Acton assessor outlines who gets tax relief, highlights new state option to incentivize affordable rentals

CJ Carroll, Acton’s principal assessor, told the Select Board on Sept. 8 that the town provided just under $670,000 in tax relief in 2025 through a suite of exemptions for seniors, veterans, surviving spouses and other qualifying residents.

Carroll said the town’s “circuit breaker” program — which piggybacks on the state income-tax credit — helps residents whose property tax exceeds a share of their income. “Here in Acton it ensures that real estate taxes do not exceed 10% of the adjusted gross income of the individual,” Carroll said, adding that the exemption is capped at 50% of the taxes charged in a year. He said Acton receives about 20 circuit-breaker applicants annually, and the average applicant receives roughly $2,000; he noted the town paid about $42,000 under that program last year.

The circuit breaker requires applicants to have claimed the state’s circuit-breaker credit on the prior year’s Massachusetts tax return (form CB‑1), Carroll said, and that the assessor’s office and Council on Aging provide tax‑return assistance to seniors who need help completing…