Hayward---Just a Retired Social Studies Teacher

  I had to do a double-take when I read the headline in this article : ‘ To be free, one must be feared’ Here are a couple of excerpts from Machiavelli's " The Prince " “it is much safer to be feared than loved because ...love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails.”... “All courses of action are risky, so prudence is not in avoiding danger (it's impossible), but calculating risk and acting decisively. Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not the strength to suffer.” ― Niccolo Machiavelli

In March 2026, Washington enacted updated requirements for the Senior and/or Disabled Property Tax Exemption.   There are several changes, but the most significant is that they require you to report qualified expenses to reduce your "gross income" and qualify for an exemption level based on that income. You now choose between itemizing each qualified expense or taking a $7,500 deductible.  One but not the other. If there are 2 "co-tenants" living in the house, each gets $7,500 for a total $15,000 deductible.  Screenshot of relevant line in the law below. IF your actual expenses are GREATER than the deductible, you can take the greater of the two . If you don't have many expenses, this is great. If you hate to keep track of expenses, this is great too.

Washington State has overhauled its property tax exemption requirements, effective in the 2026 tax year (for property taxes due in 2027).    Many/most of the changes provide POSITIVE outcomes for recipients.   One group I will focus on today is "disabled Veterans".  Before this new law was enacted in March 2026, the disability rating to qualify for the exemption was 80%.   Going forward, it will be 40% .  This will allow more veterans to meet the first qualification for the exemption.  But there is more... A qualified veteran must still meet the "Gross Income" requirements.  This gets a bit more complicated, and I won't go into the details here.  Each county in Washington State has different income requirements based on that county's "median household income." HERE is the link showing preliminary income requirements for each county in Washington. So for now, if you are a veteran with a 40% or higher disability rating AND meet ...