Sec. 17. Except as provided in section 17.8 of this chapter and subject to section 45 of this chapter, a surviving spouse who desires to claim the deduction provided by section 16 of this chapter must file a statement with the auditor of the county in which the surviving spouse resides. To obtain the deduction for a desired calendar year in which property taxes are first due and payable, the statement must be completed and dated in the immediately preceding calendar year and filed with the county auditor on or before January 5 of the calendar year in which the property taxes are first due and payable. The statement may be filed in person or by mail. If mailed, the mailing must be postmarked on or before the last day for filing. The statement shall contain:

(1) a sworn statement that the surviving spouse is entitled to the deduction; and

Terms Used In Indiana Code 6-1.1-12-17

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Property: includes personal and real property. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • real property: include lands, tenements, and hereditaments. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
  • United States: includes the District of Columbia and the commonwealths, possessions, states in free association with the United States, and the territories. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
(2) the record number and page where the contract or memorandum of the contract is recorded, if the individual is buying the real property on a contract that provides that the individual is to pay property taxes on the real property.

In addition to the statement, the surviving spouse shall submit to the county auditor for the auditor’s inspection a letter or certificate from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs establishing the service of the deceased spouse in the military or naval forces of the United States before November 12, 1918.

[Pre-1975 Property Tax Recodification Citation: 6-1-6.5-1 part.]

Formerly: Acts 1975, P.L.47, SEC.1; Acts 1975, P.L.21, SEC.8. As amended by Acts 1979, P.L.56, SEC.14; Acts 1982, P.L.44, SEC.5; Acts 1982, P.L.45, SEC.9; P.L.55-1988, SEC.6; P.L.1-1990, SEC.71; P.L.177-2002, SEC.4; P.L.154-2006, SEC.16; P.L.183-2007, SEC.5; P.L.144-2008, SEC.21; P.L.183-2014, SEC.10; P.L.214-2019, SEC.8; P.L.257-2019, SEC.22.