Hennepin County, Minnesota vs Maricopa County, Arizona

Lets homeowners 65 or older (if married, one spouse 65+ and the other at least 62) with household income of $96,000 or less defer part of their homestead property tax. The deferred tax becomes a low-interest state lien paid back when the home is sold. Payments are capped at 3% of income while enrolled, and once accepted you do not need to reapply yearly.

Estimated bill savings: $200–$2,000 a year

Renters whose rent contributes to property taxes can claim the Renter's Credit — since tax year 2024 it is claimed on the Minnesota income tax return (Schedule M1RENT) instead of a separate M1PR filing. Household income must be under $77,570, and the maximum refund is $2,720. A Certificate of Rent Paid (CRP) from the landlord is required.

Estimated bill savings: $100–$2,720 a year

Arizona runs four State Veteran Homes providing skilled nursing care for veterans and their spouses: Phoenix (104 beds), Tucson (120 beds, with a 30-bed memory care unit), Flagstaff (80 beds, with memory care and a Medicare rehab unit), and Yuma (80 beds, with a 20-bed memory care unit). The homes are state-owned and Medicare-certified, and the memory care units serve residents with Alzheimer's or other dementia. Admission is open to an honorably-separated veteran or the spouse of a veteran who needs skilled nursing care as determined by a physician. Residents pay a daily rate, and VA benefits can offset the cost — an ADVS Veteran Benefits Counselor works in each home and can help sort out what the VA will cover.

Arizona's Veteran Benefits Counselors give free help to veterans, their dependents, and survivors with federal and state benefits — preparing and filing VA disability compensation and pension claims, appealing VA decisions, representing claimants at VA hearings, filing survivor benefits, requesting military records, applying for discharge upgrades, and certifying DD-214 discharge paperwork. All counselors are accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Getting the VA rating right matters twice in Arizona: the rating drives federal compensation AND the state property tax exemption, which is prorated by the disability percentage. Counselors work in person, by phone, or virtually across Arizona, including at the State Veteran Homes in Flagstaff, Phoenix, Tucson, and Yuma. No one needs to pay a private company to file a VA claim.

Arizona law gives a free hunting and fishing license to a veteran who receives U.S. government compensation for a permanent service-connected disability rated 100% disabling. The complimentary license carries the privileges of a combination hunting and fishing license. The veteran must have lived in Arizona for at least one year before applying. When the VA letter shows the 100% rating is permanent and will not be re-evaluated, the license is issued for the holder's lifetime — otherwise it is valid for three years at a time. Apply through the Arizona Game and Fish Department with a copy of the VA benefits letter.

Arizona operates three state veterans' cemeteries: the Arizona Veterans' Memorial Cemetery at Camp Navajo in Bellemont (near Flagstaff), the Arizona Veterans' Memorial Cemetery at Marana (near Tucson), and the Southern Arizona Veterans' Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista. Burial for an eligible veteran includes the gravesite, opening and closing, a concrete liner for casket burials, a government marker, and perpetual care at no cost. Spouses, un-remarried widows and widowers, minor children, and in some cases unmarried adult dependent children may also be buried there — and an eligible spouse may be buried even if they pass away before the veteran. Options include in-ground casket burial, in-ground urn burial, and columbarium placement. Applying ahead of need settles the eligibility paperwork in advance and spares the family that step later.

Arizona reduces property taxes for veterans with a VA disability rating. A veteran rated 100% service-connected, or rated total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU), has the home fully exempt from property tax — even if the property is jointly owned — and the surviving spouse keeps that full exemption while living in the home and unmarried. Every other rating gets a prorated exemption instead: $4,873 of assessed value for 2026, multiplied by the disability percentage, so a 50% rating exempts about $2,437. Both service-connected ratings under 100% and non-service-connected ratings count for the prorated version. Household income for the prior year must be $39,865 or less ($47,826 with a minor or disabled child at home) — but Social Security, VA and railroad retirement payments do not count toward that limit, so many retirees qualify on paper income that looks higher. Apply with the county assessor between early January and March 1, with the VA letter showing the rating.

Estimated bill savings: $40–$2,000 a year

Arizona gives a property-tax exemption (reducing assessed value by $4,873 for 2026) to widows, widowers, and people with a total and permanent disability who own a home in Arizona. Household income from all sources must be $39,865 or less (or $47,826 with minor children or a disabled dependent), and the total assessed value of your Arizona property must be $36,454 or less. Apply to your county assessor between the first Monday in January and March 1.

Estimated bill savings: $100–$600 a year

This program freezes the taxable (limited) value of the home for Arizona homeowners age 65 or older, so that value can't rise while you qualify. To qualify, at least one owner must be 65+, you must have owned and lived in the home for the prior two years as your primary residence, and your 3-year-average total income from all sources must be $47,712 or less (one owner) or $59,640 or less (two or more owners). Apply to your county assessor on Form 82104 by September 1.

Estimated bill savings: $100–$1,500 a year