Benefit programs in Hawaii (2026)
For families in Hawaii we check every federal program below, then map your state's own programs and point you to the office that runs each one.
We don't put a dollar figure on most of Hawaii's own programs yet. Those amounts depend on rules we haven't finished checking against official sources. What you get instead is the program, its official source, and who to call. Federal amounts are computed for every state, including yours.
Hawaii families can get Medicaid help with care at home through 1 Medicaid home and community-based services waiver that pay for care in your own home instead of a nursing facility. Hawaii also has a confirmed property-tax relief program for seniors, the City & County of Honolulu — Real Property Tax Credit for Homeowners (circuit breaker). Its confirmed benefit is quoted in the program's own official wording further down this page. Hawaii also runs a LIHEAP energy-assistance program that covers heating and cooling costs together. Figures checked against official sources, last on 2026-08-05.
Does Hawaii Medicaid pay for care at home?
Yes. Hawaii runs 1 Medicaid home & community-based services waiver, including "HI HCB Services for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) Waiver (0013.R09.00)". These pay for care in your own home instead of a nursing facility. We have no confirmed dollar figure for what they pay. Amounts depend on an assessment, and most waivers have waiting lists. Ask Hawaii Medicaid, or call 808-643-ADRC.
- HI HCB Services for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) Waiver (0013.R09.00)
What property tax relief is available to seniors in Hawaii?
Hawaii has a confirmed property-tax relief program for seniors: the City & County of Honolulu — Real Property Tax Credit for Homeowners (circuit breaker). Tax credit equal to the amount by which the year's real property tax exceeds 3% of the titleholders' combined total gross income; credit cannot reduce the bill below the annual minimum tax. Must have a home exemption in effect and own no other property anywhere. Apply annually by Sept 30. (Example from the official brochure: $35,000 income → 3% = $1,050; $2,400 tax − $1,050 = $1,350 credit.) That figure is confirmed against Hawaii's own official page (last checked 2026-08-05). Hawaii runs 9 property-tax relief programs that seniors may qualify for in total. See the full list below, or call your state's Aging and Disability Resource Center at 808-643-ADRC and ask which apply to you.
16 programs in Hawaii. Each description below is drawn from its linked source and shown in full: the tag next to each name marks its source tier (GOV/GOV PDF: the program's own official page, ANALYSIS/IND: a secondary source).
Property-tax figures last checked against official sources on 2026-08-05. See how we verify figures.
| Program | Benefit | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| City & County of Honolulu (Oahu) — Home Exemption GOV | Reduces taxable assessed value by $120,000 (basic) or $160,000 if the owner is age 65+ (age reckoned on/before June 30) for the 2025-2026 tax year, and reclassifies the parcel to the lower owner-occupant/Residential A homeowner rate. Amounts increase to $140,000 / $180,000 (65+) effective July 1, 2027. One exemption per taxpayer; file by Sept 30 of the preceding year. | Official source → |
| City & County of Honolulu — Real Property Tax Credit for Homeowners (circuit breaker) GOV PDF VERIFIED | Tax credit equal to the amount by which the year's real property tax exceeds 3% of the titleholders' combined total gross income; credit cannot reduce the bill below the annual minimum tax. Must have a home exemption in effect and own no other property anywhere. Apply annually by Sept 30. (Example from the official brochure: $35,000 income → 3% = $1,050; $2,400 tax − $1,050 = $1,350 credit.) | Official source → |
| City & County of Honolulu — Totally Disabled Veterans Exemption GOV | Real property owned and occupied as the veteran's home is exempt from all real property tax EXCEPT the annual minimum tax. Requires a physician's certificate of total disability (Claim Form E-8-10.5). Continues while the veteran remains totally disabled, or for an unmarried surviving widow/widower. | Official source → |
