1. (a) An individual is entitled to a credit against local property taxes imposed on the individual's real property, mobile home, or manufactured home within the county, if:

   1. (1) the individual served in the military or naval forces of the United States during any of its wars;
   2. (2) the individual received an honorable discharge;
   3. (3) the individual has a disability with a service connected disability of ten percent (10%) or more;

   4. (4) the individual's disability is evidenced by:

      1. (A) a pension certificate, an award of compensation, or a disability compensation check issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; or
      2. (B) a certificate of eligibility issued to the individual by the Indiana department of veterans' affairs after the Indiana department of veterans' affairs has determined that the individual's disability qualifies the individual to receive a credit under this section; and

   5. (5) the individual:

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

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

         on the date the credit is claimed, and in the case of clause (B), the contract or a memorandum of the contract is recorded in the county recorder's office.

2. (b) The amount of the credit is equal to three hundred fifty dollars ($350).
3. (c) The surviving spouse of an individual may receive the credit provided by this section if the individual satisfied the requirements of subsection (a)(1) through (a)(4) at the time of death and the surviving spouse satisfies the requirement of subsection (a)(5) at the time the credit is claimed. The surviving spouse is entitled to the credit regardless of whether the property for which the credit is claimed was owned by the deceased veteran or the surviving spouse before the deceased veteran's death.
4. (d) An individual who receives the credit provided by this section may receive any other property tax credit that the individual is entitled to by law.
5. (e) An individual who has sold real property or a mobile home or manufactured home to another person under a contract that provides that the contract buyer is to pay the property taxes on the real property, mobile home, or manufactured home may not claim the credit provided under this section against that real property, mobile home, or manufactured home.
6. (f) An individual wishing to claim a credit under this section must file a statement, on forms prescribed by the department of local government finance, with the county auditor and provide documentation necessary to substantiate the individual's eligibility for the credit. The statement must be completed and dated on or before January 15 of the calendar year in which the property taxes are first due and payable. The statement may be filed in person or by mail. If mailed, the mailing must be postmarked on or before the last day for filing. An individual who remains eligible for the credit in the following year is not required to file a statement to apply for the credit in the following year. However, an individual who receives a credit under this section in a particular year and who becomes ineligible for the credit in the following year shall notify the auditor of the county in which the homestead is located of the individual's ineligibility not later than sixty (60) days after the individual becomes ineligible.

As added by P.L.157-2026, SEC.97.