Maricopa seniors can apply for a “senior freeze,” which provides financial relief for those on a fixed income. But there are only a few days left to qualify.

Pinal County’s senior property valuation protection option, also called the senior freeze, is available to residential homeowners aged 65 or older. All that is required is the property owner meets specific guidelines based on income, ownership and residency.

“Under the Arizona property tax law, you can freeze the taxable value of your primary residence for up to three years,” said Pinal County Assessor Douglas Wolf.

The freeze remains in place regardless of future property values increase or decrease, Wolf said.

First-time applicants can submit an application  in person to the assessor’s office, 31 N. Pinal St., No. E in Florence.

The freeze is renewable after three years if the property owner still qualifies. This does not freeze your property tax bill but does freeze property valuation.

Application deadline is Sept. 1.

The freeze applies only to the limited property value and will remain frozen even in the event of a declining real estate market. Any changes to the property such as new construction or demolitions that change your full cash value will result in removal of the freeze.

Advantages of a senior property valuation freeze:

• Stability in property tax assessments.
• Seniors on fixed incomes can benefit from reduced property tax increases, which provides financial relief.
• Seniors can continue to live in their familiar home.
• It helps preserve the equity in their property.
• It can reduce financial stress for seniors.
• It provides access to limited resources.
• Seniors can continue to be part of their community.

To qualify, a property owner must be at least 65 at the time of application.

The property must be owned by the primary residence. A primary residence is one occupied by the property owner for nine months of the calendar year.

A qualified owner can have only one primary residence and must have resided in the residence for two years at the time of application. This protection includes up to 10 acres of land, including the primary residence identified by one parcel number.

An Arizona driver’s license can prove a person has lived in the home for two years. If your license is less than two years old, the property owner must bring supporting documentation that shows at least two years of residency at your current address. That can include a voter registration card, utility statement, vehicle registration.

If the property is held in trust, provide proof of trustees along with the application to determine ownership eligibility. Any change in ownership may result in the loss of the freeze.

All gross income — taxable and non-taxable — of all owners will be used to determine eligibility.

When applying for property valuation protection, documentation (W-2s, 1099s and tax returns) to verify all gross income, residency and age must be submitted with the application. Applications must be submitted in person to the Assessor’s office. No applications by mail will be accepted. The following list offers examples of acceptable income verification forms:

• Federal income tax return
• Dividends and interest
• Business/farm income
• Veteran disability pension insurance.
• Alimony/welfare payments
• Social Security benefits
• Capital gains/IRA income
• Rent and royalty income
• Workman’s compensation
• Retirement/pension and annuity
• Wages/salaries/tips
• Disability compensation
• Railroad retirement
• Arizona unemployment

The assessor will notify the property owner six months prior to the expiration of the current period, reminding them they must re-qualify for the protection to continue.