| City & County of Honolulu — Exemption for Persons with Impaired Sight or Hearing and Persons Totally Disabled GOV | A real property tax exemption for qualifying persons with impaired sight or hearing or who are totally disabled, in addition to the home exemption. The Honolulu RPAD page lists this program but did not display the dollar amount on the fetched page; under the county code (ROH ch. 8) this exemption is commonly stated as $50,000 of assessed value — CONFIRM exact current amount with RPAD (808-768-3799). | Official source → |
| County of Hawaii (Big Island) — Home Exemption (age-tiered) GOV PDF | Amounts here come from the program's statute or a secondary source, not from the linked page. Confirm the current figure with the office listed. Reduces taxable value by an age-tiered amount: age 60-64 = $85,000; 65-69 = $90,000; 70-74 = $105,000; 75+ = $110,000 (confirmed on the County RPT 'How to File the Claim for Home Exemption' brochure). The basic (under-60) exemption is reported at $50,000 (AARP Foundation Property Tax-Aide, not directly confirmed on the county page). Hawaii County also allows a home exemption equal to 20% of assessed value up to a cap as an alternative floor (per AARP). Every parcel remains subject to the county minimum tax. | Official source → |
| County of Hawaii — Disability Exemption (impaired sight/hearing, totally disabled, disabled veteran with <100% or Hansen's disease) GOV PDF | Amounts here come from the program's statute or a secondary source, not from the linked page. Confirm the current figure with the office listed. A disability exemption granted IN ADDITION to the regular home exemption; SSA disability determination may substitute for a physician's certificate (County RPT Disability Exemption brochure, RP Form 19-75). The county brochure did not expose the dollar amount to automated retrieval; the long-standing statutory amount is $50,000 of assessed value — CONFIRM exact current figure with the County RPT Office (808-961-8201). | Official source → |
| County of Hawaii — Totally Disabled Veteran Exemption GOV PDF | The home of a veteran totally disabled due to injuries received on active duty is exempt from all real property tax except the annual minimum tax (Veterans Exemption, RP Form 19-73). File by Dec 31. | Official source → |
| County of Maui — Home Exemption GOV PDF VERIFIED | Reduces taxable assessed value by a flat $300,000 and reclassifies the parcel into the lower Owner-occupied class. Must occupy >270 days/yr and file a Hawaii resident income tax return with a Maui County address. (Confirmed on official Claim for Home Exemption form DFT-450, rev. 12/10/25.) Maui does not use age-tiered home-exemption amounts — senior/low-income relief is delivered through the Circuit Breaker credit instead. | Official source → |
| County of Maui — Circuit Breaker Tax Credit GOV | We could not confirm this program's amounts against its official page, so we do not restate them here. Use the official source link for current figures. | Official source → |
| County of Maui — Disabled Veteran / Totally Disabled / Impaired Sight or Hearing Exemptions GOV | Maui County provides exemptions for disabled veterans, totally disabled persons, and persons with impaired sight or hearing (listed among exemptions in the county RPT FAQ). Consistent with statewide practice, a totally disabled veteran's home is exempt from all tax except the minimum tax, and totally disabled/blind/deaf persons receive an assessed-value exemption. The FAQ did not expose the exact dollar amounts — confirm with Maui County RPA (808-270-7297) / Maui County Code ch. 3.48. | Official source → |
| County of Kauai — Home Exemption (age-tiered) GOV VERIFIED | Reduces taxable value by: $160,000 (basic, up to age 60); $180,000 (ages 60-69); $200,000 (age 70+). Confirmed on Kauai's current 2027 tax-year claim materials. (Note: some aggregators list $220k/$240k/$260k — those figures are outdated/incorrect per the county's current forms.) | Official source → |
| County of Kauai — Additional Home Exemption for Low Income GOV VERIFIED | An ADDITIONAL $120,000 home exemption (on top of the basic/age exemption) plus a 50% reduction of the refuse (trash) fee, for qualifying low-income owner-occupants. | Official source → |
