current calendar year based on the criteria in place prior to Dec. 5., collectively accounting for just under $64,000 in tax relief. That’s down 3% from the roughly $66,000 in tax exemptions the county granted in 2023, but up 155% from $25,000 in 2019.

“Going forward I would expect to see possibly up to $85,000 or $90,000 potentially in relief because … assessments have gone up, the number of recipients would go up and also looking at increasing that maximum deduction,” Judkins said.

Surry supervisors voted in September to approve a contract with Roanoke-based Wingate Appraisal Service for what supervisors termed a “limited scope reassessment” of property values. That reassessment is supposed to be complete by Dec. 31 with new home valuations taking effect Jan. 1, unless the state grants a three-month extension through March 31.

The ordinance further stipulates that a resident’s application for tax relief would have to be filed by March 1, rather than the current May 1 due date that coincides with the state income tax deadline.
“Per code it is May 1, but with the change that the board recently undertook, Mr. Judkins’ office needs a little bit more time to process those,” County Attorney Lola Perkins said, referring to the supervisors’ October vote to move the car tax due date to June 5.

Previously the car tax and real estate tax were each due on Dec. 5.

The separate business personal property tax filing date would remain May 1, according to Judkins.