Sarasota County property owners need to remember that they may qualify for exemptions if they are disabled veterans.

• There are three types of exemptions available to Veterans:
  • Service Connected Disability Exemption - $5,000
    • You must be a permanent resident of the state of Florida and a Veteran
    • Veterans entitled must submit VA Letter #27-125 stating that they have a permanent disability to a degree of 10% or more
      • Contact Department of Veterans Affairs at (800) 827-1000 to request this form.
    • A spouse of a deceased honorably discharged Veteran who was married for a minimum of 5 years is also eligible
  • Total and Permanent Disability Exemption (Service Connected) - Ad Valorem Taxes Waived
    • Available to any honorably discharged veteran and deemed totally and permanently disabled, surviving spouse of the disabled veteran, and spouse of the veteran who died from service connected causes while on duty.
    • Veteran must be a permanent resident of State of Florida or have been so at the time of death and veteran or surviving spouse must own and occupy property in Sarasota County as their permanent residences as of January 1st of the year for which the exemption is being filed.
  • Disabled Veteran's Property Tax Discount - % Discount
    • Available to any honorably discharged veteran who is at least 65 years old and is deemed to be totally and permanently disabled to a degree of 10% or more. 
    • All or portion of such disability must have been combat related and the veteran must have been a resident of Florida at the time of entering the military.
    • Veteran must own and occupy property in Sarasota County as their permanent residence as of January 1st of the year for which the exemption is being filed.
• See www.sc-pa.com/content/veterans.asp for additional requirements and for complete explanation of each exemption or contact the Sarasota County Property Appraiser's office at (941) 861-8200.

Bach & Jacobs, P.A.
Babette B. Bach, Esquire, Board Certified Elder Law
Fredric C. Jacobs, Esquire, Board Certified Tax Law
240 S. Pineapple Avenue, Suite 700
Sarasota, FL 34236
(941) 906-1231
www.bachjacobs.com