| County of Kauai — Very Low-Income Tax Credit (circuit breaker) GOV | Credit equal to the amount by which real property taxes exceed 3% of the household's eligible gross income (limits tax to 3% of income). Apply annually. | Official source → |
| County of Kauai — Disabled Veteran Exemption GOV PDF | A veteran who is 80% to 100% disabled due to service-connected injury is exempt from all real property taxes other than the special assessment / minimum tax (broader than most counties, which require TOTAL disability). Kauai also has a separate claim for veterans less than 80% disabled. File by Sept 30. (Official Kauai RPA disability/veteran exemption forms.) | Official source → |
| County of Kauai — Disability Exemption (totally disabled / impaired sight or hearing) GOV PDF | We could not confirm this program's amounts against its official page, so we do not restate them here. Use the official source link for current figures. | Official source → |
| State of Hawaii — Credit for Low-Income Household Renters (income-tax renter credit) GOV PDF VERIFIED | Refundable state income-tax credit of $50 per qualified personal exemption for residents (present >9 months) who are not claimed as a dependent and who paid rent on a unit fully subject to real property tax. Because those 65+ claim an additional personal exemption, a senior renter effectively receives $100 per person. (Statutory $50/exemption and $30,000 AGI cap unchanged since the 1980s; a subject of pending reform bills.) Claimed on Schedule X, Form N-11/N-15. | Official source → |
City & County of Honolulu (Oahu) — Home Exemption GOV
- Benefit
Reduces taxable assessed value by $120,000 (basic) or $160,000 if the owner is age 65+ (age reckoned on/before June 30) for the 2025-2026 tax year, and reclassifies the parcel to the lower owner-occupant/Residential A homeowner rate. Amounts increase to $140,000 / $180,000 (65+) effective July 1, 2027. One exemption per taxpayer; file by Sept 30 of the preceding year.
- Official source
- Official source →
City & County of Honolulu — Real Property Tax Credit for Homeowners (circuit breaker) GOV PDF VERIFIED
- Benefit
Tax credit equal to the amount by which the year's real property tax exceeds 3% of the titleholders' combined total gross income; credit cannot reduce the bill below the annual minimum tax. Must have a home exemption in effect and own no other property anywhere. Apply annually by Sept 30. (Example from the official brochure: $35,000 income → 3% = $1,050; $2,400 tax − $1,050 = $1,350 credit.)
- Official source
- Official source →
City & County of Honolulu — Totally Disabled Veterans Exemption GOV
- Benefit
Real property owned and occupied as the veteran's home is exempt from all real property tax EXCEPT the annual minimum tax. Requires a physician's certificate of total disability (Claim Form E-8-10.5). Continues while the veteran remains totally disabled, or for an unmarried surviving widow/widower.
- Official source
- Official source →
City & County of Honolulu — Exemption for Persons with Impaired Sight or Hearing and Persons Totally Disabled GOV
- Benefit
A real property tax exemption for qualifying persons with impaired sight or hearing or who are totally disabled, in addition to the home exemption. The Honolulu RPAD page lists this program but did not display the dollar amount on the fetched page; under the county code (ROH ch. 8) this exemption is commonly stated as $50,000 of assessed value — CONFIRM exact current amount with RPAD (808-768-3799).
- Official source
- Official source →
County of Hawaii (Big Island) — Home Exemption (age-tiered) GOV PDF
- Benefit
Amounts here come from the program's statute or a secondary source, not from the linked page. Confirm the current figure with the office listed.
Reduces taxable value by an age-tiered amount: age 60-64 = $85,000; 65-69 = $90,000; 70-74 = $105,000; 75+ = $110,000 (confirmed on the County RPT 'How to File the Claim for Home Exemption' brochure). The basic (under-60) exemption is reported at $50,000 (AARP Foundation Property Tax-Aide, not directly confirmed on the county page). Hawaii County also allows a home exemption equal to 20% of assessed value up to a cap as an alternative floor (per AARP). Every parcel remains subject to the county minimum tax.
