Alternative Veterans Exemption for a Gold Star Parent
A locality may extend the Alternative Veterans Exemption to the parent of a servicemember who died in the line of duty. Many assessors’ own guidance has not caught up with it.
Verified August 18, 2026
What this benefit is
A locality may extend the Alternative Veterans Exemption to a Gold Star parent — the parent of a servicemember who died in the line of duty.
Where adopted, the parent receives it on the same terms as a wartime veteran would.
What it's worth: The same exemption a wartime veteran would receive
- Where adopted, a Gold Star parent receives the Alternative Veterans Exemption on the same terms as a wartime veteran.
- As with every New York veterans exemption, the maximum is chosen by the locality and multiplied by its equalization rate.
Who is entitled to it
- The parent of a servicemember who died in the line of duty,
- on their primary residence,
- in a jurisdiction that has adopted the Gold Star parent extension specifically.
Not sure whether that describes you?
Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.
The thing most people get wrong
It is adopted separately, and assessors answer about the wrong one
New York local option operates one layer deeper here than people expect. A town that grants the ordinary Alternative Veterans Exemption has not necessarily adopted the Gold Star parent extension — that is a separate decision under §458-a(7). So the question to ask is not "do you offer the veterans exemption" but "have you adopted the Gold Star parent extension", by name. Ask the general question and you will often get an answer about the general exemption, which tells you nothing about this.
How to claim it
Deadline: March 1 in most towns — taxable status date- 1Ask your assessor specifically about the Gold Star parent extension, by name. It is adopted separately from the ordinary exemption and is easy for an office to answer about wrongly.
- 2File form RP-458-a before the taxable status date.
- Form
- RP-458-a
- File with
- Your town, city or village assessor
- Documents you will need
- dd1300 ny · proof of relationship ny · proof of residence ny
- Stays in place once granted
- Tell the assessor when your rating changes — the disability portion moves with it.
Common mistakes that cost people this benefit
- Asking the general question. Name the Gold Star parent extension specifically.
- Assuming it does not apply because you are not a veteran. That is the point of it.
Questions people ask
- My town says it offers the veterans exemption. Does that include me?
- Not necessarily. The Gold Star parent extension under §458-a(7) is adopted separately. Ask the assessor about it by name and ask them to check the local resolution.
Sources
- authority · statuteN.Y. Real Prop. Tax Law §458-a(7)
- operating · published policyNYS Dept. of Taxation and Finance — Assessor Manual, RPTL §458-a
This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.