Fillable Printable Form 55706

Form 55706

Page 1 of 2

STATEMENT OF DEDUCTION OF ASSESSED VALUATI ON

ATTRIBUTED TO HERITAGE BARN

State Form 55706 (R / 6-16)

Prescribed by the Department of Local Government Finance

County

Township

Year

Pay

Indiana Code 6-1.1-12-26.2 provides a property tax deduction for heritage barns. Specifically, an eligible applicant is entitled to a deduction against the

assessed value of the structure and foundation of a heritage barn beginning with assessments after

2014. The deduction is equal to 100% of the

assessed value of the structure and foundation of the heritage barn. See page 2 for additional information.

INSTRUCTIONS: An eligible applicant that desires to obtain the deduction must certify and file this deduction application with the auditor of the county in which the

heritage barn is located. The application may be filed in person or by mail. If mailed, the mailing must be postmarke d on or befor e the last day for filing. The

application must contain the information prescribed below.

FILING DEADLINE: The application must be completed and signed on or before December 31 of the year for which the deduction is sought and filed or

postmarked on or before January 5 of the follow i ng year.

CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

I, _________________________________________________ , certify that I own or am bu ying a property, including a heritage barn, under a

contract that (i) gives me a right to obtain title to the property upon fulfilling the terms of the contract; (ii) does not permit the owner to terminate the

contract as long as I comply with the terms of the contract; (iii) specifies that during the term of the contract I must pay the property taxes on the

property; and (iv) has been recorded with the county recorder.

I hereby certify that my statements on this form are true, correct, and complete.

Signature Date (month, day, year)

PROPERTY DESCRIPTION

Address of barn (number and street, city, state, and ZIP code)

Township Legal description or key number Telephone number of applicant

( )

Address of applicant (number and street, city, state, and ZIP code)

On the assessment date for which this deduction would apply, the barn in question:

(A) was constructed before 1950;

YesNo

(B) retained sufficient integrity of design, materials, and construction to clearly identify the building as a barn; and

YesNo

FOR AUDITOR’S USE ONLY

Tax cycle to which deduction would first apply

20 Pay 20

Assessed value of the structure and foundation of heritage barn

VERIFICATION BY ASSESSING OFFICIAL

Is property recommended for dedu ction?

Yes No

Recommended deduction

Was the barn constructed before 1950?

Yes No

Comments, if any

Signature of assessing official Date signed (month, day, year)

Printed name of assessing offic ial

FINAL DETERMINATION OF COUNTY AUDITOR

Approved deduction (equal to 100% of the assessed value of the structure and foundation of the heritage barn

[does NOT include land])

Tax cycle to which deduction would first apply

20 Pay 20

Signature of auditorDate signed (month, day, year)

Printed name of auditor

If applicable, reason for changing deduction amount recommended by assessing official

Has county fiscal body adopted an ordinance to require a person receiving this deduction to pay an annual public safety fee for each heritage barn for

which the person receives this deduction? The fee may not exceed fifty dollars ($50.00).

YesNo

Distribution on date of filing: Original- county auditor; File-stamped copy- applicant; File-stamped copy- assessing official

Distribution on date that final determi nati on is made: Original- county auditor; Copy- applicant; Copy- assessing official

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Page 2 of 2

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For purposes of this deduction , the following definitions apply:

"Eligible applicant" means (A) an owner of a heritage barn; or (B) a person that is purchasing property, including a heritage barn, und er

a contract that:

(i) gives the person a right to obtain title to the property upon fulfilling the terms of the contract;

(ii) does not permit the owner to terminate the contract as long as the person buying the property complies with

the terms of the contract;

(iii) specifies that during the term of the contract the person must pa y the propert y taxes on the property; and

(iv) has been recorded with the county recorder.

"Heritage barn" means a barn that on the assessment date:

(A) was constructed before 1950;

(B) retains sufficient integrity of design, mater ials, an d construction to cle arly identify the building as a barn; and

A mortise and tenon barn is a barn built using heavy wooden timbers, joined together with wood-pegged mortise and tenon joinery, that

form an exposed structural frame.

"Barn" means a building (oth er than a dwelling) that was designed to be used for:

(A) housing animals;

(B) storing or processing crops;

(D) serving an essential or useful purpose related to agricultural activities conducted on the adjacent land.

Upon verification of the application by the appropriate county or township assessor (if there is a township assessor for the township),

the auditor of the county must allow the d edu ction. T he audi tor must, in a p articular year, appl y the dedu ction to the her itage barn of the

owner that received the deduction in the preceding year unless the auditor of the county determines that the property is no longer

eligible for the deductio n beca use the bar n was not construc ted b efore 1 950. A perso n th at receives th is deductio n and remains eligible

for the deduction in the follo wing year is not required to file an applic ation in the following ye ar.

A person that receives this deduction in a p articular year and becomes ine ligible for the deduction in the follo wing year must notif y the

auditor of the county in which the property is located of the ineligibility in the year in which the person becomes ineligible. This

deduction terminates following a change in ownership of the heritage barn. However, this deduction does not terminate following the

removal of less than all the joint owners of property or purchasers of property under the recorded contract mentioned above.

A county fiscal body may adopt an ordinance to require a person receiving this deduction to pay an annual public safety fee for each

heritage barn for which the person receives this deduction. The fee may not exceed fifty dollars ($50.00). The county auditor must

distribute these public safety fees eq uitably among the polic e and fire departments in whose territories each heritage barn is located.