Connecticut Veteran Benefits 2026: Property Tax Exemptions and Military Retired Pay Tax
The state benefits Connecticut gives veterans and their surviving spouses: property tax exemptions, how the state taxes military retired pay, and other benefits, each with who qualifies, the amount, how to apply and the official source.
Connecticut fully exempts military retirement pay from state income tax. A veteran with a VA service-connected permanent and total disability rating pays no property tax on the home they live in (or, with no home, on one vehicle), from assessment year 2024. Other veterans get fixed exemptions from assessed value: $1,000 for wartime service and $2,000 to $3,500 by disability rating, both raised by towns after revaluation. A state-funded add-on that is twice as large goes to veterans under the income limit. Wartime veterans who live in Connecticut also get free tuition at UConn, the CSU universities and the community colleges. (sources)
Official sources Checked against official sources on November 4, 2026. This page lists only benefits confirmed on an official state or federal page; counties and cities may offer more.
Property tax exemptions for veterans in Connecticut
| Benefit | Who qualifies | Amount | How to apply | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full property tax exemption for veterans with a permanent and total disability rating | Connecticut resident who served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force or Space Force and has a service-connected permanent and total disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Applies to the dwelling (including a condo or common-interest unit) the veteran owns and occupies as a primary residence. If the veteran has no such residence, it applies to one motor vehicle owned and garaged in Connecticut. Covers property held by a domiciled spouse. A surviving spouse who has not remarried, and minor children, keep it. No age or income limit. In effect for assessment years starting on or after October 1, 2024. | Full exemption of the primary-residence dwelling (or one motor vehicle if no residence) | Record the honorable discharge (DD-214) with the town clerk (CGS 12-93) and give the town assessor proof of the VA permanent and total rating. Proof may be filed at any time before the town's board of assessment appeals finishes its work for the year (CGS 12-95). It cannot be combined with the CGS 12-81(19) wartime exemption. | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 12-81(83) (added by P.A. 24-46); §§ 12-93, 12-95 |
| Disabled veteran exemption by VA disability rating | Connecticut resident who served, or is serving, in the U.S. Armed Forces and has a VA disability rating of 10% or more, other than a permanent and total rating. Also covers a veteran receiving federal compensation for loss of a leg or arm in service. Passes to a surviving spouse who has not remarried and to minor children. No income limit for the base exemption. | Statutory base, from assessed value: $2,000 for a 10%-25% rating, $2,500 for over 25%-50%, $3,000 for over 50%-75%, and $3,500 for over 75% or if the veteran is 65 or older. Towns raise these amounts after each revaluation (CGS 12-62g). There is also an additional exemption under CGS 12-81g: twice the base amount if the veteran is under the income limit, otherwise one-half of the base amount. | Record the DD-214 with the town clerk and give the town assessor proof of the VA rating. Proof is needed again only if the rating changes. | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 12-81(20); § 12-81g; § 12-62g |
| Wartime veteran exemption | Connecticut resident who is a veteran, as defined in CGS 27-103, who served in time of war. Also covers some other groups, such as certain WWII allied-service members, WWII Merchant Marine, members still serving in wartime, and those retired after 30 years. Surviving spouses who have not remarried and minor children get a separate $1,000 exemption under CGS 12-81(22). No income limit for the base exemption. | Statutory base of $1,000 of assessed value, raised by towns after each revaluation (CGS 12-62g). There is also an additional exemption under CGS 12-81g: twice the base amount if under the income limit, otherwise one-half of the base amount. | Record the honorable discharge (DD-214) with the town clerk before the October 1 assessment date (CGS 12-93); the exemption takes effect on the next assessment day (CGS 12-95) | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 12-81(19), (22); §§ 12-93, 12-95 |
| Additional veterans' exemption, income-based and state-reimbursed | Anyone receiving a veteran exemption under CGS 12-81(19)-(26), including the wartime, disability-rated and surviving-spouse exemptions, whose qualifying income in the prior calendar year is under the limit. Qualifying income is federal AGI plus non-taxable income, but veterans' disability payments are excluded. The limit matches the circuit-breaker limit (CGS 12-81l): $46,300 unmarried or $56,500 married for 2025 income, for applications filed in 2026. The statute separately sets an AGI cap of $18,000 unmarried or $21,000 married for veterans rated 100%. Towns may opt to give a veteran rated 100% three times the 12-81(20) amount instead, with an AGI limit of $21,000 unmarried or $24,000 married. | Twice the veteran's base exemption amount. Veterans who do not qualify on income get one-half of the base amount instead (CGS 12-81g(d)). | Apply to the town assessor with income documentation. After first approval, reapply every two years (biennially). | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 12-81g, 12-81l; OPM 2026 Homeowners Q&A booklet (income limits) |
| Severely disabled veteran homestead exemption | Connecticut citizen and resident veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces who owns and occupies the home as their domicile. The VA must find a service-connected disability: paraplegia or osteochondritis with permanent loss of use of both legs, hemiplegia, total blindness, or amputation of both arms, legs, hands or feet (or a hand and a foot). Loss of use of one arm or one leg qualifies for a reduced amount. | $10,000 of the dwelling's assessed value, or $5,000 for loss of use of one arm or one leg (statutory amounts) | Apply to the town assessor with VA documentation of the qualifying disability | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 12-81(21) |
Is military retired pay taxed in Connecticut?
