Hometown Record

For Alabamians 65 and older

Alabama money you may be missing after 65

Many of these breaks only start after you apply. The guide shows what each one is worth, who qualifies, and the office to call.

An independent guide from Hometown Record on YouTube. Not a government agency.

Worked example, chapter 2

One $175,000 home in the City of Mobile, at 2025 tax rates

Before exemptions$1,111.25
H-1 under 65$1,044.25
H-4 65 or older, any income$956.50
H-3 65 or older, federal taxable income $12,000 or less$0

Our own illustration, printed in the guide. Your real bill can differ, and the guide shows how to check yours with your county office.

$9One payment.
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  • Full refund within 30 days, for any reason
  • Large print to print out, and a phone edition
  • 93 pages, 90 sources, checked in September 2026
  • Free bonus: your 2026 Social Security and Medicare numbers on one page

What happens next: the button opens Gumroad's secure checkout, where you pay with a card or PayPal. No account needed. You download both editions right away, and the link comes to your email too.

Two more breaks in the guide

Each break is a card like these, with what it is worth, who qualifies and where to apply.

Help paying your Medicare premium

Worth
$2,434.80 a yearThe standard Part B premium in 2026, paid for you by the state's Medicare Savings Programs.
Who
Monthly income up to $1,816 for one person in 2026, higher for couples. Alabama has no savings limit for this help.

Alabama's retirement income break at 65

Worth
$6,000 a yearof IRA and 401(k) withdrawals that Alabama does not tax.
Who
Age 65 or older. On a joint return, each spouse who is 65 or older gets up to $6,000 of their own.

What people say, and what the documents say

From the arguments in our viewers' comments. The guide answers each one with its source.

Alabama taxes my Social Security.

The documentsAlabama does not tax Social Security at all, at any age or income.

After 65 you pay no property tax.No, seniors pay about a thousand dollars.

The documentsBoth happen, under two different exemptions. The $0 one depends on the taxable income on your federal return, and you have to apply at your county office.

Medicare help has a savings limit.

The documentsAlabama's Medicare Savings Programs have no savings or asset limit. The test is your monthly income.

Real pages from the guide

Two editions in one purchase: one for your phone, one in large print to print out.

Phone edition page: Pay no property tax on your home (code H-3), with what it is worth, who qualifies and how to apply
The phone edition: every break is a card you can read without zooming
The county table: for each county the office, its phone number, the tax rate on a home, whether a senior freeze is in effect, and the November 3, 2026 freeze vote
All 67 counties: the office to call, its number, the tax rate, and whether a senior freeze is on the November ballot
Chapter 10, the phone numbers page: statewide numbers for Medicare counseling, Medicare Savings Program applications and the Department of Senior Services
The phone numbers page, to tear out and keep by the phone

What is inside

It opens with a tick list of the breaks that may fit you, then one chapter for each part of your money.

  1. 1
    Income taxWhat Alabama taxes and what it leaves alone, with a fill-in worksheet
  2. 2
    Property tax after 65The four homestead codes, three worked bills, and all 67 counties
  3. 3
    Sales tax and groceriesWhat you pay at the register, in 55 towns
  4. 4
    Your carThe yearly tag bill, the car tax, and what you pay when you buy
  5. 5
    Insurance, storms and the $10,000 roof grantOpen only in some counties, so far mostly Mobile and Baldwin
  6. 6
    Buying a home in a buyer-beware stateWhat the seller must tell you, and what you have to find out
  7. 7
    Power billsWhy Alabama bills run high, and who serves your address
  8. 8
    HospitalsThe nearest one that admits patients, before you choose a town
  9. 9
    Money you may be leaving on the tableHelp with Medicare, prescriptions, licenses and park stays
  10. 10
    The phone numbers pageTear it out and keep it by the phone
  11. 11
    The retiree's money calendarThe dates that cost money when you miss them
Not sure it fits you? Answer 8 short questions and the free 60-second check lists the breaks that may. Nothing you type leaves your phone.

Questions

Is this from the State of Alabama?

No. Hometown Record is an independent publisher, not affiliated with or endorsed by the State of Alabama or any government agency. You apply for each program yourself, at the office the guide names.

How do I get it after I pay?

Gumroad, the store we use, shows a download button right away and emails you the link too. Both editions are PDF files.

Can I print it?

Yes. The large-print edition is made for regular US Letter paper.

Will it work on my phone?

Yes. The phone edition is laid out for a phone screen, so there is nothing to zoom.

Can I buy it for my mother or father?

Yes. At checkout, switch on «Give as a gift» and type their email, and the guide goes straight to them. Or buy it yourself and print it for them.

What else comes with it?

A free bonus: «Your 2026 Numbers», this year's Social Security and Medicare figures on one page (the raise, premiums, deductibles, the higher-income charges and the numbers to call), in print and phone editions. At checkout, Gumroad also offers an optional add-on, the Alabama Property Tax Appeal Kit for $7: what to do when your county says your home is worth more than it is. You can skip it.

What if a rule or a number changes?

You get two free updates by email: the November 3, 2026 county vote results by December 31, 2026, and the 2027–28 edition by October 31, 2027. If you find a mistake, tell us. We fix the guide and send the corrected edition to every buyer.

What if it is not useful to me?

Email therelocationfile@proton.me within 30 days of purchase and you get a full refund, for any reason.

The Alabama Retiree Money Guide 2026–27

The guide costs $9. One break it explains, help with the Medicare premium, is worth $2,434.80 a year to people who qualify. If it turns out nothing in it fits you, you get your money back.

$9One payment.
Full refund within 30 days.
Get the guide for $9

What happens next: Gumroad's secure checkout, with a card or PayPal. No account needed. You download it right away, and the link comes to your email too.

This guide gives general information. It is not tax, legal, financial, insurance or medical advice. For decisions about your own situation, talk to the office named on each page or to a professional.

Hometown Record is an independent publisher, not affiliated with or endorsed by the State of Alabama or any government agency.