Primary Residence Property Taxes Exemption in MI

[tk30000]

I live in Michigan since 2003, bought a house in Michigan in 2010 (a condo), and Michigan was always declared as my primary residence. Obviously, I also have – and always have had -- a Michigan id, and vote in Michigan. Few years ago, I bought a house in central Ohio. On occasion of buying the house in Ohio, I declared to the Franklin county and State of Ohio this as being my secondary residence.

For all practical effects and purposes I retired early, and don’t have to work for a living; so I don’t have lots of reasons to stay in a given place most of the time. The house that I bought in Ohio was a distressed house and thus needed lots of repairs, so there has been years whereas I spent most of the time in Ohio. Eventually, I sold that house and bought another one in Ohio (still declared that house as my secondary residence)

Also, I have family overseas and can easily spend 3 months per year oversees visiting them.

Typically, my mail goes to my place in Ohio mostly because the mailbox in my Michigan residence is too small and would easy fill up in two weeks. On the other hand, my mailbox in my secondary residence in Ohio is fairly large and would take 3 months to get full. Based on this fact, I elected to have most of my mail directed to my secondary address in Ohio. Anyhow, for most part I don’t really care about the whereabouts of my mail given that nowadays everything is checked and paid online – normally I don’t even open my statement letters given that by the time they arrive they are already outdated.

All the preamble above culminate with the question and problem I am facing now. I also happen to be a disable veteran, and this year I applied for a veteran tax exemption and used my Ohio address as a return address. This triggered an audit by the city assessor’s office in Lansing, MI. And they are asking for my id ad bills and/or statements from last year that have my Michigan address as the delivery address. So, I am a conundrum now given that I do not have enough relevant mails going to my Michigan address to fulfill this requirement, and this situation simply does seem fair.

Any insight, on how to approach this situation would be appreciated.

[TomD8]

Since Michigan is your primary residence, presumably you have been filing taxes as a Michigan resident every year.  My first thought would be to ask the Lansing assessor if copies of the past few years of your Michigan resident tax returns would be considered as acceptable proof of your Michigan residency.

[NCperson]

I'd also show my voter registration card and proof I voted in MI recently (I think that is public record in most states).... presumably you vote in MI. 

where are your car(s) registered?

drivers license issued by MI?

[Critter-3]

Show them the RE tax bill from Ohio ... that should show you do not have a homestead exemption on this second home ... further proves your MI residency.   The fact that you get your mail at a different address doesn't change your residency status ... you could have a PO BOX on the moon and that would not change the residency.