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Proposition
60
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Q.: |
What is Proposition 60? |
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Prop 60 was
a constitutional amendment approved by the voters of California
in 1986. It is codified in Section 69.5 of the Revenue &
Taxation Code, and allows the transfer of an existing Proposition
13 base year value from a former residence to a replacement residence,
if certain conditions are met. This benefit is open to homeowners
who are at least 55-years old and meet the requirements outlined
in the conditions below.
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Q.: |
How do I qualify for this property tax benefit? |
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A: |
The following
conditions must be met for tax relief to be granted under Prop 60:
a.) Both the
original property (former residence) and its replacement must
be located in the same county. If the replacement
property is located in a different county from the original, see
Proposition 90.
b.) As of
the date of transfer of the original property, the seller or a
spouse living with the seller must be at least 55 years old.
c.) The original
property must have been eligible for the Homeowners' Exemption
or entitled to the Disabled Veterans' Exemption.
d.) The replacement
dwelling must be of equal or lesser value
than the original property.
e.) The replacement
dwelling must have been purchased or newly constructed on or after
11/06/86.
f.) Without
exception, the replacement dwelling must be purchased or newly
constructed within two years (before or after) of the sale of
the original property.
g.) The original
property must be subject to reappraisal at its current fair market
value as the result of its transfer, in accordance with Sections
110.1 or 5803 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
h.) Without
exception, a claim for relief must be filed within three years
of the date a replacement dwelling is purchased or new construction
of a replacement dwelling is completed.
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Q: |
Is it true that only one claimant, out of several
co-owners of a replacement dwelling, need be at lease 55 as of the
date of sale of an original property? |
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A: |
Yes, but the
claimant must be an owner of record, Either the claimant or their
spouse must also have been an occupant of the original property
and at least 55 years old on the date of sale.
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Q: |
Can a taxpayer apply for and receive the benefit
of Prop 60 more than once? |
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A: |
No. You are
not eligible if you have been previously granted this benefit.
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Q: |
What is meant by "equal or lesser value"
than the original dwelling? |
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A: |
In general,
"equal or lesser value" means:
100 percent
of the market value of an original property if a replacement dwelling
is purchased before the original property is sold.
105 percent
of the market value of an original property if a replacement
dwelling is purchased within one year after the sale of
the original property.
110 percent
of the market value of an original property if a replacement
dwelling is purchased within the second year after the
sale of the original property.
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Q: |
Is the "equal or lesser value"
test a simple comparison of the sales price of the original property
and the purchase price or cost of new construction of the replacement
dwelling? |
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A: |
No. The comparison
must be made using the full market value of the original property
and the full market value of the replacement dwelling as of its
date of purchase or completion of new construction. This is important
because sales prices are not always the same as market value. The
Assessor must determine the market value for each property, which
may differ from sales price.
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Q: |
If the current full cash value of my replacement
dwelling slightly exceeds the full market value of my original property,
can I still receive a partial benefit? |
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A: |
No. Unless the
replacement dwelling satisfies the "equal or lesser value"
test, no benefit is available.
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Q: |
May I give my original property to my child
and still receive the Prop 60 benefit when I purchase a replacement
property ? |
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A: |
No. The law
provides that an original property must be sold for consideration
and subject to reappraisal at full market value at the time of sale.
Original property transferred to a child or disposed of by gift
or devise does not qualify.
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Q: |
Is the Assessor prevented from issuing supplemental
assessments when the factored base-year value is transferred from
an original property to a replacement dwelling under Prop 60? |
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A: |
No. When the
replacement dwelling is purchased or newly constructed, the Assessor
is required by law to issue supplemental assessments (positive or
negative) for all transactions that result in a base year value
change, including those that qualify under Prop 60. (Revenue
and Taxation Code Section 75).
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Q: |
Can I qualify for the benefits of Prop 60 when
I sell my original property (owned by me alone) and purchase a replacement
dwelling with several co-owners? What if I own only a 10 percent interest
in the replacement dwelling? |
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A: |
Yes. The base
year value of your original property can be transferred to to your
replacement dwelling. As long as you are otherwise qualified, you
may receive the benefits of Prop 60 regardless of how many co-owners
of record there are on the replacement dwelling. However, you, along
with all the other co-owner claimants, will never be able to qualify
again since all of you will have received the one-time benefit provided
under this proposition. In this situation, the total market value
of the original property is compared to the total market value of
the replacement dwelling property regardless of the fact that the
qualified principal claimant may only own 10 percent of both original
and replacement dwelling properties.
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Q: |
Can two otherwise qualified taxpayers who have
recently sold their separately owned original properties combine their
claim for Prop 60 benefit when they buy a single replacement dwelling
together? |
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A: |
No. they can
only receive the benefit if one or the other, not both together,
qualifies by comparing his or her original property to the jointly
purchased replacement dwelling. The implementing legislation specifically
disallows combining a claim, whether or not the co-owners of the
replacement dwelling are married.
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Q: |
May I, as a former co-owner of an original property,
receive partial benefit on my replacement dwelling, along with other
co-owners who purchase separate replacement dwellings? |
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A: |
No. The law
provides that only one co-owner of an original property that is,
or was, qualified for the Homeowners' Exemption may receive the
benefit in a situation like this where all co-owners purchase separate
replacement dwellings. The co-owners must determine, between themselves,
which one should receive the benefit. Only in the case of a multiple-residential
original property, where several co-owners qualify for separate
Homeowners' Exemptions, may portions of the factored base year value
of that property be transferred to several qualified replacement
dwellings.
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Q: |
What if I am the co-owner of a property with
more than one residential unit? |
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A: |
A portion of
the original property may qualify for the Homeowners' Exemption
for you. The base year value of that portion can be transferred
to your replacement dwelling. The other portion(s) of the original
property may qualify for a separate Homeowners' Exemption(s). The
base year value(s) of that other portion(s) can be transferred to
another replacement dwelling(s).
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Q: |
Does a person qualify for the Prop 60 benefit
when he/she sells an original property, then buys a replacement dwelling
within two years, but no longer qualifies for a Homeowners' Exemption
on the original property that sold nearly two years before? |
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A: |
Yes. The statute
requires that the original property be eligible for the Homeowners'
Exemption at the time of sale. It is eligible if the claimant owns
and occupies the property as his or her principal residence at the
time of sale.
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Q: |
Can I receive Prop 60 benefits if my original
property is outside Orange County but my replacement dwelling
is inside Orange County? |
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A: |
No. Both properties
must be within Orange County.

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Q: |
Can I receive Prop 60 benefits if my original
property is inside Orange County but my replacement dwelling
is in another county in California? |
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A: |
You
may, qualify under Prop 90. call the county Assessor's Office where
the replacement dwelling is located and ask if that county allows
transfers of base year values between counties.
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Q: |
If the transfer of my base year values to the
replacement dwelling results in a supplemental assessment that is
a refund, do I still have to pay the existing annual roll tax
bill on the replacement property or will that bill be adjusted to
reflect the new, lower value? |
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A: |
Unfortunately,
you must pay the existing annual roll tax bill on your replacement
property. That bill cannot be adjusted or canceled to reflect
the Proposition 60 benefit. Additionally, you must pay that bill
before any refund resulting from the Proposition 60 benefit
will be sent to you.
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However, after the existing bill has been paid, you will later receive
a refund that will reflect the Proposition 60 benefit. In other words,
when the entire process is complete, you will not have overpaid any
taxes. This unfortunate and inconvenient aspect of the law is set
forth in Revenue & Taxation Code Section 75.43.c. |
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