(a) The following definitions apply throughout this section:

1. (1) "Installment loan" means a loan under which:

   1. (A) a lender advances money for the purchase of:

      1. (i) a mobile home that is not assessed as real property; or
      2. (ii) a manufactured home that is not assessed as real property; and
   2. (B) a borrower repays the lender in installments in accordance with the terms of an installment agreement.

2. (2) "Mortgage" means a lien against property that:

   1. (A) an owner of the property grants to secure an obligation, such as a debt, according to terms set forth in a written instrument, such as a deed or a contract; and

   2. (B) is extinguished upon payment or performance according to the terms of the written instrument.

      The term includes a reverse mortgage.

(b) Each year a person who is a resident of this state may receive a deduction from the assessed value of:

1. (1) mortgaged real property, an installment loan financed mobile home that is not assessed as real property, or an installment loan financed manufactured home that is not assessed as real property, with the mortgage or installment loan instrument recorded with the county recorder's office, that the person owns;
2. (2) real property, a mobile home that is not assessed as real property, or a manufactured home that is not assessed as real property that the person is buying under a contract, with the contract or a memorandum of the contract recorded in the county recorder's office, which provides that the person is to pay the property taxes on the real property, mobile home, or manufactured home; or
3. (3) real property, a mobile home that is not assessed as real property, or a manufactured home that the person owns or is buying on a contract described in subdivision (2) on which the person has a home equity line of credit that is recorded in the county recorder's office.

(c) Except as provided in section 40.5 of this chapter, the total amount of the deduction which the person may receive under this section for a particular year is:

1. (1) the balance of the mortgage or contract indebtedness (including a home equity line of credit) on the assessment date of that year;
2. (2) one-half (1/2) of the assessed value of the real property, mobile home, or manufactured home; or

3. (3) three thousand dollars ($3,000);

   whichever is least.

(e) The person must:

1. (1) own the real property, mobile home, or manufactured home; or

2. (2) be buying the real property, mobile home, or manufactured home under contract;

   on the date the statement is filed under section 2 of this chapter.

   [Pre-1975 Property Tax Recodification Citation: 6-1-1-5 part.]

   Formerly: Acts 1975, P.L.47, SEC.1. As amended by Acts 1980, P.L.39, SEC.1; Acts 1981, P.L.69, SEC.1; P.L.6-1997, SEC.41; P.L.291-2001, SEC.129; P.L.144-2008, SEC.9; P.L.81-2010, SEC.1; P.L.255-2017, SEC.11.