- Official source
- Official source →
County of Hawaii — Disability Exemption (impaired sight/hearing, totally disabled, disabled veteran with <100% or Hansen's disease) GOV PDF
- Benefit
Amounts here come from the program's statute or a secondary source, not from the linked page. Confirm the current figure with the office listed.
A disability exemption granted IN ADDITION to the regular home exemption; SSA disability determination may substitute for a physician's certificate (County RPT Disability Exemption brochure, RP Form 19-75). The county brochure did not expose the dollar amount to automated retrieval; the long-standing statutory amount is $50,000 of assessed value — CONFIRM exact current figure with the County RPT Office (808-961-8201).
- Official source
- Official source →
County of Hawaii — Totally Disabled Veteran Exemption GOV PDF
- Benefit
The home of a veteran totally disabled due to injuries received on active duty is exempt from all real property tax except the annual minimum tax (Veterans Exemption, RP Form 19-73). File by Dec 31.
- Official source
- Official source →
County of Maui — Home Exemption GOV PDF VERIFIED
- Benefit
Reduces taxable assessed value by a flat $300,000 and reclassifies the parcel into the lower Owner-occupied class. Must occupy >270 days/yr and file a Hawaii resident income tax return with a Maui County address. (Confirmed on official Claim for Home Exemption form DFT-450, rev. 12/10/25.) Maui does not use age-tiered home-exemption amounts — senior/low-income relief is delivered through the Circuit Breaker credit instead.
- Official source
- Official source →
County of Maui — Circuit Breaker Tax Credit GOV
- Benefit
We could not confirm this program's amounts against its official page, so we do not restate them here. Use the official source link for current figures.
- Official source
- Official source →
County of Maui — Disabled Veteran / Totally Disabled / Impaired Sight or Hearing Exemptions GOV
- Benefit
Maui County provides exemptions for disabled veterans, totally disabled persons, and persons with impaired sight or hearing (listed among exemptions in the county RPT FAQ). Consistent with statewide practice, a totally disabled veteran's home is exempt from all tax except the minimum tax, and totally disabled/blind/deaf persons receive an assessed-value exemption. The FAQ did not expose the exact dollar amounts — confirm with Maui County RPA (808-270-7297) / Maui County Code ch. 3.48.
- Official source
- Official source →
County of Kauai — Home Exemption (age-tiered) GOV VERIFIED
- Benefit
Reduces taxable value by: $160,000 (basic, up to age 60); $180,000 (ages 60-69); $200,000 (age 70+). Confirmed on Kauai's current 2027 tax-year claim materials. (Note: some aggregators list $220k/$240k/$260k — those figures are outdated/incorrect per the county's current forms.)
- Official source
- Official source →
County of Kauai — Additional Home Exemption for Low Income GOV VERIFIED
- Benefit
An ADDITIONAL $120,000 home exemption (on top of the basic/age exemption) plus a 50% reduction of the refuse (trash) fee, for qualifying low-income owner-occupants.
- Official source
- Official source →
County of Kauai — Very Low-Income Tax Credit (circuit breaker) GOV
- Benefit
Credit equal to the amount by which real property taxes exceed 3% of the household's eligible gross income (limits tax to 3% of income). Apply annually.
- Official source
- Official source →
County of Kauai — Disabled Veteran Exemption GOV PDF
- Benefit
A veteran who is 80% to 100% disabled due to service-connected injury is exempt from all real property taxes other than the special assessment / minimum tax (broader than most counties, which require TOTAL disability). Kauai also has a separate claim for veterans less than 80% disabled. File by Sept 30. (Official Kauai RPA disability/veteran exemption forms.)