| Treatment | Amount or limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fully exempt. Retired members of the U.S. Armed Forces or National Guard subtract all military retirement pay that is included in federal AGI (Form CT-1040, Line 44). The subtraction also applies to a beneficiary receiving survivor benefits under an option or election made by a deceased retired member. Payments to a former spouse under a divorce, dissolution, annulment, legal separation or court-approved property settlement do not qualify. | 100% of military retirement pay; no dollar cap or income limit (tax year 2025 instructions; CGS 12-701(a)(20)(B)(xvi)) | portal.ct.gov |
For the dollars this treatment adds to (or saves on) a retiree’s state tax in 2026, see the military retirement tax by state study; for the pension itself, the military retirement pay calculator.
Other Connecticut veteran benefits
Education
| Benefit | Who qualifies | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| State veterans tuition waiver at UConn, the Connecticut State University System and the community colleges | A veteran, as defined in CGS 27-103, who performed service in time of war, excluding time at a service academy. Must be accepted for admission and domiciled in Connecticut at the time of acceptance. UConn's veterans office says this means at least 90 days of wartime active duty other than training, an honorable discharge, and includes Title 10-activated National Guard. If the veteran applied for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, the waiver covers only the tuition those benefits do not pay. | Tuition only, for undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Fees, books, and room and board are not covered. | cga.ct.gov |
Common questions
Does Connecticut have a property tax exemption for disabled veterans?
Connecticut lists 5 veteran property tax benefits. The main one: Full property tax exemption for veterans with a permanent and total disability rating. Who qualifies: Connecticut resident who served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force or Space Force and has a service-connected permanent and total disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Applies to the dwelling (including a condo or common-interest unit) the veteran owns and occupies as a primary residence. If the veteran has no such residence, it applies to one motor vehicle owned and garaged in Connecticut. Covers property held by a domiciled spouse. A surviving spouse who has not remarried, and minor children, keep it. No age or income limit. In effect for assessment years starting on or after October 1, 2024.. Amount: Full exemption of the primary-residence dwelling (or one motor vehicle if no residence) (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 12-81(83) (added by P.A. 24-46); §§ 12-93, 12-95).
How do I apply for the Connecticut veteran property tax exemption?
Record the honorable discharge (DD-214) with the town clerk (CGS 12-93) and give the town assessor proof of the VA permanent and total rating. Proof may be filed at any time before the town's board of assessment appeals finishes its work for the year (CGS 12-95). It cannot be combined with the CGS 12-81(19) wartime exemption. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 12-81(83) (added by P.A. 24-46); §§ 12-93, 12-95).
Does Connecticut tax military retirement pay?
Fully exempt. Retired members of the U.S. Armed Forces or National Guard subtract all military retirement pay that is included in federal AGI (Form CT-1040, Line 44). The subtraction also applies to a beneficiary receiving survivor benefits under an option or election made by a deceased retired member. Payments to a former spouse under a divorce, dissolution, annulment, legal separation or court-approved property settlement do not qualify. Amount or limit: 100% of military retirement pay; no dollar cap or income limit (tax year 2025 instructions; CGS 12-701(a)(20)(B)(xvi)) (portal.ct.gov).
What other benefits do veterans get in Connecticut?
State veterans tuition waiver at UConn, the Connecticut State University System and the community colleges (cga.ct.gov). Who qualifies and the amounts are in the tables above.
Sources
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 12-81(83) (added by P.A. 24-46); §§ 12-93, 12-95
- Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 12-81g, 12-81l; OPM 2026 Homeowners Q&A booklet (income limits)
- portal.ct.gov
- cga.ct.gov
Every row above is copied from the official page linked beside it. Benefits change with new laws and local decisions, so confirm the amount and the deadline with the office that runs the program before you apply. QuantCalc is calculation software, not legal, tax or benefits advice. Last updated November 4, 2026.
Related
Connecticut senior property tax relief → Connecticut state income tax for retirees → Veteran benefits in every state → Military retirement tax by state 2026 → Military retirement pay calculator → 2026 VA disability rates → Military retiree and VA COLA 2027 → VA loan limits 2026 →