Free City and State programs
Relief programs can cut your bill too. All of them are free.
An appeal is not the only tool. Philadelphia and Pennsylvania run relief programs that lower, cap, or freeze your Real Estate Tax bill, and every one of them is free to apply for. Some work alongside an appeal; one of them, LOOP, can be a better deal than appealing at all. Here is the honest picture.
Three things to know before you appeal
- LOOP vs. Homestead: pick one. If your assessment jumped 50% or more and you have owned your home for 10+ years, LOOP caps the increase, but it replaces the $100,000 Homestead Exemption. The City's calculator at property.phila.gov compares the two for your exact numbers.
- Freezes lock in appeal wins. If you qualify for the senior or low-income tax freeze, winning an appeal first means the freeze locks your bill at the lower amount, permanently.
- The deadlines land together. LOOP and both freezes close September 30. The BRT appeal deadline is October 5. If you may qualify for relief, apply before you decide about appealing; applying costs nothing and does not stop you from appealing.
Where a free program beats a paid appeal, we say so. Our analysis tells you when not to file, and this page exists for the same reason: you should keep every dollar the law allows, whoever gets you there.
Which programs might you qualify for?
Answer what you like and skip the rest. Your answers stay in your browser: nothing here is sent to us or saved anywhere.
Answer a question or two above and matching programs will appear here. All of them are free to apply for.
Other programs to know about
Homestead Exemption
Takes $100,000 off your home's taxable assessed value, saving about $1,399 a year at the current tax rate.
- You own the home and live in it as your primary residence.
- No income or age requirements.
Deadline: December 1 for the following tax year.
You cannot have the Homestead Exemption and LOOP at the same time; the City's calculator at property.phila.gov shows which saves you more.
How to apply (phila.gov / pa.gov)Longtime Owner Occupants Program (LOOP)
Caps your assessment so a big reassessment jump cannot fully hit your bill, and the cap stays as long as you remain eligible.
- Your assessment went up 50%+ this reassessment, or 75%+ over five years.
- You have lived in your home 10 years or more.
- Household income within limits that scale with household size (about $103,050 for one person, $147,200 for a family of four).
- Current on property taxes, or in an OOPA or installment plan. Homes with a tax abatement do not qualify.
Deadline: September 30, 2026 for this year's benefit.
LOOP replaces the Homestead Exemption; you must pick one. If your assessment jumped 50%+ and you qualify, compare LOOP against an appeal before paying anyone: LOOP is free and may already cap the increase.
How to apply (phila.gov / pa.gov)Senior Citizen Tax Freeze
Freezes your Real Estate Tax bill at its current amount. If assessments or rates rise, your bill does not. If they fall, your bill drops and refreezes lower.
- You are 65 or older, or live with a spouse who is, or are 50+ and widowed from a spouse who reached 65.
- Household income of $33,500 or less (single) or $41,500 or less (married).
Deadline: September 30 each year, with retroactive enrollment to your first eligible year if you qualified earlier.
Pairs well with an appeal: win the appeal first, then the freeze locks in the lower bill.
How to apply (phila.gov / pa.gov)Low-Income Tax Freeze
Same freeze as the senior program, but with no age requirement. Your bill stops rising while you remain eligible.
- You own and live in the home as your primary residence.
- Household income of $33,500 or less (single) or $41,500 or less (married).
Deadline: September 30, 2026 for Tax Year 2026 relief.
Can be combined with the Homestead Exemption.
How to apply (phila.gov / pa.gov)Owner-Occupied Payment Agreement (OOPA)
An income-based monthly payment plan for back Real Estate Taxes, with some payments as low as $0 per month. Stops collection actions while you pay.
- You own and live in the home and owe back Real Estate Taxes.
- Monthly payment is set from your income; documentation required.
Deadline: Year-round.
Being in an OOPA keeps you eligible for LOOP.
How to apply (phila.gov / pa.gov)Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption (PA)
A full exemption from Real Estate Tax on the primary residence for qualifying disabled veterans.
- 100% service-connected disability rating (or paraplegic/blind), wartime service, honorable discharge.
- Financial need determined by the State Veterans' Commission.
Deadline: Year-round, through the PA Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
How to apply (phila.gov / pa.gov)PA Property Tax/Rent Rebate
A yearly state rebate of up to $1,000 on property taxes, with a supplemental amount for many Philadelphia homeowners.
- 65+, or a widow(er) 50+, or an adult with disabilities.
- Household income within the state limit (about $46,500, adjusted yearly; half of Social Security income is excluded).
Deadline: Usually June 30, and the state has extended it to December 31 in recent years.
How to apply (phila.gov / pa.gov)Appeal Squad prepares assessment appeals. We do not file relief program applications, and none of the programs above require any paid service: apply directly with the City at phila.gov or the Commonwealth at pa.gov using the links in each card.