- Official source
- Official source →
County of Kauai — Disability Exemption (totally disabled / impaired sight or hearing) GOV PDF
- Benefit
We could not confirm this program's amounts against its official page, so we do not restate them here. Use the official source link for current figures.
- Official source
- Official source →
State of Hawaii — Credit for Low-Income Household Renters (income-tax renter credit) GOV PDF VERIFIED
- Benefit
Refundable state income-tax credit of $50 per qualified personal exemption for residents (present >9 months) who are not claimed as a dependent and who paid rent on a unit fully subject to real property tax. Because those 65+ claim an additional personal exemption, a senior renter effectively receives $100 per person. (Statutory $50/exemption and $30,000 AGI cap unchanged since the 1980s; a subject of pending reform bills.) Claimed on Schedule X, Form N-11/N-15.
- Official source
- Official source →
How much heating bill help can I get in Hawaii?
Up to $1,400 toward heating and cooling bills combined. That is the FY 2026 maximum Hawaii's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) publishes for heating and cooling combined. Most households get less. This is the ceiling, not a typical amount. A separate crisis benefit of up to $700 is available if your service is about to be shut off. Source: https://liheapch.acf.gov/profiles/Hawaii.htm
| Program | Benefit | Published maximum | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) | Help with heating bills, plus emergency help if service is at risk. Covers heating and cooling combined. Emergency crisis help is available. | In Hawaii the published maximum for heating and cooling combined is $1,400. Crisis maximum: $700. | Official source → |
Retirement income tax
Social Security in Hawaii: Social Security Act benefits and first-tier Railroad Retirement Act benefits are fully exempt from Hawaii net income tax under HRS §235-2.3(b)(3) (added by Act 99, SLH 1984). Confirmed by the Hawaii Department of Taxation in Tax Information Release No. 96-5.
Pensions, IRAs, and 401(k)s: Hawaii EXCLUDES (does not tax) distributions from employer-funded pension plans, both public and private, under HRS §235-7(a)(3) — this covers federal, state and local government pensions, military retirement pay, and fully employer-funded private pensions (defined-benefit plans, SEP, employer-funded portions of a plan). There is NO dollar cap on this pension exclusion. However, amounts attributable to the employee's OWN elective/voluntary contributions are TAXABLE: distributions from 401(k) plans, 403(b) salary-reduction annuities, 457 deferred-compensation plans (including the State of Hawaii Deferred Compensation Plan), SARSEP, the Federal Thrift Savings Plan, and individually-funded traditional IRAs are fully taxable (per Dept. of Taxation TIR 96-5; partially-employer-funded plans use an exclusion ratio). There is NO general age- or income-based exclusion for IRA/401(k) income. Age-b
Official source →Federal programs: checked in Hawaii too
These are computed for every family, wherever they live.
VA Aid & Attendance
An extra monthly VA payment for wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need daily help.
Medicare Savings Programs
State help that pays your Medicare premiums, and sometimes deductibles and copays.
Medicare Extra Help
Lowers what you pay for prescription drugs under Medicare Part D.
SNAP (food support)
Monthly money for groceries. Older adults often qualify for more than they expect.
Social Security & SSI
Checks whether the person may be missing Social Security or Supplemental Security Income.
Federal tax credits
Credits and deductions families miss, including medical expenses and the credit for the elderly or disabled.
Medicare before 65
Medicare eligibility for people under 65 through a disability.
Who do I call in Hawaii for help with elder care?
Call your state's Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) at 808-643-ADRC. They're the free, no-wrong-door starting point for home care, respite and other long-term-care options in Hawaii. If someone is unsafe, neglected or being exploited, Adult Protective Services can help at 808-832-5115.
Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) / No Wrong Door
Free help understanding your options.
808-643-ADRCWhich of these fits your family?
Being on this list doesn't mean your family qualifies. That depends on income, savings, care needs and service history. The free check works out which ones are worth your time, in about four minutes.
Not legal or medical advice. Benefits vary. Figures are estimates.