Beltrami County reminds homeowners to file homestead applications

Beltrami County is warning homeowners that homestead status does not stay in place without paperwork on file. The assessor’s office said residents must have a homestead application with the county to receive the benefit, and some property owners may soon get a letter asking for an updated application.

The county published the reminder on June 5 and said it is reviewing parcels already classified as homestead. Homeowners who need help can call the Beltrami County Assessor’s Office at 218-333-4113 or 218-333-4110.

Homestead classification matters because it can change how a home is treated for tax purposes. Beltrami County says the designation applies to property occupied as a primary residence by the owner or by a qualifying relative, and it can affect property classification, taxable market value, property tax refund eligibility and some special program eligibility. The Minnesota Department of Revenue says homestead classification may also qualify a property for a Homestead Market Value Exclusion, a property tax refund, a veterans’ disability market value exclusion, special homestead classification for owners who are blind or disabled, or senior property tax deferral.

County rules require owners to own and occupy the property and apply by Dec. 31 of the current year to receive the benefit on property taxes payable the following year. Beltrami County also says relative homestead can apply when a property is occupied by certain family members, including parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. Special homestead classification may apply for some owners who are blind or permanently and totally disabled.

The assessor’s office says it is responsible for locating, identifying and determining the fair market value and classification of taxable property in the county. Each year it performs property inspections, sale reviews and analysis, estimates market values, assigns legislative classifications and hears valuation appeals. The county says estimated market value and classification are based on the condition and use of the property on Jan. 2 each year, and assessors inspect properties in person at least once every five years, or sooner after new construction or demolition.

For homeowners in Bemidji and across Beltrami County, the reminder is a prompt to check whether homestead paperwork is current before the next tax cycle locks in a higher bill. A missed application or an outdated record can mean losing a classification that helps shape the tax calculation and related refund eligibility.